Strange question -- I could be a real meanie I suppose....
 

I'm making a quickie rag quilt for a baby gift using Jo-Ann's pre-cut FQ flannel bundle.

Not concerned about shrinkage issue that much, but just wondering if anyone can tell me if I should wash the FQs first. They are blues, pinks, greens, yellows, purples. Not dark, not pastel, sort of medium color. Question #1 - If I make the squares 5", how many squares should I end up with and how big will the blanket be?

Now confession time: I'm making it for someone I really don't care for, but I feel the obligation because it's someone in my DH family. I frankly don't care if it shrinks or not. Just thinking it would be nice for the baby to drag around and nap with. Not concerned about impressing the parents, so I'm not going to a lot of trouble on this one.

Question #2 - Have you ever felt obligated to make a gift and didn't really care to much about the outcome?

If the pre-cut's are 18" x approx. 42" you should end up with 12 - 5" blocks from each fat quarter. Flannel usually shrinks a lot so you may want to wash it before. You don't say what you are backing it with.

Sorry you feel so "obligated" to make this quilt. Remember no matter how you feel about the person receiving it, it is an example of your workmanship.

This new baby will no doubt love his or her comfy 'blankey.'

The flannel should be fine without washing *if* you are cutting 5" squares *and* quilting an X through each block. If you are not quilting the X, then definitely prewash the flannel. Quilting ties the flannel to the batting. When you have sufficient quilting (which I think an X through a 5" block would provide, assuming the batting is Warm and Natural), once the block is quilted the flannel will not be able to shrink more than the batting. If you were cutting 10" squares and machine quilting an X, this would not be enough to prevent some of the flannel from shrinking more than the batting.

My thought, to be honest, is that the quilt is for the child (not the parents), so I would still enjoy making it. Also, if I thought about it, the child is likely to love the quilt and drag it around for years -- making a wonderful way of daily reminding the not-so-likeable-adult of me. :D

never felt obligated to make a quilt and not care about the outcome! If I make a quilt I care how it looks.

One of DH's coworker's wife is very sick. DH asked me if I had a quilt I could send her. He wanted to do something and didn't know what to do that would mean something to her and her DH. I met her several times and knew we would never be more then acquaintances if that. My heart wasn't in it but I picked out colors I thought she would like and sent the quilt with a nice card. She was very appreciative and that made me feel glad I took the extra effort to make it nice for her.

I have made baby quilts for little ones whose parents I really didn't care for, after all it's the babies I love and do it for.

Even if I were making a quilt that I felt obligated to make, I would still want to make it the very best that I could. The quilt says a lot about the quiltmaker. Make it as nice as you can for the baby and for yourself. You'll be glad you did.

Yes I have been obligated to make a quilt for someone I really did not care for... I was miserable the whole time. Pick a fast any easy pattern and get it over as quickly as possible. It felt like a weight on my happiness.

Fat quarters are approximately 18" x 22" so you would get 12 5" squares per fat quarter. If you only have 5 FQ (one each color) you would get 60 squares. Remember a rag quilt has 1" seams so the size would be about 4" finished or a grid 7x8. 28" x 32". Not very big even for a baby. You can make it larger by adding borders.

I can't say I have ever been in the situation where I felt obligated to make a gift for someone I didn't care for. I am sure in such a circumstance I would either buy them something or write a check, but never invest my time for them in such a way. Good grief! I don't have enough time to make quilts for all those I LOVE.

Yes, I have had to make a gift quilt that my heart wasn't in. I still tried to do my best, but exactly as Lori S said, I was miserable the whole time and I worked fast to get it over with and mailed. I did care about the outcome... and they said they loved it-- so who knows. A quilt can be a bridge!

No, afraid not. Always do the best I can no matter the circumstance.

I think if you use 10x10 (100 squares) it will end under 40 in. square because of shrinkage. It sounds like a comfy drag around quilt. A lot of things in life fall in the to do category and not caring for it. Maybe you don't like the person but the baby is not at fault. By the way I like the shrink factor so I would not prewash on purpose.

