Little Flannel Rag Quilt

A few times, I've mentioned rag quilts ... Here's another one ...

It's a fun combo of pink and dots ...

Cute, smallish, cozy, flannel ...

It's 30" x 36", and is for sale on eBay, along with another, similar, one ...

Things I love about Rag Quilts ...

A few months ago, I decided to try making some rag quilts ...
I'd seen some online, and after seeing a friend's rag quilt in person, I decided rag quilts would be worth a try.

Here are some things I love about Rag Quilts ...

The cozy, furry flannel ...

Lots of raggedy ruffles ...

The smooth back of the quilt ...

 Compared with the ruffly, messy front of the quilt ...

Rag quilts are casual and cozy and lots of fun!

This one's 40" x 56", and it's listed on eBay right now ...

A couple things finished ...

A couple of new things are listed in my eBay auctions today ...

a fun, pink, Irish Chain Quilt Top for somebody to quilt ...

and a cozy, fuzzy, Flannel Rag Quilt  ...

[Update: I blogged in more detail (more pics!) about these items here and here.]

More details are in the eBay Listings ...

Since I'm so pleased to have finished these this week, I'll be linking this post to a couple of my favorite Friday-finish link parties ... 

This week's Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

and 

This week's Sew and Tell Friday at AmyLouWho

Flannel Squares ... and Leaders and Enders ...

Lately, I've been sewing flannel squares ... Making a cozy flannel rag quilt ...

A few weeks ago, I came across a neat concept at a blog called Jo's Country Junction ~ Her post about Leaders and Enders caught my eye ... and she linked her post to her inspiration at Quiltville ... fascinating stuff.

Both of the links above have great, lengthy explanations ... but the short version is, if you sew together a couple of tiny squares, in between each seam of what you're really working on, the tiny squares keep you from having all those long threads at each end of what you're really working on. You sew straight from one piece onto another, then afterward, you snip the tiny thread between ... So, what you're really working on gets sewn, and the little squares you're sewing together for something else also get done.

I have to remind myself often how much little bits do add up. Little bits really do add up! A while back, I mentioned the first denim quilt I made. I decided that since there was "no time" to make something that big, my only option was to worked on the denim quilt every Sunday afternoon, even if it was only for 15 minutes. Sometimes I only worked 15 minutes on it. But it got done!

So, I decided to try the Leaders and Enders idea ...
I cut some little squares ...

And started sewing them before ...

... and after ...

... and between ...

... the pieces of the project that I was really working on ...

So, afterward, I just snip that little thread between the pieces, and I don't have to give everything a "haircut" afterward from all those long threads ...

AND, I end up with not only my stack of these sewed ...

... but ALSO my stack of these:

So far, it sounds like a win-win!

While working on my "Made Fabric" circles the other day, I also stitched some of the Leaders and Enders ... Here's how the whole stack of blue-and-white is looking after being pressed ...

As for what the Leaders and Enders turn into, I'm not sure yet ... I'm thinking about trying for something like a {small} version of the blue-and-neutral quilt shown at Quiltville ... The power of suggestion is strong, and that quilt looks awesome ... so stay tuned for more on the Leaders and Enders project.

The flannel, though, is looking promising ... here's the layout I'm looking at for the rag quilt. It's probably going on eBay when it's done. We'll see.

Mini-Quilty Coasters ...

Lately, I've wanted to try some more free-motion quilting ... without the pressure of a big project. 

So, I decided to make some rag-quilty coasters. With free-motion "quilting" attaching just two layers of denim (no batting). 

Quick and easy, relatively speaking. And lots of fun!

So, with some fun sewing, and a lot of clipping ...

I made some little coasters ...

And after washing them, the edges turned out cute and fuzzy ...

 

If you have a minute, stop by and visit Little Quilt Monday at pieceful life ... I'm linking this post there ... Have a great Monday!

"A Year In Denim" Mini Rag Quilt

years, I've been wanting to make something quilty that's "Block of the Month". Not in the sense that somebody sends me something to work on once a month. More in the sense of "reminds you of a calendar", with a block to represent each month.

I've got doodles on graph paper with cute layouts for elaborate pieced blocks for a really big quilt. I've got some of the parts cut for some of the months. But there are still a lot of missing pieces to that puzzle, so I haven't really "started" that one. 

While I was playing with some of my latest thrift-store denim, it hit me: A MINI-QUILT would be a great way to try some block of the month ideas AND a great way to try out the raw-edge-applique techniques I keep reading about in other people's blogs. Quick project, new techniques: win-win!

Here's a quick run-down of the process:
I drew the cute little shapes on the paper-side of Heat n Bond Lite. (Awesome stuff. Haven't tried anything like this lately. Works like a charm.)

I cut out my little shapes out of Heat n Bond Lite, and picked cute fabrics to go with them ...

I ironed all those little Heat n Bond Lite pieces to my cute fabrics (and wondered what in the world I was getting myself into with all those tiny little pieces!) ...

Then I cut out all those little pieces (trimming the fabric to match the ironed-on paper-stuff) ...

And then I was floored by the cuteness ...

Then I ironed all those pieces onto my denim squares (which, for size-reference, were cut at 5 ½ inches). Yes, I did have to number my denim with chalk, so that I could figure out some lighter/darker balance in the denim colors ... AND to prevent myself from accidentally sewing the months out of order ...

I decided to sew the blocks together rag-quilt style, with the seam allowances showing, and with the seam allowances clipped, just to see how the raggedy look would work. Not bad! I like it.

I'm hard-pressed to pick a favorite block ... This thing really turned out cute!

Since this is going in my eBay auctions, my big dilemma after making this quilt was whether to wash it before listing it or not. I usually prewash rag quilts, to start getting the fuzzy raggedyness going ... but I also like the just-clipped-and-brand-new look of the not-yet-washed rag quilt ...

In the end, I decided to wash it. And I'm glad I did. The denim frayed perfectly!

Click here to see this item on eBay ... and I have a feeling I'll be making more of these. 

Oh. I almost forgot to mention the finished size: 18" x 14".

(Speaking of eBay, I happened across a TON of new DMC floss recently, so if you need any, I've got some listed there this week, with FREE shipping!)

I'm linking this post to Pieceful Life's Little Quilt Monday - Thanks again to Elizabeth and friends for the continued inspiration of sharing recent mini quilt projects!

ALSO, Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday is a great, inspiring place, and I'm linking this post there as well. Head on over and see what else is going on at Fabric Tuesday!