Adorable Rag Quilt Secrets
With the popularity of my recent rag quilts posts, here are a couple Adorable Rag Quilt Secrets to share. This quilt is perfect for a little girl to wrap herself up all nice and snug. The front is full of flowers in pink & purple with some great polka dot flannel on the back. There are a couple unique features about this quilt that makes it quick to sew and fun to make. Did you notice the borders?
If you’re new to rag quilting, this introduction How to Make a Rag Quilt is a general overview. Next is How to Make a Crib Size Quilt with low volume fabrics. Then there’s also How to Make an Easy Blue Jean Rag Quilt which has a couple short cuts to make this a great option. Here’s a list of some Important Rag Quilt Tips to remember when making your next rag quilt. Be sure to check it out and download a copy to keep on hand. And just for a bit of fun, check out these sweet DIY Faux-Chenille Heart Pillows that are a perfect match for this quilt!
Click to enroll in the Ruffled Rag Quilt Border course!
How to Make Ruffled Rag Quilt Borders
The first Adorable Rag Quilt Secret is the ruffles…well sort of like ruffles. These extra rag border strips look so sweet around the edge of this quilt. Most all my rag quilts have borders. It stabilizes the edges and adds a nice finished look to the quilt. With this quilt, I took that border a step further.
Using the long-ish narrow strips left over from cutting the 10” blocks, an idea brewed for a border. By sewing these left over pieces into a long strip, they make a perfect ruffle trim for the border adding lots more fluff. The border has three layers and the two ruffle strips are two more narrow layers sewn on top.
How to Make A Ruffled Rag Quilt Border
The borders were completely assembled before adding them to the rag quilt. It’s much easier to handle a few long narrow strips than shifting a whole quilt around. First the three border layers were sewn together to hold everything in place. Then two rows of flannel was sewn about an inch in from the outer edges. Once the sewing was completed, every edge was clipped to get plenty of fraying.
The final step was to sew the borders in place. Since the border edges were already sewn, it’s a quick step to get them added to the quilt. Then sew one final round of all the outside edges for some extra reinforcement. These ruffled rag quilt borders definitely add a more feminine look and make this quilt even more plushy than the norm.
Click to enroll in the Ruffled Rag Quilt Border course!
How to Make a Rag Quilt Without Batting
The second Adorable Rag Quilt Secret is the extra flannel layer instead of batting for a total of three fabric layers. The top layer is regular quilting cotton with a double layer of flannel below. You can find quilting fabric and quilting supplies for your project at Fat Quarter Shop.
Without the traditional batting layer, there’s no ‘quilting’ required, because the middle flannel block is sewn into the seams which keeps everything in place. That means there’s no fabric shifting. Therefore, there’s no need for the extra sewing to stitch the traditional ‘X’ across the block because the flannel isn’t going anywhere. It’s a huge time saver!
Quilting Opportunities
This quilt turned out so sweet! I hope you get some good ideas from these variations I tried. Never miss an opportunity to try something a bit different as you’re quilting, you never know what new design you might create!
It’s pink, and what’s not adorable about a pretty little pink floral rag quilt surrounded by ruffles!. What a fun project this turned out to be – very quick and easy!
Please share with your Pinterest followers!
Want to Learn More About Rag Quilts?
Be sure to sign up for my Free Rag Quilt eCourse. I’ll send you a daily email for a week that outlines everything you need to know about rag quilting. It’s a great way to learn some new & helpful rag quilt tips & techniques!
I am working on a quilt that has 3 layers. The squares top and middle are flannel and bottom is minky. I would like to put your ruffle border on the quilt….but my question is, before I take your online course …will 2 layers of minky, top and bottom with the 3rd and middle layer being flannel. Will that ravel and look good or not?
