This site offters clear directions on making a rag quilt

http://quilting.about.com/od/ragquil...uilt_basic.htm

It looks like an easy way to make my first project ;)

wonderful! these have really got to move up my list! :)

Wondering if you put fleece or flannel in the middle or just did the squares and sewed them together softly! What a lovely gift to others!

Beautiful quilts, and I am sure a "hug to go" is full of love!

Love Rag Quilts
 

I love rag quilts! They are so easy to make and make such great gifts! I love doing them when I want to be productive at my sewing machine but my creativity meter is a little low! :thumbup:

All are just beautiful, great job, and thanks for sharing
Have a Blessed day
Ellen

I LOVE these, and how thoughtful of you to give them away. I too would like instructions.

congrats for being the quilt of the week on the home page. the quilt is very nicely done.

Thanks to the quilter who told me what was the quilt of the week! :-)

I have directions that I use and will post them here along with more pictures...I think I've made 17 now. Pictured are all ones that were gifted.

1. Buy your flannel—2 colors, or more. I’ve discovered it takes 1 yard to make 10full 7” squares (full meaning both sides). Most of my raggeds have been about 9x12.

2. Also buy some Warm and Natural cottonbatting—about 3 yards because it’s extra long? (I’m not good at yardage—but that one you can get more of if you needto.)

3. There are many options as to squaresize. You can cut your flannel into 6 inch, 7 inch, 8 inch squares. The bigger they are, the faster it’ll gotogether, but the smaller the squares, the more interesting your pattern willbe. I always cut the flannel into 7 inchsquares. If you want, you can cut anyscrap pieces into rectangles 7 x 4 inch pieces. Two rectangles sewn together will equal one square. They add even more fun to the finishedproduct!

4. Cut the batting into 5 ¾” squares. For rectangles, the batting needs to be 5¾ x 2 ¾ inches.

5. Choose 2 flannel squares of the same colorand 1 batting square. Layer the squaresof batting between the 2 quilt squares so the right sides of the flannel arefacing the out. (let me know if you needa picture) Then sew each square fromcorner to corner—so there’s an X across the square. I eye it up, but you may want to draw on aline to follow. Use a continuous seam tosew these together, first one line, then the other. Are you familiar with thecontinuous seam? It’s so easy, and makesthings so much faster, AND it saves on thread!

6. For any rectangle pieces, I just sew a wavyline from the middle of one short side to the middle of the opposite side.

7. Complete every square and rectangle in thisway.

8. Lay out the squares in the pattern youlike. Take a picture if you have adigital camera.

9. Pick up each row by starting at one end andstacking each square under the previous one. Label each pile with its row number. Pin the row number on the top square.

10. Sew all the rows together, using a ½ seam. Make sure all seams are on the same side.

11. Sew each row to the next, pinning at everyseam so they match perfectly. Lock theseams—meaning have one folded to each side as they are sewn together. Make sure all seams are on the same side. (I always goof at least once and have to ripa row apart.) It pays to double check.

12. Now sew around the whole quilt using a ½ seam.

13. Once the whole quilt is together, you need torag it. I place the quilt, folded at aseam facing toward me, on the ironing board, and clip almost to the seam—allthe way from one end to the other—about ¼- ½ inch apart. The directions say tosnip right to the seam, but I have never gotten that close. Now and then, you will cut through theseam. Just stick it under your sewingmachine and repair it by sewing over that area again. It happens.

14. Once ever seam is clipped, clip around thewhole outside.

15. Now, shake your beautiful creation outside toget some of the lint off.

16. Most directions say to wash the quilt now,but I have found it works to just spray the front well with water, and wet theback a bit too. You decide what you’dlike to do.

17. Shake the quilt outside again. Then put it in the dryer. The dryer will be what makes the seams ragup.

18. Now and then clean your lint filter and evenshake the quilt outside again.

19. Smile, you’re done.

Your rag quilts are so pretty. And, they do not look like any fading happened. I bought some black/white print snuggle flannel and a separate white flannel (probably cozy flannel - it's thicker) and went ahead & cut out the squares without prewashing. Now, I am reading where others have discovered fading and shrinkage after washing. I have not started sewing the squares yet & am seriously considering laundering the cut squares first. Does the snuggle fabric shrink more than the cozy? And, would it be possible to wash the 2nd time after sewing to make the fringe look like fringe without additional shrinkage and possible fading? Any suggestions would be helpful.

Quilter2013