Libits

I'm on the home stretch with the puppy dog quilt and it came out better than I thought it would. I'm beginning to think about my next project and I've decided on a rag quilt. I've enmassed a lot of patriotic--really nice patriotic--fabric and I'd like to use that.

My question is...do I need to use flannel for a rag quilt or can I use regular quilting cotton fabric?

Queenbarbiej

I've made three of them. One I used cotton fabric for the front and back with cotton batting in the middle. The second one I used cotton on top with a layer of flannel in the middle and on the back. The third one I used denim on one side cotton batting in the middle and cotton fabric on the other side.

IrishMom

I've made a few, some with cotton fabric on the front and back, and some with flannel and some with tee shirts. It works any way, but tee shirts and flannel will fray better. At a minimum I would put flannel in the middle -- and it's cheaper than batting and you can get some real bargains on it. The pattern of the fabric doesn't matter as it will fray, but the colors do matter. The most important thing is to buy some spring loaded scissors for the snipping. Your hands will be tired! You want your seams to be 1/2 inch instead of the normal 1/4 inch...and the bigger the pieces of fabric the easier on you. My tee shirt quilts are 12" blocks and my cotton fabric quilt (shamrocks) were 6". I think for cotton fabric the 12" might be too big but the 6" is small and involves a lot of cutting -- I would hit something in the middle. Have fun !!

Libits

Thank you both. For the rag quilts you've made with cotton fabrics, were they soft? I have problems with my quilts not being soft enough---or at least as soft as I think they should be. I use Warm White for the batting and cotton fabric and, since I"m incapable anyway, I do not over-quilt

osewme

I've only made one rag quilt & put flannel in the center. It turned out very heavy. I would suggest getting a pair of spring loaded scissors. It will save a lot of wear & tear on your hands in the long run.

Rose Burnett

I love to make ragged quilts because they are quilted as you put the blocks together. I have made 14 of them, from
twin to king size. For the top and backing, I use flannel, and warm and natural as batting. This makes a very heavy, warm quilt. Definitely use spring loaded scissors to cut the edges. Flannel batting would save some money and
might not be as warm. Quilting cotton for the top and bottom would probably be nice if you wanted a cooler quilt.
I double stitch the seams since here is so much pull on the seams. I take the quilts to a laundromat and wash them
in hot water and dry them in their dryers when I finish the quilts. There is too much lint from the flannel quilts for
your home washer and dryer. Have fun making yours; they are addictive.

illinois

I use flannel for rag quilts. I have a throw that I won as a prize at a women's gathering some time back. It is made with cottons but, even though the clips are appropriately done, it has not ragged out as well as flannel does. It seems it rags a bit at each laundering but it's going to be a long process.

Maureen

I make my rag quilts with flannel layer cakes, batting cut one inch smaller in the middle and flannel on the back which I cut from yardage to make the back squares all the same.

Fizzle

I have made flannel, which is soft. I was gifted a beautiful Christmas one in cottons that is not soft at all ☹️

IrishMom

I've made two with cotton tops (Christmas and St Patricks Day) But, I then used flannel squares for the back and for the middle. They are cuddly, but not as cuddly as my tee shirt rag quilts -- the first one of those I made almost didn't get the recipient!

If you are going to use cotton fabric, then I would definitely use flannel on the back!