quilts for christmas-questions
10-29-2013, 09:47 PM
#12
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Another thing about rag quilts is that you *must* be very careful with the first couple of washings & dryings. People have burned out their home washing machines and dryers with the lint that comes off these quilts. It's often better to take them to the laundromat at first.
10-30-2013, 07:29 PM
#13
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Location: Atlanta
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just picked up some flannel today for a baby size "practice" quilt for my youngest. but i think im gonna give the style wannabequiltin put up. i have seen a few rag quilts i like, but i cant see doing rag quilts with the materials i wanna use for these next few :-/ i have at least three baby quilts i wanna do first. im still unclear about tacking though. i have heard talking about just sewing an x through the whole thing? or each square? after its all put together im assuming? is there a tutorial about it or something?
10-31-2013, 03:10 AM
#15
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Location: Colorado
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I'm not a flannel person so I can't help you there. I really like Wannabequiltin's illustration and the simplicity, it looks complicated but isn't. Yeah, we all gotta start some where, so just go ahead with your feelings and I'll bet you'll do just fine.
10-31-2013, 11:29 AM
#19
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Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
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Originally Posted by ManiacQuilter2
I agree with the others. A rag quilt would be easiest. I didn't do any fancy stitching on mine. If you want some warmth, some have sandwich a piece of batting between the two layers of flannel. Then I just stitched diagonally like an X thru each block. To connect the squares, I stitched them together backside to backside. The hard part is doing all the clipping of the seams. There is more details but that is the basic of making a rag quilt.
10-31-2013, 11:38 AM
#20
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Originally Posted by Prism99
Here's a click link to quilt you are looking at: http://www.potterybarnkids.com/produ...gerHeroOverlay
That should be doable.
Some tips:
Flannel can shrink a *lot*. Especially since you don't intend to do a lot of quilting to hold the layers together, you will want to preshrink your flannel. It's a good idea to wash and dry flannel twice.
After washing, the flannel will become awfully limp. Whether or not you prewash, it's a good idea to heavily starch flannel before cutting. Starch stabilizes the fabric so you get more accurate cuts. Plus, flannel has a disturbing tendency to stretch and distort as you sew; heavy starching will keep your piecing accurate. My method for starching is to mix a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water. I use a large wall painting brush to saturate the yardage with the starch mixture. Wait a minute to make sure that the fibers have absorbed the starch, then toss in the dryer. Iron with steam. Flannel can come out quite stiff this way which is ***good***. All of that starch will be gone when you wash the quilt after you are finished.
It's a good idea to use 1/2" seams with flannel -- especially with the large pieces in the quilt you are looking at. Flannel has a tendency to fray, and using 1/2" seams will prevent that problem.
Choose your batting carefully, especially if you will not be quilting moderately. Post here for suggestions when you get closer to that stage. It depends on how closely you will tie and/or quilt.
#3 in your post -- I'm not sure what you are thinking of doing. I suspect it is a mixture of techniques. What I would suggest is doing a search on the QB for "spray basting" and "basting with Elmer's glue". Those are two very good ways to layer your quilt before tying/quilting. I would recommend tying/quilting, and then either adding a binding to the edge or (if you have left extra backing fabric at the edges when layering), pulling the backing fabric to the top to bind the edges.
If you take it step-by-step and keep posting here, you should be fine!
That should be doable.
Some tips:
Flannel can shrink a *lot*. Especially since you don't intend to do a lot of quilting to hold the layers together, you will want to preshrink your flannel. It's a good idea to wash and dry flannel twice.
After washing, the flannel will become awfully limp. Whether or not you prewash, it's a good idea to heavily starch flannel before cutting. Starch stabilizes the fabric so you get more accurate cuts. Plus, flannel has a disturbing tendency to stretch and distort as you sew; heavy starching will keep your piecing accurate. My method for starching is to mix a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water. I use a large wall painting brush to saturate the yardage with the starch mixture. Wait a minute to make sure that the fibers have absorbed the starch, then toss in the dryer. Iron with steam. Flannel can come out quite stiff this way which is ***good***. All of that starch will be gone when you wash the quilt after you are finished.
It's a good idea to use 1/2" seams with flannel -- especially with the large pieces in the quilt you are looking at. Flannel has a tendency to fray, and using 1/2" seams will prevent that problem.
Choose your batting carefully, especially if you will not be quilting moderately. Post here for suggestions when you get closer to that stage. It depends on how closely you will tie and/or quilt.
#3 in your post -- I'm not sure what you are thinking of doing. I suspect it is a mixture of techniques. What I would suggest is doing a search on the QB for "spray basting" and "basting with Elmer's glue". Those are two very good ways to layer your quilt before tying/quilting. I would recommend tying/quilting, and then either adding a binding to the edge or (if you have left extra backing fabric at the edges when layering), pulling the backing fabric to the top to bind the edges.
If you take it step-by-step and keep posting here, you should be fine!
I am in the wash before cutting camp -
As far as flannel becoming limp after washing - some flannels do - most of the ones I have are still robust after washing.
I am not in the starch everything before cutting camp - I feel that the fabric should be robust enough to 'stand on its own' - I MIGHT use starch if I am cutting pieces that are all on the bias. But many people seem to feel it's a helpful step.
However, flimsy fabric still be flimsy fabric - even after it's been starched.
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