Linda, I’ve not used minky and can’t answer that question. I did use fleece which results in a curled, clipped edge because it doesn’t ravel. Minky would probably do the same. Using it for the ruffled border would be fine as the top and bottom border. The middle layer of flannel will give you some of that ragged effect. But to get the border ruffle to ravel you’ll want to use a woven cotton. Flannel or quilting fabric would be perfect. Actually, pulling from your scrap pile would be a great option. You can choose to stay in the same color scheme, or mix it up for a wash of colors in your ruffled border. Hope that helps you with some ideas,
Lea Louise
Linda,
I’ve used minky in several of my rag quilts but they do not fray. Like the fleece they stretch and curl but does not distract from the beauty of your creation. I do however limit the amount I use and also use a walking foot to sew them. Hope this helps you. PS: I took the course and now I won’t sew one without the ruffled borders as the quilt looks naked without them ☺
Thank you Kim, your input is very helpful. I’m so glad you enjoy adding ruffled borders to your rag quilt. They are such fun and add a great finishing touch!
Happy Quilting,
Lea Louise
Hi Lea,
Would you be able to post a pic of the ruffled border attached on a rag quilt at the corners please? I just can’t imagine what it will look like.
Check out my new Scrappy Rag Quilt Lisa, the border corner is included in the cover image. The border is sewn right across the ends as I sew around the quilt. There are more layers with the ruffle, but it works just fine.
Thanks,
Lea Louise
I’ve made a few rag quilts & I keep running into the same problem. How do you keep your corners matched up & your rows even? I’ve tried pinning & making sure my seam allowance is the same but I still end up off.
Thank you for all your help.
You are correct Andrea! All those layers tend to slip and slide around when they are being sewn. Using a walking foot is what I have found to be most helpful to eliminate this problem. You can find out more about using a walking foot in my recent post ‘How to Make a Christmas Rag Quilt’. Essentially it works by keeping the top fabric layers moving at an even speed by using feed dogs on top and not just relying on the lower feed dogs alone. A walking foot is a commonly used sewing foot in free motion quilting to keep all the layers moving together. It also is fantastic tool for rag quilt. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!
Lea
Hi Lea! Thanks for all the wonderful content you provide. I am in the middle of making my 3rd rag quilt. This one is a large one to be used as a throw. My finished block size will be 6″, which is larger than the other two baby size quilt blocks I made. I’ve used the flannel as center method without the X sewn through each block. I’m just nervous that the larger quilt blocks won’t hold their shape and will look sloppy without the X quilting step. Have you made one with blocks 6″ or larger with this method? Does everything hold its shape and not look baggy (if that makes sense). This is a gift and I want it to look nice. I’ve tried to find examples of larger block rag quilts, but all of them have the X sewn. I guess I just need reassurance that I’m good to continue on!
Hi Amy, I understand your concern completely. This quilt is made with 10″ blocks using three layers of fabric. The top is regular cotton and the bottom two layers are flannel. You can see in the photos that it holds together very well. It’s not quite a year old now, and after many washings it still looks great!
You can also check out my ‘How to Make a Flannel Quilt’ which was assembled with 6″ strips. Since the strips were about 40″ long, I sewed straight down the center of each row just to reinforce the layers. So that may also be an option for you.
But for me, I’m okay without the ‘X’ with flannel as the middle layer. Just be sure it’s cut the same size as the top and bottom squares so they are all secured well in the side seams.
Have fun and let me know what you deiced on and how it works for you!
Lea
Hi Lea. I just made my first rag quilt and can’t seem to get rid of all the fraying pieces. They are all over the quilt. I washed it and put it through the dryer. It came out covered so I ran it through the dryer on air many times. Still a mess. I washed it again this morning and it’s in the dryer again. Are there any tricks? It still looks awful with all the fuzz strings. Help!!
Thanks, Judy
Hi Judy, over time the strings will stop fraying. In the meantime, pick up a cheap lint remover/roller at the Dollar Store. It works wonders! I have a couple rag quilts that will be gifted and am in the same situation. A good DIY option is to wrap some masking or painters tape around your fingers with the sticky side facing out. Then just wipe your hand across the surface and it’ll pick up a lot. You can actually roll the tape so it’ll spin around your hand which is a great timesaver, too.
