I really cannot remember when I started this quilt project. I believe it was two years ago. Everything went quite quickly and smoothly with it till I got to the "snipping" stage. This is a "rag" or "biscuit" quilt with the seams all open on it. Once pieced together, you snip all the seam allowances and wash it to make it "fringe." It is quite unique and was more of an undertaking than I had imagined. First off, I used 6" squares when I should have used larger ones. That would have cut down the stitching time. It is three layers. . . matching on the outside with a flannel piece between them for warmth. Our bed is queen size, but I did customize it so I wouldn't have long sides to tuck in beside the night tables. I also had to make corners on it because in a motorhome, you don't want long tails dragging at the end of the bed. So there was considerable "thinking" time that went into the project. I got about 2/3 of it completed which was the basic part of the quilt. From that point on the customizing began, so that was a "reasonable" time to take a break while I contemplated the rest of it. So a couple years later, I got tired of dragging it around. In a motorhome, you don't want to drag anything that you aren't using, so I put the unfinished quilt on the bed to act as incentive to finish the rest of it. Finally, here in Houston, I have had time, so I got it out and started work.
I finally got it configured the way I wanted, worked out the details and finished piecing it. The snipping is the bad part, though. Fortunately after working on the original part, I found some "rag quilt snippers" which cut through layers of fabric like a hot knife through butter. It took me about three days working a couple hours at a time to get this final section snipped. Then I washed it and dried it and it was properly fringed. I put it on the bed and it is beautiful. We are very happy with it. It is all one piece with the top flipping over the pillows. It makes it easy to make up the bed and doesn't require tucking yards of fabric down the sides where there is no room.
On to the next project!
Till next time. . .
Dale
3 comments:
It's beautiful. And with two layers of flannel (top and bottom) it must be nice and cozy. I've made 2 rag quilts, and neither was larger than a lap quilt. But even then I was really challenged by the snipping. My right hand ached for a week!
Thanks Cyndi. If you do another, you really need to invest in the rag quilt snippers. However, I did a smaller quilt for my grandson. The quilt shop die cut all the squares for me PLUS die cut the fringe for $1 a yard. That quilt I put together in two evenings. And. . . NO SNIPPING!
It's beautiful!
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