Jelly Rolls

This is a jelly roll.

This is also a jelly roll. It is a roll of 44" long by 2 1/2" wide strips of color-coordinated fabric. 

I learned this a few months ago.  Bernice, who is an avid quilter, told me I should buy a jelly roll and make a quilt.  I told her "I don't do quilts".  She said, "you can do it and I'll teach you!"

Today five women gathered in my dining area to learn how to make a jelly roll quilt top.  It was very easy!  You sew all the strips together to get one long strip of fabric...1600 inches!  Then you fold the fabric strip together, sew a seam, cut the loop at the end and do it all over again.  After sewing five seams you have a quilt top with a random arrangement of fabric from the jelly roll. In one morning we were able to get our quilt tops completed, even with all the chatting we were doing!

How can this long strip possibly become a quilt top?

Just keep sewing the strips on top of each other and they eventually do!

Of course, with all the sewing we were doing we needed a snack!  What could be more fitting than a jelly roll?  One with strawberry jam encased in a light lemon-flavored cake and topped with powdered sugar? We burn a lot of calories working those sewing machines don't you know!

Jelly Roll

6 eggs, separated
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 jar (12 ounces) strawberry, raspberry or currant jelly or jam
Confectioners' (powdered) sugar

Place egg whites in large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Line a greased 15-inch x 10-inch x 1-inch baking pan with waxed or parchment paper; grease the paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and water on high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and lemon-colored.  Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar.  Stir in extracts.  Sift flour, baking powder and salt together twice; gradually add to yolk mixture and mix well (batter will be very thick).

In a large bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form.  Gradually fold into batter.  Spread evenly into prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Invert onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar.   Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side.  Cool completely on a wire rack.  Unroll cake; spread evenly with jelly.  Roll up; dust with confectioners; sugar.

Invert the warm cake onto a clean kitchen towel sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

Roll up cake. This must be done while the cake is still warm.  Then cool completely.

Once cool, unroll and spread with jam.  It will easily roll back up to its jelly roll shape.

 

Bernice brought some of her completed jelly roll quilts for us to look at.  Someday, perhaps, I'll be able to make ruffled flowers and appliqued ladybugs, too!  Maybe next class?

 

 

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