Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Rag Time Fun!

I Love My Studio

I love my toys.
And I really love my sewing toys!

When I learned about the AccuQuilt Studio last year,
I knew I had to have it!
I love quilting, but cutting the fabric is not my favorite thing..
I'm always sooo eager to sew!

I had been enjoying my Studio for several months before I
became an official blogger for AccuQuilt.
And I'm super excited that now I have the chance to do tutorials for you.
I just know that after you see how much it can help you can do,
you're going to want a machine too!
And well.. there just might be a GO! giveaway very soon...


For my first AccuQuilt tutorial, I'm going to go over how to make a fun and easy toddler rag quilt. Want to learn how to make this super snuggly quilt? Of course you do!

What do you need?
* AccuQuilt Studio or GO!
* 5 1/4" die combo
* Cotton fabric for the top (it is impossible to find Halloween flannel!)
* Flannel fabric for the back

Where oh where is the batting? I didn't use it in this blanket. It makes it very light weight and perfect for car rides. I tend to blast hot air in the car during the winter months here in Utah, and I wanted a blanket that would be comfy but not too heavy. You of course can use batting if you wish. And have no fear, that batting die is not going to waste. I have another raggy quilt tutorial in the works that uses only the batting die....

OK, so this quilt took a total of 49 (5 1/4") squares. After it is completed, the final size was close to 25". Why the 15" + loss of material? You will be sewing a 1" seam allowance to accommodate the ample fringe that the die cuts for you.

When I cut my fabric with the Studio, I rotary cut my fabric into 6" long strips. I then layer 8 -10 of strips on top of the Studio die and run it through. Super quick!!! No more itty bitty fringe cutting! **Now it does make a ton of lint, so have a lint roller handy..

After all your squares are cut, you will want to match a cotton top with a flannel back, pin them wrong sides together. Then you will sew a X through each square - you want to sew from corner to corner. And remember to backstitch at the start and end of each X. You can absolutely chain stitch these, it will make this quilt go by even quicker!

Once the squares are sewn, clip the threads and start to play with your quilt placement. Honestly I worked on this scheme all day. I even enlisted the help of my parents, eldest daughter, and hubby. I wanted to do a chevron theme, but it just didn't play well with this style of quilt. I ended up with a traditional pattern, but I do love it. The skull fabric helps modernize the look of it!
After you find a quilt motif that you are happy with, you can finish up your quilt. Carefully match up the seams, flannel sides together, and sew 1" seam. When you have completed sewing the rows together, you will then topstitch a 1" seam allowance around the quilt.

Now I read that it would be best to wash it at a commercial laundry mat, but I'm WAY too impatient for that and did it at home. It was totally fine and came out beautiful. I washed it with a baby detergent and used 3-4 dryer sheets to really soften it up.
Here is the final, raggy, soft blankey! Now the only problem is I have 1 snuggly quilt and 2 little girls that want to snuggle up in it! Time to make another one...
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I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and I will be bringing you more very soon!

Official AccuQuilt Blogger

2 comments:

mamamuniz said...

Great tutorial. Makes me want to do a rag quilt!

Jenny Rodriguez said...

Thanks! It was so much fun.. I bought way too much fabric, so I'll be making a couple more of these for sure! I'm going to try a minky back next..

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