The difference for her doing the rag quilt, is the fraying after cutting the blocks. I also wash my flannel in advance but that only effects the outside edges of the yardage, once you cut the blocks you have fresh edges (4 per block) to worry about. But prewashing does help get the shrinkage out of the way and makes the threads a little more dense to minimize the fraying.

I have never had this problem. I use flannel, which is not prewashed. After making the rag quilt, I wash it in warm (not hot) water. I put it in the dryer with one TOWEL. About half-way through the drying cycle, I open the dryer and clean the lint filter then finish drying. You can do this sooner and more often if you want. The towel collects some, too, which is why I use it. Later, i just shake out the towel and wash it. This technique works very well for me.

I’ve made several rag quilts from flannel. A few years ago the local laundromats started posting signs of “no rag quilts” because the lint was killing their washing machines. So for the first two or three times of washing this is what I do ... take an old sheet and sew up 3 sides .. put your quilt in the “sheet bag” and sew the sheet bag shut. Wash in your washer. Take it out of the washer, go outside and use scissors to cut one seam open. Shake the dickens out of your quilt and pull out the big clumps of strings from your bag. Put the quilt back in the bag and sew it shut. Wash again. After the wash, again take it out, shake shake shake, etc. Put it in the dryer and set a timer for 10 minutes .. every 10 minutes clean out your dryer lint trap. After drying, take it outside and again shake shake shake and pick off any big clumps of strings ... now you should be able to wash it again without the sheet bag ... then dry checking your lint trap every 15/20 minutes. If your rag quilt is strictly cotton you should only have to wash once in the sheet bag ... if it’s from homespun fabric you’ll probably need the bag 3 times. That’s my personal experience anyway.

Thanks, guys. The stopped up drain was from many washing 1/4 to 1/3 yard pieces of I spy fabric when I first started swapping. Now, I buy 1 yard pieces and use them in more than one swap, so I don't have as many cut edges.

Thanks again. I have the fabric for a flannel quilt, but I don't think I'm going to make it a rag quilt. That sounds like a pain in the tush.

bkay

Take it to a laundry and use the BIG machine that washes 6 loads at one time.