Baby Rag Quilt

 Baby Rag Quilt

32x32 in

What you will Need:

* 3 ¾ - 4 yrds of flannel ( I usually get 4 yrds total just in case I have an oopsie!). The amount you will need of each pattern will depend on how many patterns you have chosen. Just divide them up until you reach your yardage needed. * Ex.- If you pick 4 patterns, get a yard of each. If you pick 6 patterns, get 24 inches of each and so on….
* Scissors
* Sewing machine (embroidery machine if you plan on embroidering a name)

****TIP: DO NOT PREWASH YOUR FLANNEL****

Directions:

Step 1: You will need to cut out (128) 6in x 6in squares. 64 for the front and 64 for the back.

 Step 2: If you plan on embroidering a name go ahead and lay out your blocks the way you want them to look and set aside the blocks you want to use for your letters. (front and back sides)

If you don’t plan on embroidering a name, you can skip this step.

TIP: If doing a name, I like to take a picture of how I had it laid out so I can reference back to it later.







Step 3: Now gather up all your pieces into a pile (except the ones you picked for the name).

Step 4: Sew an “X” through your squares. When doing this remember to have two together at a time. You will be making the front and back of your quilt at the same time. Your “X”s don’t have to be dead center perfect. Just get them as close as you can.
You can sew the “X”s with one or however many of coordinating thread colors you want for all your pieces.
I like to sew each (2) block together with a coordinating thread color.

TIP: When sewing your “X” s, make sure your patterns are wrong sides together so the patterns will be facing out on both sides.

 

If you don’t like the “X” sewn through, you can skip this step. The “X” just keeps everything held together for you and I think it’s just adorable!

Step 5: After you have finished sewing your squares together, you will have a large pile of squares and the ones you laid aside for the name that are NOT sewn together yet. Go ahead and do your embroidered letters if you haven’t already.

Step 6: Time to sew your letter blocks together with their back sides. When sewing your front and back pieces together on these blocks, you will want to do so without sewing over your letter. So, you will have to start and stop a few times on each block.


Step 7: Lay out all your 64 squares how you want them to look (8 rows across and 8 rows down). This is where that picture you would have taken earlier would come in handy if you picked out blocks for the name.
 

Step 8: Once you get all your blocks laid out how you want them, scoop them up by rows, so you can just go to your machine and start your strips.
TIP: If you have any sticky notes you can writes on to tell you what row number that stack is, it really helps!

Step 9: Go to your first stack and grab your first 2 sets of blocks. The block that you want to be 2nd will go under the first one.

TIP: Make sure they are back side to back side.
 Once you have your two blocks all lined up (back side to back side!), sew a 1 inch seam down the right side.

Like my flower sticker! Hehe I use it to show my 1 inch mark from my needle so all my blocks will be even. ;D



Once you have sewn your 1 inch seam, flip your second block out and line up your 3rd block to your 2nd (Your new block ALWAYS goes on the underside! REMEMBER… back side to back side!)
Sew all 8 of your blocks together like this.






This is what it will look like once you start sewing your strips together. The 1 inch flaps that are sticking up will become your fuzzy border around your blocks.

Once you get your row finished, this is how it should look.

Do this for all 8 rows. ( When you’re done with all 8 rows, you will have 8 separate strips like this one)

Step 10: Once you have all 8 strips ready, it’s time to start sewing them together!
I like to lay mine out (sticky notes telling me what row it is still attached). Then I stack my rows on one another in the order they need to be sewn with the first row being on top. This just helps when you take it all to your machine so the rows wont get all mixed up.

Step 11: To start sewing your rows together grab your first row and lay it upside down and facing down on the side that the flaps are on. (Make sure the flaps are going in their opposite directions)


Then take your second row and lay it right side up, flaps facing toward you. Push those flaps over to their opposite directions also.
Pin your flaps down for sewing.

Picture of Flaps pushed down and pinned

Top view of flaps pinned down

Step 12: Once you get your flaps pinned down, sew a 1 inch seam down that side. Continue to do this for all 8 rows.

When you sew your first rows together, flip them out to make sure this is what they look like.

You should have one long 1 inch flap sticking up between rows. This will also become the fuzzy part.

Once all your rows are sewn together, this is how they should look.
*Flaps between every square and every row.

Step 13: Sew a 1 inch seam around the entire blanket.
This will keep the fuzzies your going to make on the end from spreading  past where you need them to be.

TIP: Turn your flaps out to the sides while doing this just like you did through out the other parts of you quilt.

Step 14: Once you sew around the entire quilt, pick you a nice comfy spot. You’re gonna be there a while because it’s time to snip, snip and snip all those little flaps sticking up and around your quilt. Be sure to also snip the 1 inch edge you sewed around the entire quilt as well.

Step 15: Once you have snipped until your about to drop, it’s time to throw that bad boy in the washer!
Wash and dry your quilt twice. You will see lots of fuzzies in your washer and on your quilt, but no fear… they will come off!

Once you have dried for the second time, I like to give it a good shake and toss it back in for a while. I do that twice. It really helps toss all those loose fuzzies right out.

When you’re done with all the washing and drying, you can take a lint shredder to your quilt (NOT the fuzzy part though).

Now, sit back and look at the beautiful baby rag quilt you just made!