I have made tons of rag quilts and after the initial wash and dry I run a hand vac over the quilt before delivery. Also I do inform the new owner of the quilt that it will eventually stop shedding.
Great advice Tonja! Vacuuming is a great idea to control all those loose threads.
Thanks,
Lea Louise
Thank you so much Lea for all of your rag quilt information. With the way things are right now, making a rag quilt was the best project to fill in those “isolation” days. I made my first one for a baby that will be born in February. I am anxious to start another one that will include rosettes and possibly a border. your step by step is so helpful. I have been sewing for years but have never attempted a quilt. the rag quilt is a great beginning.
Thanks for your email Linda! You have chosen a perfect place to start with rag quilts. They are easy to make and are so forgiving. I’m glad you’ve found some quilting ideas that will work for you. Have fun quilting!
Is it quicker to baste the 3 sandwich layers together on a large length of the fabrics then cut the to the desired size?
Absolutely Dorothy, sew one long strip and then attach, trimming as you go. Enjoy the project!
I really don’t understand how the border is made. Could you explain please
Hi Shelia, the border is sewn in multiple layers with varying widths of fabric to create the ruffle. There’s an online course available that’s listed in the post that has plenty of photos.
Thanks for your email
Good afternoon Lea,
Thank you so much for the rag quilt tip. I’m planning to make a rag quilt for my college age grandson. It’s my first try at this type of quilt. If using the flannel as the middle piece, I’m then cutting all three layers the same size, correct?? So, how do you then make your quilt sandwich for each block if you aren’t securing them with the ‘X’?
I love the idea of the time saver but aren’t sure how to implement that with the traditional rag quilt directions I have.
I appreciate your time and your creativity!!
Happy Quilting,
Kathy
Yes, this is contrary to most rag quilt instructions, Kathy. That’s what makes this rag quilt method so much easier to make. I think you’ll enjoy giving this a try. All three layers are sewn together at one time when sewing the block seams together. Since the middle layer of flannel is enclosed, it’s not moving anywhere. It doesn’t need to be secured because it’s held by the side seams. When you use batting, it’s cut smaller than the blocks and doesn’t get attached with the seams. If you don’t secure them with an X, then the batting will shift. Yes, I know that from personal experience! Try sewing a couple blocks and you’ll see what I mean.
Enjoy your quilting adventure!
I break sewing machines. I have owned 4 and none of them work, so I do all my sewing by hand now. I have not done a project this big with sewing. Do you think I will be able to make a rag quilt by hand?
Sewing a rag quilt can be a huge task by hand, but try using lighter weight cottons and you should be fine. Flannel provides a great backing and the best fraying, but more than one layer will be a lot to hand sew. I’d recommend 1 layer of lightweight flannel and using light cottons for the other two layers. There’s no reason why the hand stitching won’t hold, it just how well your hands will hold up! Start small and see what works for you. Let me know how it goes,
Lea
Lea, I just found your beautiful quilt ideas. I have a question. Should I wash my flannel before I cut my squares? I have made several rag quilts. but I usually put some batting in there. Thanks Connie
None of my flannel has been washed before making a rag quilt, Connie. While most flannel will shrink a bit, I think it just adds to the ‘rustic’ look of the quilt. Besides, I find it easier to work with fabric before sewing with it.
Hi Lea,
Thank you so much for so much info. I am about to make my first rag quilt for a baby. I would like to put a satin trim for the binding. Have you ever tried that? I remember as a little girl rubbing the satin edge of a blanket. Very soothing.
Jan Rhein
Satin is a fun idea for a rag quilt trim, Jan. My son loved the satin trim on his blanket, too. While I’ve not done it on a rag quilt, I have repaired my son’s baby blanket from 30 years ago and gave it to his kids. It sits proudly on their couch keeping them warm. What I did was to buy the wide, pre-folded satin binding at the fabric store. It’s sews on very easily. You will make the mitered corners just like you do with quilt binding. It looks great when it’s finished. Have fun with yours!
