AboutAudrey Zohner Expertise I am an expert rag quilter. I have made over 100 rag quilts and would love to assist others with questions and methods. I don't know much about actual quilting like machine or hand quilting or applique. I am, however, the resident expert on rag quilting in my town. If you want to make a rag quilt, I am your woman.
Experience I have been sewing for 12 years and rag quilting for 4. I have experienced just about every pitfall there is in rag quilting. Check out my quilts at audreysragquilts.etsy.com.
Organizations ISU Craft Club
EtsyKids
Education/Credentials High school diploma
Bachelor's in Animal Science
Question Audrey, I wish to make a rag quilt for the first time. I have read several articles. Some of them say not to wash the flannel first. Will this not cause the quilt to shrink out of shape? Also what if my flannel is already washed? Will it not rag properly? Thanks for your time.
Answer Washing the flannel before is perfectly fine. I don't prewash because you are going to have to wash the finished quilt to start the ragging. I don't see any reason to put that extra step in. Most flannel will shrink the same.
However, if you want to prewash, go ahead. It's entirely up to you. Kind of like prewashing cotton. Just make sure that you wash ALL the fabric you are going to use. If you only prewash half the fabric, then you will have a wonky finished quilt because the prewashed flannel won't shrink and the unwashed will.
Sooooo, prewashing is optional since you are going to have to wash the rag quilt before you can give it away. If you are going to prewash, prewash everything so it is all shrunk the same. Otherwise, your quilt will shrink out of shape. Oh, and always prewash fabrics that you are worried will bleed. I used navy blue and cream flannel together in a queen sized quilt once and the blue bled all over everything.
