I have bought all of my fabric to start a rag quilt. I'm going to use cotton on the front and back and flannel for the lining. I have been reading up on the directions and was wondering if anyone has any tips for me before I start. I think that I'm going to use a 7 inch square and 1/2 inch seams. I plan on starting this tomorrow so any helpful hints would be welcome.
Thanks
Barb

Take plenty of chocolate breaks. LOL. Just kidding. Rag quilts are a piece of cake. I make rag purses and sell them and am working on a carebear rag quilt in my spare time and I love making them. Are you using any certain colors or a certain pattern throughout? Or are you just mixing them up? I can't wait to see. Please post pictures afterwards. Good luck. :D

Hi Heather,

I have some Christmas flannel and I want to do a rag quilt as a gift but... I really don't look forward to cutting every half inch all around the blocks. So, my question to you is, what tool do you use to cut the fringe and stay so cheerful and keep wanting to do more?

Gale

I have found these small spring loaded scissors by Fiscars. They seem to be less hard on my hands. Whatever size you make your blocks, your batting layer should be one inch smaller. So if you want your blocks to finish at 7", cut fabric 8" and batting layer 7". Center your batting layer on the back piece, then add top piece. Sew on the diagnol from corner to corner creating an X. When sewing the pieces together, use a half inch. When cutting, I cut closer than half inch, more like 1/4" but it up to you. Just make sure you do not cut your seams, or it will fall apart with first washing. Although I have never seen a raggy quilt made out of cotton, I did make raggy jackets out of brushed homespuns. Regular cotton will not fray as much so won't give you that soft raggy look. For the baby quilts I made using the process described above, I used flannels.

One word of caution, you will need to clean your lint filter every few minutes, or do what I do and take to laudrymat for the drying process. If you chose to dry at home, check your filter every 10 minutes. The build up of lint in the dryer trap will inhibit the drying process and is potentially harmful to your dryer.

This is really an easy project, so enjoy the process. Be sure to post a picture, so we can all see. :D

I'm just finishing one for my niece and the rag quilts are wonderful and fun to do. This one happens to be huge blocks 10" and all 3 layers are flannel. I also use the fiscar spring loaded snippers to cut the fringe, saves a lot of stress on my hands. Have fun- :)

Ladies, thank you very much...

To repeat, I cut blocks 1" larger than the batting in the middle. I sew the x first and then sew the blocks together? Then I use spring loaded (small or large)? scissors to cut fringe? (1/4" or 1/2")? Then I launder and then put in a dryer (laundromat recommended).

Again, my thanks for the input...

Gale

Ok, went back and reread the notices. My questions were answered by Boo, just doing my usual read and forget before I hit the end of the sentence.

I am good to go. Many thanks.

I've made two of these (queen sized) and probably won't make another. I suggest you go with a larger block as when the top is finished and you have to cut. The smaller the block, the more cutting. Later, you will understand why I suggest a larger block. Mine were made of all flannel; cotton one side may help.

To cut, I tried several scissors: Wiss, orange-handle Fiskars, spring-loaded Fiskars, Ginghers and found that my Cutco kitchen shears worked best. I think it was the serrated edge. Regardless, there will be alot of cutting so be prepared for not only sore hands, possible blisters and use of a lot of precious time.

Then there is the washing. If possible, take to a public laundry to wash and dry. These are dirty quilts with lots and lots of lint. This lint is known to clog the drain, be careful. If drying at home, empty your lint filter often as it will be loaded. After one washing, I had to brush and brush to rid of lint and then back into the dryer to remove more lint. You will find lint on the sheets and blankets, floor, etc for a long time. -- Like I said, I'll not make another.

Don't want to be a wet blanket, just want you to know what you can expect. Incidentally, I used really good flannel which I thought would improve my chances of less "dirt" but to no avail.

Suzanne

i am with suz i have just about made 1 and i did not get it square and then had to square it up and still have not finished it i thought it would be easy but i am tired and still havent started cutting it and dread it and it is borring and i thought it would go fast listen to her she knows go for big blocks thanks dorothy from tenn

Someone needs to invent sissors that cut fringe by cutting alongthe seam'

there has to be an easier way. know any inventors :shock: :? :roll: :wink: 8)