LDL QUILTERS

[margo]

Hi Everyone...thanks !

i never tried a rag quilt, but i would like to try a few....i saw on the quilting program the other week, how to make little blocks all quilted individually and then join them together and fray the seamed edges.....

and Carla..i forgot to mention that people can actually (and do, sometimes) buy directly from the website...i just tried to make it look not so commercial...more like a gallery exhibit but the website is set up for sales....

thanks again for your comments...

i can't wait to see some of the others' quilts...anyone can e-mail a picture at cordice@verizon.net....

God bless...
margo

[Queenie]

Margo,

That reminds me - SOMEWHERE I have photos of most of my quilts, but they're all taken with a regular camera.  I really need to find that little book & scan those pictures....

Soon, I hope!!

Carolyn

[EnJae]

CAROLYN! I LOVE THE NEW PICTURE!!!

[Forever Young]

Carolyn,  the new picture is GREAT!

Margo, WOW!  Girl!  I love the quilts you've made on your website.

Everyone have a blessed day!

Jeanne

[robnveronica]

Carolyn... who is the little cutie in the pic? I recognized the big cutie...but don't know the little one!

[Queenie]

The little cutie - are you ready?? 

She's John's daughter's step-daughter... - long story.  John's daughter and husband have custody, so when she learns to talk, she'll call me Grandmama!!  She's about the happiest baby I've ever seen. 

Carolyn

[niki]

carolyn.....great picture......adorable baby.........niki

[niki]

margo......beautiful quilts....you're very talented........i was looking at your website last night........niki

[CJ]

Between the two links below, hopefully one of them will work. It's a picture of a picture so it isn't very clear.

It is a rag quilt (flannel) that I made for our grandson when he was baptized. Actually he was married into the family and wasn't baptized until his baby sister was. Since I had sewn a gown for her I wanted to make something special for him too. If you look closely you can see the cross on it. The back side has a large white cross on it but I don't know where those photos are. 

http://www.yorkphoto.com/slideshow/Albu ... _=72393961

http://www.yorkphoto.com/viewsharedphot ... /otsi=SPIC

[Queenie]

Very cool, Carla!!

Thank you for sharing with us.  I'm still working on my current quilt, but when I'm done, I'll post a picture of it.

Carolyn

[margo]

Hey Carla... 

Thanks for showing us this quilt -- although I wish i could see it better....is it two different animal prints?  what color is it? how big is it? This is going to be one of my next projects... a rag quilt....what type of batting do you use?  Does it wash and dry well?

(Sorry about all the questions!)

Carolyn...please don't forget to share your quilt with us when you're done..or even before you're done!  Sometimes i take photos of the quilts in progress....sort of interesting to see how it changes...

God bless!
margo

[BradyBunchMom]

Carla, What a great idea to make a cross pattern!  I'm printing it out for my "copy-cat" file

Margo, When I do rag quilts, I usually use cotton flannel like Carla's.  Depending on how warm I want it to be, I put 2-3 layers of flannel for each square (we are in TX so it's usually two).  I don't think batting would work because of how you make them...the batting would show through with the fraying I think.  We cut the squares out first (6"X6" for baby quilts up to 12"X12" for larger bedspread type quilts).  With the denim ones we are doing we only use two layers.  After we have the number of squares we will need (looking at the dimensions, then multiplying by the number of layers) we machine sew each group of 2-3 layers together with an "X" pattern (You could use a different pattern...probably even do an applique here or something that you advanced quilters do.....think I'm going to do a few star/boots patterns with my boy's...."X"s are easiest for my girls).  After all the individual 2-3 layers of squares are sewn together (with "X"s or whatever), we sew the squares to each other to make the quilt, then we fray the edges on the side that would be covered by the backing on a normal quilt top (you don't cover this side on a rag quilt, you fray the seems).  That's it, done...no fussing with batting or binding! 

I'm not sure I would have been able to figure it out if I hadn't had someone show me, but with your experience and Carla's pictures, you'll probably get it.  Be sure and post pictures when you get it done.....a "high art" rag quilt....I'm picturing your quilts with much added texture....cool!

