Originally Posted by LovinMySoldier
I made a rag quilt for my niece with lady bug fabrics. I had like 12 different lady prints or something. I used flannel and cottons. Then I bought a bit of minky and put that in it too. I did not prewash anything. And it turned out just fine :) The minky doesn't rag very well but it still looks and feels very nice in the quilt. So I just made sure that I didn't put 2 minky pieces next to each other or as as a back piece to a front. So when you sew your blocks together you dont ever sew the minky with minky. I like to sew one row with the rag side up and then do the next side with the rag down. That way both sides are ragged. And you get 2 quilts instead of one. Also if you pick a different colors for the other side the contrast looks really fun when you rag it.
If what you guys call 'rag' quilts are what we call 'chenille' - it is helpful to be careful that you get rid of a lot of the little bits before you put it into the washer and dryer in order to fluff it up. Otherwise, you could have a clogged washing machine. My friends often take them down to the laundromat to use the commercial machines and dryers for this purpose. Is 'minky' what we call 'polar fleece' or fleecy'? If so, it doesn't unravel as the flannel or cotton does, but could be a nice contrast. I generally wash mine inside a doona/douvet cover for the first wash, which collects most of the debris that I have missed with the initial shaking and combing, and then I wash it sparately before putting in the dryer.