This was a super easy and quick project. Before baby, I was never a fan of the rag quilt, but now I understand the appeal. Babies loves those fluffy raw edges and these things sew up fast (a couple of hours, included cutting and ragging time). This version is almost crib sized but will grow with Ben to be a stroller quilt/lap quilt/snuggle quilt. I used fabric by Bunny Hill Designs for Moda. The collection is called Puttin’ on the Ritz. A couple of the prints are really for babies:

But overall, it’s a pretty sophisticated line of fabric that is not all that babyish. There are a couple of prints that come in a cotton/linen blend that is to die for. I bought a yard of it from Cabbage Rose in Ft. Worth earlier this year pretty much just so I could touch it. Maybe it would make a nice bag?

If you want to make your own version of this rag quilt, you will need:

• 1/8 yard cuts of six different prints
• 3/4 yard of flannel for backing
• Rag quilting snips (you can rag with regular scissors but these make it so much easier and faster)
• Coordinating thread since all of your sewing will show
• Optional: scrap batting cut into 4.25″ x 9.25″ rectangles

First…I did not use batting in my quilt. I wanted it to be soft and floppy – the type of blanket my son will drag around through his toddler years. Batting gives the quilt more dimension and warmth (something we do not need in Texas).

Second, my 1/8 yard cuts were pretty straight since they came from a quilt shop. Where they weren’t square, I said to myself “Oh, well, that will add more ragginess” and it all washed out in the end.

Now let’s sew. Cut each of your 1/8 yard strips into four rectangles, measuring 4.5″ x 9.5″. [I ended up with a 4.5" square of each print to stash for another project.] Cut your flannel into six 4.5″ wide strips by WOF. Sub cut these strips into 4.5″ x 9.5″ rectangles. Lay your print rectangles out in your desired pattern.

Pair each print rectangle with a flannel rectangle, wrong sides together. Some flannel doesn’t have a “wrong” side it’s called double nap) and honestly, the wrong side of flannel doesn’t look at that different when its solid so don’t sweat it. Sew an X across the top of each rectangle set. You can mark this with a pencil if you want perfection, but it’s easy enough to wing it. Can you tell that I like to keep things easy (lazy?)?

Then begin sewing your rectangles together in rows, along the short edge of each rectangle pair, wrong sides (flannel) together. I used my no. 1 foot edge as a guide and that makes a true (not scant) 1/4″ seam. If you want your quilt to be more raggy, use a larger seam allowance. Just keep it consistent and you will aslo need to adjust the size of your batting scraps so you don’t have batting in your rag seams. Does that make sense? If you use a 1/2″ seam,  cut your fabric and flannel into 4.5″x9.5″ as suggested above but cut your batting into 4″x9″ rectangles.

Sew your rows together. Be sure to match your seams at each intersection and sew the raw seams open towards the quilt top. After you have assembled the entire top, sew around the edge of the quilt to hold it all together. Now is the fun (or horrid, if you have dull scissors) part. Cut into the raw edge of each block at 1/4″ intervals, using your handy dandy rag quilting snips. After you’ve cut the whole thing up, it will look sad and kind of ruined. But then you will wash it and dry it, and it will look cute and scraggily, like a terrier.

I put mine to use immediately after taking it out of the dryer:

That baby is 32″ tall for reference.

Dimensions: 35″ x 28″

Fabrics: Puttin’ on the Ritz by Bunny Hill Designs for Moda, miscellaneous baby blue flannel from JoAnn’s

Started: July 2012

Completed: July 2012

Sometimes (though not too often) they make it over the hedge, on a mission for the vegetable patch!

Still even though they might help themselves to the young veg plants, I really love seeing them. So when I saw the baby toile print by Bunny Hill Designs, covered in sheep and lambs, I instantly loved it!

Perfect for using in cot quilts, borders and backings, its tiny doves, beaks full of nest-making material flit to and fro.

Happy spring-time, happy sewing x

Mom and i put our heads together and have designed a sweet little baby/crib quilt…with the version for the sweet little girl and that adorable little boy.

Check out these Ruffled & Tucked cuties!

check out our online shoppe at right.

have a lovely Easter!

xoxo    april & mickey   {sweetwater}

We just received our Market order from Bunny Hill at the shop.  Anne has always been a favorite for us around here, and her new patterns do not disappoint.  I am especially in love with the baby pattern above called Happy Go Lucky. At market there was a gray fabric trend. The color was in a lot of fabric collections, and I was so glad, because I love the color and it is often hard to find in quilting fabrics. I really want to make the little boys version in grays and soft blues for little Ronan. Speaking of which, I thought I better share another photo. He is now one week old! My brother in law, Seth took a bunch of photos for me, he is an amazing photographer. P.S. You can find allof the Bunny Hill Patterns for sale on our website: Bunny Hill Patterns.

We vended the Pieces From the Heart quilt show in Morris this last weekend.  What a very nice show!  Our booth was busy from opening each day until 5 min. before closing each day!  Everyone seemed to be enjoying the show and vendors and we had a lot of fun talking to and meeting new people.  I know there are a lot of “road trips”  in the future!

Here are a couple of pictures of our booth at the show.

Morris Booth

You get the idea!  Lighting was not very great – we had windows behind us and these pictures were taken in the morning with the sun shining, hence the rosy “glow”.  The booth looked very nice, and we got lots of compliments on it. 

I didn’t get a chance to take pictures of quilts on display or other booths because we were so busy.  But one our neighbors did.  We had Quilt in Joy from Huntley as our neighbor and Lorrie posted some pictures on her blog.  The name of her blog is Sew Mod and you can click on the Sew Mod to go right to it! 

 Now for our new stuff!  Yes, of course we got more new fabric in last week!  We got Lily and Will II from Moda.  These fabrics are designed by Bunny Hill designs.  You know these designers for nice patterns.  They are doing fabric now for Moda.  I know we got a couple of phone calls about Bunny Hill Fabric, and I totally spaced on the designer and said we didn’t have any.  Well technically, we did not have any at the time of the phone calls, but we have it now!!  Sorry about that if you asked and I told you we were not getting it!  I can’t keep all this stuff in my head sometimes! 

At any rate, it is beautiful fabric for the nursery.  Pale yellows, aqua and brown in lovely prints for a sophisticated nursery.  Or, just because you like the prints and colors!  It would make lovely Easter and spring decor also!  Here are the pictures:

Will Side of Lily and Will II by Bunny Hill Designs for Moda

Lily Side of Lily and Will II

We also got Dr. Seuss Flannels in!  They only did three prints, and we got them all!  So, if you are looking for backings for those Dr. Seuss quilts you put together when we had the smooth cottons, these are just the ticket!  Or, you can make something entirely new!  We still have some of the coordinates (think big oval dots and stripes) left from the first Seuss group.  They pair up great with these flannels for mix and match fun!

Dr Seuss Flannels

And, finally, over the last couple of weeks we got a lot of new basic blenders in beautiful palettes perfect for Spring! 

Spring Linen and small textures from P&B

More Spring textures from P&B

Well, that’s all I got for now!  Come in and enjoy our color since it is gray outside!  See you soon….

Patti

We have new kitsfor this adorable posy time quilt in the shop. It is a fabulous beginner project and really only takes a few hours to comlete. Every kits has the exact fabrics that are shown on our display!
Loving this cooler weather we have got here in Salt Lake today!!