Joy Higdon

I am trying to do a rag quilt Christmas tree. The instructions aren't very clear or I am just too dumb. It is made with 7 1/2 inch blocks with batting in between. When I sew the horizonal rows together, do I sew all 4 fabrics together with the wrongs sides together? Then when I sew the vertical rows together it says to press open the seams and sew. I am assuming it means the horizontal row seams which it will be a little tricky cutting the seams in that area. See, I am too dumb to even make my questions understandable. Just hope someone can understand and help me. Thanks

ragquilter

Yes, the seam is outside not enclosed in fabric. Sew the seam to the front side of the quilt. I never press but you open the seam when you pin the rows together. When I start to clip I clip the joints first, that loosens up the seams and then I can pinch both sides of the seam together to clip. I'm not sure I explained it very well but I'm sure someone will be along shortly to explain it better.

Joy Higdon

Thank you so much for your quick response. I can always count on someone to come through for me.

carolaug

Jenny has a really good tute on how to make a rag quilt. There are also some good videos on this board.

jcrow

I don't understand what you mean when you say you sew all four fabrics together. Shouldn't it be three? The front, the batting and the back? And you sew an X or a line on each square to hold the batting in place. I think you have the rest figured out. I was just wondering where you came up with four fabrics instead of three. Maybe I'm wrong.

misskira

You can use 3 or 4 layers of flannel stacked up all the same size instead of a small piece of batting for the center. Maybe that's what she's doing.

ragquilter

I assumed (and you know what that means) that she wasn't counting the batting because it isn't sewn in the seam, it is cut smaller. So maybe I replied wrong, I hope I didn't mess her up.

Joy Higdon

When I said 4 fabrics, I was referring to the two squares that you sew together with wrong sides together. Each square is made up of two squares of fabric with a square of batting in between. Thanks everyone, you have been a great help. I think I have it now.

romanojg

I'm confused. I've made many of these. I have two squares that are the same size, one for the top and one for the bottom and then a layer of batting that goes in between the two layers which is cut about 1in smaller that the other two squares. I sandwhich all three together and sew an X in the middle to hold them all together. Then each gets sewed together. You don't have 4 fabrics you only have 2 plus one batting unless you are using flannel in place of the batting then it's 3 layers of fabric and no batting. I'm not getting where you say 4. Another thing you can do instead of making the x in the middle is put a design there; which would be great for Christmas or a kids

Peckish

When she sews her finished squares together, wouldn't it be 4 then? Each square has backing fabric, batting, top fabric. That's 2 layers of fabric. Then when she sews 2 blocks together (to assemble the quilt) she would have 4 layers of fabric.