A rag flannel quilt had been on my wish list of quilts to make for many months. My stash pile had 2 pairs of pj's, 4 flannel shirts, and 2 flannel lounge/pj bottoms just waiting for scissors and needle! I also had odds and ends of various loft batting saved. This quilt as you go project sounded cheap, fast, and easy; with everything on hand - unexpected days at home seemed the perfect time to tackle this fun project.
By the evening of the 3rd snow day I started cutting the clothing items into random length 5 inch rectangles - 5 inches only because it was the width of the ruler I use with my rotary cutter. Matched seams are not among my favorite things to do so the randomness would eliminate that issue. It was so random that it was definitely a "figure it out as you go" project. The only quilting was by machine - an X from corner to corner - just eyeballed, not a drawn line.
Based on rag quilt images I saw online I thought the outer edges needed more than the single thickness fray from the quilt "block", but I didn't want a traditional binding. So my trial and error rag binding began by cutting strips in two widths 3" and 1-3/4". With the right side of the 3" strip against the back of the quilt I attached it with a 1/4" seam. I then folded it to the front and placed the narrower fabric strip inside it for more bulk at the edge as well as additional fray. I then sewed a seam 3/4 inch from the edge.
Too late I realized this still would not be enough fray along the edge to balance with the interior seams so I placed another narrow strip on top near the edge and sewed another 3/4" seam from the edge.
Next time I will place this additional strip on top and just make the one seam instead of having to go back and add it. I considered putting both strips on top, but I like encasing the one strip to add stability to the outer edge.
After hours of snipping, hand brushing, shaking, and vacuuming - thank goodness for Fiskars spring-action micro tip scissors! My arthritic hands aren't what they used to be - just ask me about any hand-sewing lately! And to think I made my wedding dress, my husband's wedding suit, prom dresses, etc..... old age is...!
Then it was off to the laundromat on the fifth snow day of the week (seventh in a row) for that first washing and drying that yields way too much "bird nest making material" - those small threads seemed limitless. More shaking as it was removed from the washer; more shaking at the 1/2, 3/4, and final drying times also! I picked up as many of the tiny threads as I could from the laundromat floor (I thought there might have been a broom somewhere I could have used - I know to take one the next time I "finish" a rag quilt).
Softness, "plump" outer edge "binding", visually appealing - I am quite pleased with the final result and my "stash" is smaller. Making this rag quilt and developing its enhanced binding was a great way to minimize the severe case of cabin fever I had been developing!!
FYI
- final size = 52" x 55"
- cheap? - yes! only money spent was $3 at the laundromat
- fast? - reasonably - especially since it was completed within one cancelled school week! - I probably spent about 30 hours working on it in total (cutting, designing, clipping, brushing, laundering)
- easy? - amazingly easy
- husband says I should call this "KAB binding" - he knows I use my 3 initials a lot
- final steps to any project
- refill bobbins - you never know when time and creativity will happen
- clean the sewing machine - I "dust" after every 4 bobbins - not only do I know the sound of a machine in need of cleaning/oiling, but so does my husband (when he says it's starting to sound like a helicopter a cleaning is in order) LOL!
~~K
