Let the Journey Begin ... Yearlong Round Robin

About 2 weeks ago my mom asked me if I wanted to participate in a Round Robin with her. I was hesitant, but had always wanted to do one, but working on a project with my mom is hard enough because we have different tastes and likes, I don't know how it would be to do it with 5 other people (counting mom), 4 of whom I've never met! Yikes! To say I have control issues is an understatement.
So what is a Round Robin? Some of my readers may not know.

 It's a quilt that is made by a group of quilters and it's a variation of doing friendship blocks.  To start, everyone makes a block for the center.  There can be all kinds of rules for size, color , theme, etc.  The blocks are passed to someone else in the group.  They add the first border.  Then the next quilter adds the second.  This usually continues until there are three borders that have been sewn by three different quilters.  The quilter who made the center block then gets the quilt top back to keep and finish.
 
On top of that, my mom loves to get all excited and talk you into doing stuff but never really giving you all the info. She asked if I wanted to do it while she was at the first meeting and of course i only had minutes to decide. When I saw her a few days later I found out that it was a large group of quilters, with each "team" having 6 members, but 3 on her dropped out for health or family issues.

She gave me a "book" which was merely a stack of paper to fill out. The first page was rules! (Oh, no! Rules!) The second was a page called "Floater Border Formula". (Oh, now there is math involved.) Then there was a page that was "Guidelines for My Quilt". (Oh, I like that one. I can give directions, now we'll all be happy!) Next was the log sheet for "My Medallion" where you write a description about your center piece. Then it was followed by 5 pages where each quilter adds their notes as they make a border.

Fun right!?!

A day or two after Mom gave me the book and I went through it and decided what to do, she tells me that you have to make a garment bag, which is where your quilt will be kept as it progresses and a small suitcase for your fabrics and such. Uhhh ... what if I need my suitcase in the next year? Ha! I got to borrow one of Mom's. (Yeah, we can still go to Disney - which is ALWAYS being considered.)

So now I have to make a center block, fill out paperwork, do some math and make a garment bag ... Easy peasy!

I finally corned Mom yesterday to get the dates for the meetings because if not, she'll tell me days before if not the day of! I have to plan better than that, I had a toddler to consider and a husband in law school.

Well, I got the dates and learned that the last meeting is a weekend retreat and there are lots of activities and the reveals and stuff. Wow! This is serious business. I did not know all of that went into the planning. Each team also has a name theme. We are Clueless ... because many of us are new to the Round Robin activity and some new to quilting as well.

We also have to "host" a meeting. So out team has to decorate, have gifts and foods. Mom isn't worried, she's just going to let me think of something fun. UGH! Good thing I love Sherlock Holmes! Looks like we might have a mystery themed meeting, because other than that, I'm ... clueless!

So, I'm going to go get fabrics and find what I need this weekend. Come back to see the progress.

Until our next cup of tea ...