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Help with Christmas Quilts

Help with Christmas Quilts

Old 12-09-2010, 01:17 PM
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OK....first let me say a huge THANK YOU to everyone on this board! I found this board a month or so after I lost my father back in July...ya'll have not only given me GREAT quilting help but have also given me friendships to help me through difficult times. As many of you know, my mother became ill last week and passed away on Sunday. I must say that losing both parents in 4 months has been the most difficult challenge I have faced thus far. Without this board and my "Midnight Owl Club" friends on chat, I don't know what I would do. So again, my sincere thanks!

Now....my latest call for HELP! :D Because of everything that has occurred, I am VERY behind in getting quilts made for my family for Christmas. We were already having a difficult time financially so I was doing quilts...now with Mom's funeral cost, I really need to do quilts! So...I am changing the patterns to make some very FAST and EASY quilts. I just have a couple of questions that I need clarified mainly because I think my brain is on "pause" LOL!

1. When doing a Rag Quilt, can I use cotton on the top and then flannel on the bottom?
2. Also with rag quilts, I remember some said that they left a little over an inch for cutting. How much did you cut? Like 1 and 1/4????
3. If I am tying a quilt, what type of batting would allow the most room between ties in order to save time? I was thinking of using decorative buttons for the "ties" in order to make it cute but want to make sure there are enough ties.
4. I'm afraid that there is no way I will have time to hand bind the quilts before Christmas given that I still have to go back to Texas for my Mom's "Celebration of Life" service on the 18th. I know some of you have done binding by machine. What do you think of me making the backing big and then folding it to the front and using a decorative stitch??

Thanks ahead of time for your help!!!
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Old 12-09-2010, 01:24 PM
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1. Yes, but I would prewash the flannel so that it will shrink the second time with the cotton. don't prewash the cotton.

2. 1/2" to 1" seams would work for the rag quilt, I like to use a very narrow zig zag stitch on the seams. Clip up to an 1/8" of the seam line.

3. Nothing at all wrong with wrapping around the batting, using a decorative stitch to sew it down, very pretty accent.

4. Check out the poly battings, they may be your best bet for tying wider areas. Each company/type has different requirements :wink:
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Old 12-09-2010, 01:33 PM
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If you can afford warm and natural batting, you don't have to quilt very closely. Their web site says "quilt or tie 10" apart.
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Old 12-09-2010, 01:33 PM
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You are definitely in my prayers. I'm sorry about your mom and dad. This will be a bittersweet holiday for you. I lost my mom right before Christmas, and I always have lots of different emotions at the holiday. I love Christmas music, but it always makes me cry.

As for your questions, just do what helps you get done and get by. Here's my opinion, for all it's worth (not much at last accounting (O: !
1. I don't see why not. They're both cotton, as long as they've been prewashed and preshrunk. But even that may not be a critical issue when time is paramount.
2. If I want my block to be 8", I cut them 10". Then sew a 1" seam on all sides, clip to pretty close to the stitch line.
3. I don't know which batting allows the most spacing, but about the buttons, just make sure they aren't for little guys. They might be a choking hazard. Other than that, cute idea!
4. I just did one that way. I folded the back to the front, and used a decorative stitch to stitch it down. Turned out really cute!

Good luck and take care of yourself.
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Old 12-09-2010, 01:54 PM
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I am so sorry you have lost both parents is such a short time. When I was 18 I lost my favorite grandmother (my dad's mother) on my dad's birthday, then lost my dad 2 months later just a few days before Thanksgiving. This was devastating to me at that age. You have to move on as best you can. As far as the quilting, do what you can and know that the people receiving them will understand. I agree with using warm and natural; you don't have to quilt close together. Tying in the center of each square would be enough. The buttons sounds cute, but also think of comfort and washability. I would go with just tying. I use embroidery floss or worsted weight acrylic yarn.
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Old 12-09-2010, 01:57 PM
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If time and money is your problem you might consider making no sew fleece throws this year. There are so many beautiful pieces of fleece to match what ever a person interests are.

Directions here:

http://collectibles.about.com/od/val...leecethrow.htm

JoAnns has their fleece on sale this time of year so I think you can make them for less than $10 each and they are so easy you could do them in less than a day each.
Next year you could make a regular quilt for each during the year.

Sorry about your loss.
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Old 12-09-2010, 02:22 PM
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So sorry for your losses. I wish you lived closer because I would help you quilt them.
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Old 12-09-2010, 02:40 PM
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My thoughts are with you. I still miss my mom more than anything in the world. My rock. You need to remember to do for you. Everyone else that really matters will understand if you don't get your projects done. If they don't - who cares? The presents can arrive in March and you will get the same positive reaction to them. Keep yourself busy - and sane. You deserve it in this difficult time. God bless.
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Old 12-09-2010, 03:00 PM
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I'm so sorry to hear of all your pain and loss. I hope the new year will be a better one for you.
I just want to say that you can do a binding by machine. I have done it many times and usually use a pretty stitch to make it show up. It holds up even better than a hand sewn one so I use it for quilts that are donated to Wrap-a-Smile and others that are going to other countries or children in general.
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Old 12-09-2010, 03:04 PM
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Gail,

My heart aches for you. I have lost both my parents as well, but it was 33 years between them. My Mom passed away almost 4 years ago and I miss her more than I would ever have imagined. Your family will understand if you don't get the quilts done by Christmas. They will treasure them whenever they get them.

As for the rag quilts, I have even used inexpensive blankets from Walmart as the middle batting. I could not tell a difference in them and the cotton batting. Just make sure to get soft blankets, not rough feeling ones. They have been washed many times and still look great.
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