What Is The Best Material To Make A Scrappy Rag Quilt
What Fabric Is Best For Rag Quilts
Are you ready to learn how to make a scrappy rag quilt? Grabbing fabric from you scrap pile is a great way to start any quilt. It’s always a fun challenge to design a quilt using what you already have. These floral fabrics are a recent find. They have been hiding in a box for years and I decided it’s time to put them to good use. Besides, the idea behind a Scrappy Rag Quilt is to use up all that fabric you already have.
In addition to the floral fabrics, I also found a big piece of 108” wide muslin tucked away. Maybe I was going to make a cathedral window quilt at one time, but now a new plan was coming together. The floral fabrics all have very light backgrounds and work well together. Divided into front and back fabric piles, I was ready to get started. There were already some 8” blocks cut, so that was my launching point.
How many of you remember quilting without a rotary cutter and mat? Many of these fabrics go back that far! In those ancient times we believed fabric had to be torn to get a straight edge for quilting. Lucky for me, that means much of the fraying has already been done along those torn edges!
How Many Layers Do You Need For A Rag Quilt
Do Rag Quilts Need Batting
When you think about how to make a scrappy rag quilt, a big consideration is what to use as the middel layer. Looking at the muslin gave me an intersting thought. I’ve made rag quits with batting and more recently with flannel as the middle layer. What about muslin? How would three layers of lightweight cotton work in a rag quilt? It’s a very non-traditional approach, but it sounded like a workable option. What I particularly like is the idea of a lightweight quilt pefect for most any season.
The best thing about using a natural muslin, is how well the frayed edges will blend with the other fabrics. That’s why I chose the natural color over a solid white as the white might be too stark with all those cream colored backgrounds.
How Much Fabric Do I Need For A Lap Size Rag Quilt
Given the fabric I pulled together, there was enough for a nice size lap quilt. This quilt will measure aproximately 50” x 72” with a narrow border. It requires 70 blocks cut into 8” squares for the top, and another 70 blocks for the back. Plus, cut 70 muslin blocks if you want to add the middle layer.
This quilt isn’t finished yet, but so far it’s taken about 3 ¼ yards for each layer. You can see how this scrappy rag quilt will really help use up lots of your leftover fabric!
How To Assemble A Rag Quilt
Staging your squares in piles makes sewing much faster. Just line them up close to your machine so they are in easy reach. I like to adjust my ironing board height to the height of my sewing table. With it sitting right next me, there’s plenty of room for all my fabric to be laid out. Best of all is that everything I need is in easy rach!
It’s not necessary to presew or quilt your layerd blocks. The side seams of the quilt hold everything together nicely. Start chainstitching your blocks together by rows and before you know it you’ll have a finished scrappy rag quilt ready to snuggle into.
Once your scrappy rag quilt is finished, it’s time to clip those seams. Be sure to download this Rag Quilt Clipping Guide for the best results. Give you new rag quilt a good wash and dry for the final finish. Clip off any extra or knotted threads and enjoy your quilt!
You can choose to follow my pattern if you like the layout. Or create your own unique design that you’re really excited about making. Either way, it’s about creating a quilt that you love! So grab some fabric off the shelf and get started on your own scrappy rag quilt!
Want to Learn More About Rag Quilts?
Be sure to sign up for my Free Rag Quilt eCourse. You’ll receive a daily email for a week that outlines everything you need to know about rag quilting. Once you learn how to make rag quilt borders, you’ll want to learn all there is to know about rag quilts!
Find More Quilting Inspiration Here:
Why can’t I get a reply to : what are the best fabrics to make a rag quilt?
My apologies, Diana! The best rag quilt fabric choice is 100% cotton. Plus it’s even weave makes it perfect for fraying. Be sure to check out my Rag Quilt Tips included in my rag quilt posts. Happy Quilting,
Lea Louise