Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes: The Rise of Pre-cut Fabrics

This design reaffirms the role of community in quiltmaking and brings a physical dimension to its influence on creativity and learning. The quilt is unique to its maker and shares an intrinsic connection with the collective creativity of the quilt along. Insights from this experience reveal new avenues for collaborative creativity and the need to study the design process within communal contexts. The experience of participating in the quilt along introduced me to foundation paper piecing, a technique that has since become a staple in my quilting process. The use of techniques and materials from previous workshops and quilt alongs underscores the cumulative impact of communal activities on skill development and creative exploration. This quilt embodies over a decade of personal learning and communal interaction. It reflects my continual learning to create a distinct creative voice “inside the block.”