Rag quilt. "Make it in a day", they said! Yeah, right!!!
 

Ok, first off (as I mentioned in my Intro post) I dont "quilt". (The pretty, all-over sewing.) So when this rag quilt tutorial I found online said "quilt as you go", I was all :shock: :thumbup:

AND, they said it could be made in a day!! Sweet!

Yeah. Well.... It took 4 days JUST to get all my fabric squares cut! Another day to assemble my front-batting-backing "sandwiches", and I am STILL trying to get all my squares quilted so they can FINALLY be assembled!

With school starting for my kids, I got sidetracked and let the quilt sit, but I would REALLY like to GIT ER DONE!!!! LOL!!

I went with patriotic colors (NO Patriotic PRINTS.... keep reading) but with a rustic twist.... Its almost ALL florals and other prints that evoke "old fashioned" or "pioneer" times prints/fabrics.... and there is NO WHITE fabric at all.

The top is all reds, maroons, creams, browns, and blues of varying shades. The back is plain neutral muslin, as well as other cream, tan, ecru, brown, etc squares.

I have ZERO intention of making a "pattern". I like the idea of throwing these squares together hap-hazardly.

But I fubarred. (I think) The "quilt as you go" part is what made me want to try it....
SO as I started quilting my sandwiches together, I alternated each stack (one stack=one row) with square quilting and X quilting... figuring on doing "every other row" on the finished quilt with little quilted squares and X's. I have not finished all my sandwiches, and Im second guessing my "every other" plan. :(

What is your experience with rag quilts?? May I see some pictures to refer to? :)

(Oh, and the other thing that sold me on this kind of quilt? No mitering corners! YAY!!!!) LOL!

I have just finished one not even a week ago and it was not fast. 300 squares - 100 each for front, batting and backing. I quilted every square differently and I quilted on the back so that I can see what the heck I am doing (I used natural muslin for backing mixed with beige and whir on white leftover fabric. To make matters worse or more interesting I used about a dozen is different color threads on the back. I had my doubts but after I was done and it all got put together and washed it turned out to be one of the best quilts I ever made. Everybody loves it, especially the back. I had 100 squares on which I practiced free motion quilting. I have to be honest, by the time I was done I hade a huge boost of confidence. I can honestly say now that I can do FMQ with little or no problems. Good luck! According to everything you wrote your quilt is going to be a beauty. I am 100% sure of that.

I've only made about two of them, but they went together fairly fast. one i did X's and swirls/circles every other square. the other i did X's. I love cutting and piecing, so don't remember how long that part took.

As I recall, the cutting, quilting, and piecing pales beside the work of snipping...but they are great quilts and worth the work!

I've never done a rag quilt but I think I will try one this winter.

I have done a few rag quilts. I did not keep track of time (I work full time), but a few tips to make it go faster next time.

Rip the fabric into long strips, yes the edges are a bit rough, but you have wide seam allowances and will be snipping them, so it does not matter.

Stack your long strips and cut your squares using a ruler and rotary cutter. Once again not the most accurate way to cut, but not terribly important in a rag quilt.

Do not use batting, this saves two steps, one you do not have to cut the batting, two you do not have to do X's on each square.

Or just an extra layer of flannel, cut as above and do not worry about the X's.

Use recycled jeans for the back, this does take quite a bit of time, but you can have fun with the details on the jeans, I used interesting seams, pockets even a fly or two. You do not need batting if you use denim. The quilt will be very heavy.

Do yourself a favour and buy a pair of spring loaded snips to do the snipping. I did the snipping over a few evenings while watching TV.

I cut my squares out of old jeans bought at garage sales and used red plaid flannel for the back. I did not use batting because of the weight of the jeans. I did sew an X in the blocks and also featured pockets, side seams and other features from the jeans. My son loved it.

I do a lot of rag quilts and I find they take more than a day. I do enjoy making them and you can be very creative with them. I use a lot of recycled denim jumpers from thrift stores, I find jeans to be heavy for me. I don't use batting in the middle, I used flannel sheets from thrift stores, it makes the edges fuller and fluffier (sp). There isn't a pattern, I make up what I like. You can go to etsy.com and see plenty of rag quilts to get ideas (I don't know how to put pictures on here). I have a few on Etsy, my store is The Golden Attic. I do suggest you take your quilt to a laundry mat for the first washing, especially if it is large. I also draw out my design (found that on a youtube video) and label each row with a little sticky dot to make it easier to put together. The bigger the squares, the less squares it takes. Also get a pair of rag quilt scissors it will help with the clipping. I use fiskars (sp?) and they really help keep me from nipping the seams or fabric. Please post your quilt, the colors sound beautiful.