I have made a few quilts that I didnt really know the recipient or ever meet them that I remember. Just mom asking for a couple.

I decided to practice some skills on those quilts. either piecing and/or quilting. Not anything I would be embarrassed to show. But it is a good time to test out skills. ;) and then where it goes is rather incidental to doing the quilt.

It's all about perspective ;)

If you feel that strongly about it, just go BUY one and be done with it. Personally, I wouldn't do any less than my best on a quilt for nameless, faceless, homeless junkie. You're talking about an innocent baby that's related to you for crying out loud.

I finished a quilt for someone with Alzheimers going into a nursing home. The sad part was that only point of connection was that quilt and she was past knowing who I was. Anyway as I worked on her quilt I began to have a greater appreciation for her and her sewing skills and by the time I finished I was really glad I had taken the time to redo her misplaced squares and make it as lovely as I could.
I also began to pray for her as I worked on it and that helped too.

When I was doing my externship at my vet clinic, one of the office girls and one of the vet techs were both pregnant. The office girl was always pleasant and friendly to me even when I was just a client. I had no exposure to the vet tech until I started my externship. I had to work closely with the vet tech 5 days a week for 3 months and I was miserable most days. I made a quilt for the office girl and gifted it to her. I also started a quilt for the vet tech. The vet tech was the most unpleasant, unfriendly and general all around not a nice person and treated me poorly. It wasn't just because she was pregnant either as I had a couple of conversations with the clinic manager and she was always like that. (But the clinic allowed her to continue with her behavior) I got the quilt almost finished and decided that there was absolutely no way in H*ll I was going to give that wretched woman a quit that I had worked so hard on. I still have the quilt, it just needs the binding put on it. I know that someday I will find a more deserving person to give it to and I know they will appreciate it. I have no guilt for not gifting the quilt to her at all.

Sometimes it is better not to know the inner workings of some establishments; I have since acquired a new vet who has super nice & friendly staff.

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I'm making a quickie rag quilt for a baby gift using Jo-Ann's pre-cut FQ flannel bundle.

Stitch124, When I get a FQ bundle of 5 from Walmart for rag baby quilt, I use every inch of each piece...they are 18x 22, after selvage is cut,( sometimes 21") I cut them into bricks of 6" x 7". 5 across, with the 7"lengthwise. 6 down, alternating pattern to look good...with 1/2 seam. Make a cross just to hold together, no batting..no prewash any more..Just let it shrink... .double stitch around the edge. So easy and fun..The time is in the snip, snip, but I relax & enjoy that part...The ragging in washer and dryer is the pits..:) JMHO.. berni

I have made plenty of quilts intended to gift. Then they ended up making me angry and they never received it.
But now we are talking about a baby. You can do it and he will have it for years to come. Just :) while you sew. And remember its for baby not parents.

I think we have all been there at one point or another. Keep in mind that this quilt is for an innocent baby who will fell the love and warmth from it. So, put a lot of it in there for the little guy. He can't help who his parents are.

The only time I've felt 'obliged' to make a quilt was for a very good friend's daughter's new baby. The daughter is just absolutely horrid to her mother. Mom and I are great friends. For me, it was about the friendship between mom and me...not about her daughter. My friend was beside herself with joy with the quilt. Got the obligatory thank you from the daughter. It's just a shame my friend has only seen her grandson 3 times in his four years of life. And who knows if the daughter gave the quilt to the dogs. Not the issue for me.

FGs are 18" by 21". I'd cut my squares 6". I hate wasting even a sliver of fabric.

Just a note: I'd not wash them ahead of time as you will be washing several times before gifting, but after sewing. Shrinkage can happen then and it will be fine if you have sewn the squares in an X.

I know that I have given quilts to people that I haven't particularly cared for, but not while making the quilt.

I like sewing, so to me, whether or not I LOVE that person, it is a "non issue" with me.

However, I do what I want when it comes to sewing and remember as others have mentioned...