Lea
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas!! So very helpful!!
Thanks Stephanie, enjoy making your own ruffled borders!
Thank you for your thoughts on how to do the ruffled border I’m still a little confused is there a video anywhere? Thanks again
Hi Gerty,the ruffled rag quilt border pattern is an ecourse that I sell. There’s a link in the post above if you’d like to learn more. The pattern includes lots of photos with the exact steps to make the ruffled border. It’s a great finish to any rag quilt.
Hope you decide to give it a try,
Lea
So happy to hear no X on each square when using flannel. I do a lot of tied quilts and I thought . Why do I need the X but followed directions. Will save me so much time. I was adding applicaded hearts on some squares and wondered how to add additional sewing now I know nothing. Thanks so much
Ila, I’m so glad this tutorial has helped you find an easier way to make your rag quilts. You’re absolutely right that if you tie or applique the blocks there is no for additional quilting. I love to quilt, but unnecessary ‘utility’ sewing slows me down!
I have a couple questions about the ruffled boarders. First, how do they connect at the corners to look like a continuous ruffle? Second, can you combine the ruffled boarder with the rosette corner technique?
Hi Andrea,
When attaching the ruffled border, simply sew two sides on from end to end. Then sew the other two sides which will be sewn across the previous borders. The difference when attaching rosettes, is to add the rosettes on to the last two border strips before you sew them on. It’s not much different than adding any border strips. Have fun with it!
Lea
Is it possible to make a rag quilt with just a layer of flannel and the back of fleece or do I need a middle layer?
Hi Lori, I don’t see why not. It’ll be lighter weight and the ragged edges won’t be as full, but if you’re okay with that it shouldn’t be a problem. The three layers are a quilting rule of thumb, especially since traditionally rag quilts were always made with batting. I love how the flannel works and especially not having to sew the X’s to hold the batting in place. I’ll probably be using flannel exclusively from now one b/c cutting all those batting squares is so tedious! Let me know how the two layers work out for you. I’ll have to try one too.
Thx,
Lea
Lea you sure a saint to share all this information and free to boot. My quilt teacher Linda Thompson, showed me your site. Am I very glad she did. I have to do something to my tablet an up date it or get rid of stuff cause it says I can’t download anything cause something is full. I’m not up on computer stuff so till I do I can’t download any of your free items you are giving me but Ty. Sheila
Hi Sheila, please thank Linda for me! I appreciate her recommending my site to you. I don’t know if it’ll make a difference, but I sent the rag quilt files to you via email. Hopefully that may be easier for you to open. Good luck!
Lea
Can u please send me the rag quilt files to my email. I use my phone to download and im full
Hi Missi, your files are on their way!
Thank you so much for genius quilting idea.I think we must be kindred spirits.
Hi Glada,
Thank you so much for your kind words! I love when a creative moment strikes and works out even better than expected. I do a lot of ‘free-spirit’ quilting and take liberties just to see what I’ll get. It’s the best way to stretch ourselves to learn. It’s great to know I’m not the only one!
Keep those creative ideas flowing,
Lea
If make your crib size rag quilt, and have 7-8 different fabrics, how much of each pattern or color do I need?
Hi Phyllis,
For the top you’ll need 100 squares that measure 5″ plus border fabric. That’s a total of 1 3/4 yards (actually just shy of that but I always buy a bit more fabric) That’s the fabric needed for the top, plus you’ll need the same amount for the back. A total of 3 1/2 yards should give you plenty of fabric to work with.
With 8 squares per width of fabric (WOF) measuring apx 40′-42″ you’ll need 10″ to get two rows of squares. That means you’ll need 1/3 yard of each of the 7-8 fabrics you use, but will have some left over. I used fat quarters and could get about 12 blocks per FQ. The back is all the same blue flannel print and is also used for the front square and borders. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Have fun with your quilt!
Lea