Lovin LDL,
Julie (who is off to eat her bedtime grapefruit)

[CJ]

Hi! On this quilt I used 3 different flannels - all in black and white for the top side. I added a solid white flannel on the back for the cross. I don't recall what size it was because I never measure anything. I just buy a bunch of material, save it and eventually decide to create something. I washed the flannels before hand and then about three or four times afterwards to get the fraying. I add Downey if it isn't as soft as I want. This particular one is probably between a twin and full. I made one similar for my Godson when he was confirmed and his was a queen or larger. I lay out what I want on the floor and go from there. Although I have a front load washing machine, I usually take these to the laundermat to wash.

It really wasn't until this week that I found out how good it would be to actually read about something ahead of time. Unlike you Julie, I did use regular batting for the middle. And to think I have made at least 4 of them, each time trimming off all the extra batting!! Sometimes I even doubled it so it would be really full and soft. I feel so foolish because it never dawned on me to use flannel. HELLO... Earth to Carla!

What I like about this particular type of quilt is not only is it easy, but you can make it as big as a room and it won't jam your sewing machine. I like that verses making a king sized normal kind and cheating with machine stitching. Sometimes I have tied them but I have never hand stitched one. And I don't have a special machine for quilting.

I do have a question. I want to make a rag quilt for my daughter but can't find the darker colors that she would like. Is there a fabric that works besides flannel?

THANKS!

[margo]

Hi Everyone...

Julie and Carla...thanks so much for the instruction.  I was wondering about the batting because i missed that part of the quilting show on tv.  I'm going to select fabrics for this project today....

Can't we use cotton?  WHat about wool?  i'm going to experiment with cotton and see what happens

i don't measure anything either....

About fabric for your daughter's quilt, let me know what darker colors she likes....i'm trying to purge my stash and will happy to send you some of it if you want....  Anyone who needs fabric should let me know....i really want to stream line my stash...

Thanks all and have a great day!
God Bless...
margo

[Queenie]

Wow, you guys - I've never made a rag quilt - it sounds awesome.  I'm going to go back later today and really read these instructions, as it's early and I only scanned them.

Margo, I sent you a personal message, so if you don't get it, let me know.

Carolyn

[CJ]

Margo, let us know what other fabrics work. I think denim would work really well, some cottons should, and I'm not sure about wool. That might work but it is the softness that I question. To use a merino wool or something would be soft but I don't think that frays.

They are a lot of fun to make.

[BradyBunchMom]

Polar Fleece works too.  I've even done them with just one layer and no quilting (i.e. not "X"s).  I would think any fabric that looks good frayed would work. 

Lovin LDL,
Julie

[margo]

Been thinking about my first rag quilt and i've decided that  i'm going to use some heavy vintage cotton (it's rather thick...oh how great the quality of the fabric was years ago)...and in between maybe i can use some flannel? i don't know....will make a very small sample with about four blocks and then see what happens.  I can wash and rewash it to see if it frays properly...Will report back...

You guys should see the adorable little quilt that Carla made.....it contains an Elvis Siting block!  C'mon Carla....use that little button above and insert a pic of that precious baby quilt.

Thanks and God bless..
margo

[CJ]

Margo, I received your package of fabrics today. They are so lovely. I am still speechless. I swear there was an angel in the air!

I will have to start creating something but I sure have a hard role model to live up to. You're the best!!! THANK YOU!

[margo]

Good morning All..

Carla....One of the best things about making art quilts is that everybody's will really be different than everyone else's.  I suggest making a baby quilt first....that way, you can easily work it and experiment..  The main trick is that as your designing it, don't censure yourself.

Take a piece of fabric about 2feet square or so....something that seems pretty solid colored (it may have a check or stripe in it perhaps)..and then take your other fabrics that you have selected and start to place them on the background piece.  Use your scissors freely and cut shapes that you like...make the shapes rather big -- especially for your first art quilt -- and then pin them down where you think you want them....then when you have things the way you think you want them....go ahead and stitch them down.....then spend some time just looking at the quilt top so far and see if any other color would help or detract and keep going till you think you should stop.  You can consider having more appliqued pieces overlapping the pieces you have already secured..Then you can just make the quilt top as big as you want by bordering it with whatever colors you want. 

I can't wait to see your first art quilt Carla....and your's too Carolyn!  I know i won't get back to quilting until after husband leaves...But i have some major new quilts on the proverbial drawing board....


Happy Quilting and God bless...
margo