Rag Quilt Basics
Rag quilts are easy to make once we learn to reverse the sewing method we normally use to make a quilt. All rag quilt patches are sewn with their wrong sides together so that seam allowances are visible on the front of the quilt.A walking foot isn't required to make a rag quilt, but it's helpful. The foot's built-in feed dogs help grip and advance the upper layer of fabric in unison with the sewing machine feed dogs underneath, keeping the layers from shifting apart as they move through the sewing machine.
We'll sew this rag quilt together with a 1/2" seam allowance. Locate the 1/2" mark on your sewing machine's throat plate. Mark it with a Post-It note or strip of masking tape to help you remember to sew a wider than usual seam.
Make the Quilt Sandwiches
- Place a 8-1/2" floral square right side down on your work table. Center a flannel square of the same size on top of it. Top off the pile with another floral square positioned right side up.
- Repeat to make a total of 17 quilt sandwiches from the 8-1/2" squares.
- Use the same stacking method to make 18 quilt sandwiches from each print cut into 4-3/4" squares. Keep stacks of like-prints together.
Don't worry if the fabrics in each stack aren't perfectly matched -- they'll be fine once they are sewn together.
Should You Quilt?
There's no need to quilt the squares, because flannel doesn't come apart with use like regular batting does.