1. your skills are on display,
2. the baby is innocent,
3. why not consider a gift from Walmart instead and
4. you will enjoy it better if you have a good attitude and only you can change that!

Enjoy making this creation. If the fabric is beautiful, I'd love making it no matter who is the receiver!

Hard to prewash squares, although it can be done.

If I were making the quilt for a baby, I would make it, and give the mother instructions to wash it before using it. I am not fond of the chemicals on non-prewashed fabric coming in contact with new babies

For whatever reason you may dislike the parents, it's not the parents you are making this far. Give that little one something you could be proud of. I personally don't dislike anyone that much to not want to see a smile on their face.

Shrink everything and do your best work. (Do this for you!)
When I have to give a gift to someone I don't care for, I've found that the stores have an infinite number of gifts.

Folks I don't care for get a gift card to Target or some similar place.
When I make quilts, they are part of me, and I don't give them to just anybody. Maybe that's mean, but just because I am a quilter doesn't mean everyone is going to get a quilt!!
If you have to make a quilt, my advice is to make it the best you can as others will see it and ask who did it. Always do work you'll be proud of seeing again.

Most rag quilts are not prewashed. Shrinkage doesn't matter. I don't use batting nor do I sew an x and have never had a problem. Easy to sew but have good scissors for cutting. I also have found that just getting quilt wet and tossing in dryer a couple of times is enough. Don't have to put your septic tank through that, but make sure to keep lint trap in dryer cleaned out.

Aren't rag quilts considered a potential choking hazard to small babies? Just wondering.

No, don't bother washing them. After the quilt is made you will be washing it anyway and rag quilts don't have to be perfect because they have frayed edges anyway. If you look on the original pattern directions it clearly says not to make rag quilts for babies because of the frayed edges. A baby could choke very easily on the loose edges/threads.

I've made dozens of blankies for babies. Just two yards of flannel RST and turned. That's 36 X 42. My nieces just rave about them, how nice they are to use. Two of the grandsons still have theirs at age 15 and 18. For the more recent ones, I bought just a little more fabric than one yard of each and made a pillow to go with the blanket. Seems more like a gift when it becomes a "set".

I made a quilt for my DH uncle's wife. None of his family care for her and to be honest, neither do I. She was undergoing chemo for cancer and I thought it would be a nice gesture since cancer patients are always cold when receiving treatments. She has told everyone she sees about that quilt and keeps it on her bed. So even though you may not care for the person you may be pleasantly surprised at their reaction.

I guess I'm a real meanie -- I wouldn't go to that expense or trouble for someone I really didn't care about. I'd go buy a "token" small gift and let it go at that.

I wouldn't bother wasting my time. If you feel obligated to give them something then get a gift card. Why spend that much time on someone you don't care for. We all know how much a baby quilt can cost. Idon't put a lot of time and effort into someone I don't care for. Did that once and they complained about the color and why weren't they consulted and could I make a different one. BS! Give them a card and make something later nice for someone you like and will ENJOY making.

My DH frequently asks that I make an item for a family member,usually when I'm in the middle of another project. I feel that if God let me have the talent to do something that will make another person happy then it is my honor to do so. I understand what you are saying, but try to think of the little one that the quilt will make happy.

Looking at this thread, it seems most are telling you to not make the quilt. I say you are rewarded for any good deeds you do. Don't worry about it if it is mistreated. I agree with BettyGee, above.

Watch now, this will be THE MOST APPRECIATED quilt ever! You will wish you loved making it more.

It's just a very bad idea, period. Babies tend to suck/chew on everything and could easily choke, on a rag quilt.

Don't wash the squares -you need that bit of shrinkage and fraying to get the good raggedy look. And try not to think about th person that's getting it if you don't care for them. You are really doing this for your husband, so do a good job!

Evey baby deserves the best. Whether you like his/her parents is not a consideration. I have had this same battle with myself, so I am not being a self-righteous, judgmental prig. I finally decided it's just a matter of keeping your eye on the donut (the baby) and not the hole (the parent.) froggyintexas