I did go ahead and buy spring loaded snips, as I am NOT looking forward to that task. LOL This quilt, once finished will be APPRX 64 x 76 (Before I started it, I got strict instructions to make it a bit bigger than my tan/red one... his feet stick out the end of that one. LOL!)

The only reason I used batting (Its low loft, 100% cotton) is because I chose fairly thin, regular cotton fabrics... I have been collecting the different fabrics for nearly 6 months. LOL

Here is a collective shot of all the fabrics I used for it, and of the stacks of sandwiches. LOL

**In response to a thread about photo size, my apologies; Im still trying to figure out how to re-size ;)

PLEASE NOTE, *NONE* of the fabric here is white... just an over-achieving flash on my camera. LOL
But ALLLLLLLLLL the fabrics you see here are just for the TOP of my quilt.... the back is a combo of neutrals, creams, tans, browns.... 304 squares per layer, 912 squares in all... WTH was I thinking??!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]361332[/ATTACH]

Oh and the comment made about the laundromat is dually noted. My poor washer and dryer would kill me! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've made a lot of them. The last one I finished a few weeks ago was a little time consuming as it had certain pieced blocks. I can make regular 8" squares rag quilt in a day if I use the rag die (Accuquilt Go) I won't make a rag quilt without the real rag snips. I use these. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg
http://www.quiltingboard.com/attachm...8721-santa.jpg

WOW. I would lose my mind after about half of that, and Santa would look more like a Keibler Elf!!!!!!!! AWESOME job!!!!

Here is the back: [ATTACH=CONFIG]361348[/ATTACH]

Very nice <3

LOVE the Santa qult. Just to to say it again! LOL

Off the computer (which is running vvv eee rrr yyy sssssslllllooooooooowwwwllllyyyyy thanks to the stormy weather....) to work on this beast of a quilt... LOL

Oh and meant to ask... those who do rag quilts.... The tutorial I did mine off of says to "snip" every quarter inch.... Is this close enough? Should I make them closer together or space them out more? I want a nice fluffy seam, but it doesnt have to be overly so......

I've only made one for a baby. Three layers of flannel with no batting. I snipped at 1/2" and it was fine. I would think 1/4" would fray away totally. I wish I'd taken a picture, but it was a rush job for a fundraiser and I never imagined three years ago that I would ever take up quilting. How life changes!!

Maybe when they said "make in a day" they meant "it will.take 24 hours..."

Hahaah!! Thats probably it!

I only have 112 more squares to "quilt" then I can make my rows! Wooo! LOL

With any luck I can get it done today.... Its COLD here! LOL

I totally feel you on the "start today finish tomorrow" projects. I just did a little sewing machine cover and it took me over a week!

But I love your color choices, your humor and your overall attitude on life. Keep on plugging away and post progress pics!

THanks :) LOL

had a major snafu yesterday....
I buy my thread by the 1200 yard spool.... makes it so much easier. LOL Well, one of my kids (no one will own up to it, go figure) messed with the spool and had the ENTIRE THING strung out and tangled and ruined. And, of course I cant find my spare spool.... which I KNOW I have.

I had to switch threads, and this crappy thread I am using now may just cause me to lose my mind. Its so STIFF. Its 100% cotton, but it feels like it has some kind of coating on it, its like sewing with wire or something!!!

It keeps catching in my machine. :(

May have to drive half an hour to JoAnns just to grab another spool of "the good stuff" !!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!

I have made several rag quilts. I don't use batting in them at all and they are plenty warm and cozy. Don't think they could be made in a day though because the clipping takes longer than that.

Oh arheath, I love your ragquilt! Don't know why I didn't think of using strips of fabric for this, but I only have imagined squares of fabric for ragquilts....my imagination is very limited sometimes! :eek:

And BellaBoo, love your Santa! Did you make up the pattern for this? I'd love to find it. :thumbup:

I make rag quilts a lot. I have had my friends do rag quilts before they do any other type of quilting because they are fast and easy. I never would do them till I got my Accquilt Go Cutter and the rag die. The hardest part for me was running the flannel thru the cutter. I have Lupus, Ra and As and the rag dies are hard to run thru because of the cutting of the fringes. I can make a queen size quilt in a weekend. They are fast and easy. My friends have had a blast making them. One did one for her Wedding Anniversary. Her husband ran the material thru the cutter and she sewed. :) They show off their quilt every chance they get.

