Another Rag quilt question
 

Wondering if a Rag quilt with Homespun on the front and back/with warm & natural will hold up as well as flannel on one side. I have made them with cotton/flannel and homespun/flannel. Also wondering about the seams, should the stitches be shorter or double stitched when using the homespun?

I use a very short and extremely narrow zig zag stitch for the seams in rag quilts. It is quite a bit stronger and has more give.
Homespun is more open weaved, I don't know that it would hold up as well long term as a tighter woven fabric :) :) :)

The first 3 raggy quilts I made had homespun on the top, batting in the middle and flannel on the back. I gave one away and sold the other two. I've never made another one with the homespun; I decided it wouldn't hold up as well as cotton, thought I did like the look. Now, I normally use cotton on the top and flannel on the inside & back. These have really held up good.

Thanks for the hint about the narrow zigzag, I am going to try it on my next one!

I have used a very narrow zig-zag on materials with more stretch. I don't know if I would use the homespun on a heavily used quilt, but it would be a beautiful fabric choice.

Pat

my homespun raggy quilts have held up for 5 or 6 years now- they get softer/cozier each time they are washed-just like flannel
i've had no issues with them- i've made a number of homespuns quilts- raggy and regular pieced- guys love homespun quilts! all 3 of my brother's requested them after seeing my first one-
i usually double stitch my joining seams on raggy quilts-just because--the zigzag seems like a pretty good idea too- maybe i'll try that the next one. i generally double stitch so if one stitch happens to get clipped during the clipping process chances are the second seam will still hold- that way less chance of having any holes when it comes out of the washer the first time.
when i've had homespuns that seemed really thin i have backed them with muslin- but that hasn't happened very often-once in a while i will find one i really like and want to use but it is just thinner than the others- the muslin works beautifully-and when the quilt is finished there is no way to tell what squares may have that extra layer.

Thank you all for the replys. On the homespun I will give the tiny zig-sag a go. Great tip.
Also I do have a couple of thin homespuns that I thought maybe I should back them. Thank you for that tip as well. I do want to let you all know that I do have the little Fiskar spring sissors but still found them not so good for me, better than my sewing shears but still with my older hands not so good. So I remembered I had some garden shears that are Fiskers with a rounded tip and much larger so the grip is so much easier. I will scan them and show what I am using, maybe it will help someone else. I also found sitting and clipping was a tad more awkward for me. I put my quilt on the kitchen counter and drape the row I am cutting just so it hangs over a bit. So much easier and faster for me.

My second quilt was a homespun with warm and natural batting. 5 years and many washings it's still fantastic! it's my oldest sons quilt and I used 1/4 seams and hand quilted it. No issues!!

Nippers
 

Hope this works, my first photo.
These are the sissors that I use for doing rag quilts.

I gave my homespun quilts as gifts and haven't heard any issues. I have been really using my 3 flannel on a lot in the last year and notice some seams getting loose...guess there are just no guarantees!

I bought a pair of scissors like the one on the right in your picture. I started out clipping seams with regular scissors and after about 3" I said...no way. So went to Joann's and bought those...WHAT A DIFFERENCE.

I made a Homespun with flannel that looked like acid wash, and I think they used a tad bit too much acid! At the seams where the fabric is lighter the fabric is pulling apart. This after my first wash. So guess that one is mine and I'll throw some homespun patches on it. Maybe it will look like I meant it to be that way.