Love this scrappy version will have to try that. I have made several of these mostly for gifts and the grandson who loves to run his hand over them. I also use flannel in the middle and if you stack all three strips as you will sew them before you cut them, they will already be in place and ready to sew/quilt as you go as long as you pick them up carefully. I usually try to snip somewhere between the 1/4 adn 1/2 inch mark.

I usually pick a size square for the big square and then for the alternate squares use a 4 patch sewn normally, alternating them as I sew the blocks together.

Most of mine are crib or lap sizes, not sure I want to snip a bed size one. The raq snips are a must, or I will use a seam ripper and go out from the line of stitching to the edge, then I don't have to worry about snipping the stitching. Make sure it is a heavy duty seam ripper.

I put together the last one I made in an evening. It was a baby quilt so the size was either 5x7 or 6x6; I can't remember now. I used 8" squares of fabric, 7" squares of batting and sewed the layers together with an "X"--I chain stitched everything. After all was sewn, I joined DH in front of the TV to snip.

Love the avatar .. Used to have pigs when I was a kid visiting the Grandparents farm.
Love the colors you must post a picture (s) when all done.

I love rag quilts. I think one reason is that before I made my first one I went to the LQS and tried out the Accuquilt rag die to make sure it was woth buying or cause me more issues keeping those little slits of fabric out of the way. Well, I got the cutter and it makes life so much easier. I also have a square die cutter the same size that I need my batting to be cut so I can do it all. What I like to do is I'll pick up flannel and then sit down and make up alot of blocks, quilted and ready to go. I store them in a tote and when I need a fast quilt I pull out the color/designs I need and within a few hours I'll have one done. The only reason it takes a few hours is because I get so picky at picking out just the right colors and placement of squares. Sometimes I applique something on the back side so that it is a two sided quilt which is great for a small child. The next one I'll do is instead of making the X in the middle I'll use my embroidery machine and put a design on it for the quilting part. If the slits you cut get in the way you can use the blue painters tape to hold them down out of the way. Then I always wash them first so that the person getting it won't think their quilt is coming apart. At the quilt show someone did one and made it into the shape of a turtle; that was nice.

If you use flannel, just be sure you have washed it and dried it several times as it does shrink 2-3%. Your fabric choices are very pretty.

Oh...I see, "Mr. Nobody", lives at your house, too. He must have left my home and moved on to yours after my kids were grown!!!!

The quilt will be "fan-tab-u-lous"!!!!!!

If you're anywhere near Lima, OH, Heavenly Stitches will cut the squares for you. they have a Accuquilt Studio you can rent time on too, and I believe that die does the snipping when it cuts the squares. Just a thought :)

Arheath ... Absolutely love your rag quilt!!!! The colors and square design is exceptional!!!! May have to try one like that ;)

Jody

arheath, that's a wonderful rag quilt. How far apart did you do your snips?

I agree...thought my hands would fall off before I was finished snipping!

At my house it was always Not I, so one day I told the kids I was going out to eat. They all chimed in could they go, I told them no, that Not I needed a break and a little more of my time since he was always getting into things.You should have seen their faces. Loved it;

Yes, the die does the snipping for you - I have the die and Accuquilt but haven't tried it yet. Plan on doing a rag quilt this winter using colored denim (thrift store finds) and various print flannels alternated. No middle batting and use a denim pattern flannel for the back. Hope it turns out as well as my first denim/flannel one. Will be my 8th rag quilt & counting!

I looking for "Not me - I don't know"!!!

Great thread here! I've learned so much... cut out all the square over a year ago & put them in a box somewhere. This makes me want to find them & put the quilt together. I love the Santa quilt - front & back - how cute!

Stacy - can't wait to see your rag quilt - the fabrics are pretty. No matter how long it takes you, it will be faster than mine, which is going to be years in the making at this rate ;)

I have made more flannel rag quilts than I would care to count and I do have one comment. Using the fiskars rag quilt snips makes all the difference in the world. Heavy duty, easier on the hands and do not cut into the seam. (something I've done, I'm afraid). Also the fiskars cutting implements come with a lifetime guarantee. If the spring breaks they will send more to you to put on the tool.