Blog Post By
Kim Hanson
Love to see you all again! Thanks for joining me here on Designs by JuJu for another tutorial. This time, we are using Julie’s adorable Stuffed Animals Applique embroidery designs to make an easy, colourful and whimsical child’s rag quilt. Since we are making a rag quilt, the seam allowances will be exposed. This quilt is just a bit different from other rag quilts; the exposed seams are extra fluffy and the quilt is heavier than most. Why not join me in making this one?
Please be sure and read through all the instructions prior to commencing. It will make the project much easier for you.
Finished Size: 53"x57½"
Shopping List:
Designs by JuJu Stuffed Animals Applique DBJJ927 – Choose 9 Designs
Fabrics – Riley Blake Acorn Valley Flannels
White/Cream cotton Fabric 1 ½ yard
Main Citron (with red foxes) Fabric 2 1¼ yard
Red Dot Fabric 3 ¼ yard
Flutter Red Fabric 4 ½ yard
Flutter Multi Fabric 5 ½ yard
Teal Dot Fabric 6 ½ yard
Forest Cream (teal trees) Fabric 7 ¼ yard
Forest Citron (lime green trees) Fabric 8 ½ yard
Teal flannel backing (108" wide) Fabric 9 1¾ yards
Medium weight tearaway stabilizer (20" wide) 1½ yards
Colourful, coordinating fabric scraps for machine applique
Embroidery thread, embroidery needles, rag quilt scissors, pinking shears *I use Brother Embroidery thread for all my projects
Omnigrid ruler and rotary cutter
Spray starch
Spray temporary fabric adhesive
CUTTING:
Fabric 1 – White/Cream
Cut nine pieces 8"x10" for embroidered designs plus corresponding pieces of stabilizer
Fabric 2 – Main Citron
Cut three strips 3"x42". Sub cut into 18 pieces measuring 3"x6"
For two inside borders and right and left side borders cut six strips 3"x42". *Piece strips together to form four long border strips, each measuring 3"x57".
For top and bottom borders, cut three strips 4"x42". *Piece strips together to form two border strips each 3"x62"
Fabric 3 – Red Dot
Cut three strips 3"x42". Sub cut into twelve pieces 3"x9"
Fabric 4 – Flutter Red
Cut six strips 3"x42". Sub cut into 24 pieces 3"x9"
Fabric 5 – Flutter Multi
Cut five strips 4"x42". Sub cut into 18 pieces measuring 4"x10½"
Fabric 6 – Teal Dot
Cut five strips 3"x42". Sub cut into 18 pieces measuring 3"x10½"
Fabric 7 – Forest Cream
Cut three strips 3"x42". Sub cut into 12 pieces 3"x9"
Fabric 8 – Forest Citron
Cut six strips 3"x42". Sub cut into 24 pieces 3"x9"
Teal Backing
Cut two pieces of flannel backing for each piece cut for quilt front. (I use two flannel pieces as backing, rather than using one flannel piece and one piece of quilt batt. This makes the seam allowances more pronounced).
MACHINE EMBROIDERY APPLIQUE
- Download nine Stuffed Animals Applique designs of your choice. Using the small size that fits into your machine’s medium-sized hoop, load the first Stuffed Animal design into machine.
Please note: These designs come with a stippling background accent stitch. Use that element of the designs if you wish.
- Hoop one 8"x10" square of Fabric 1 with one piece of corresponding stabilizer. Centre embroidery design. (You may need to alter the designs’ orientation to fit nicely into the medium-sized hoop) Stitch outline of first part of the design.
- Remove hoop from machine.
- Cut a piece from fabric scraps slightly larger than outline stitching. Cover fabric scrap with spray starch and press. Spray wrong side of fabric scrap with temporary fabric adhesive. Place the fabric scrap over the outlined stitching area and pat gently to smooth and adhere.
- Replace hoop on the machine.
- Stitch tacking stitches and remove the hoop from the machine. Carefully clip around the stitching as close to the stitch line as possible.
- Return the hoop to the machine and continue to stitch out the design in this manner.
- Stitch out eight more Stuffed Animal designs. Remove tearaway stabilizer. Trim blocks to measure 6" square.
TIP: When trimming the blocks, be mindful to trim small amounts from EACH side of the block, so that the design is centred.
TIP: Cover ironing board with towel or cloth to prevent overspray.
CONSTRUCTION
- Pair each 6" embroidered block with two 6" square pieces of teal backing flannel. Stitch ½" from the edge, all around the perimeter.
- Match each piece of fabric for the quilt top with two pieces of teal flannel backing, same size. Stitch down the center through all three layers of fabric to secure.
- In typical rag quilt style, match edges of wrong sides together and stitch Fabric 2, 3"x6" pieces to either side of embroidered block. Trim. Stitch Fabric 6, 3"x10½" pieces to top and bottom of embroidered block. Trim. Stitch Fabric 5, 4"x10½ " pieces to either side of embroidered block. Trim. Make 9 blocks.
- Stitch together all 12 - six piece units for connecting embroidered blocks. You will need to make eight units alternating Fabrics 4 and 8 and four units alternating Fabrics 3 and 7, using pieces measuring 3"x9". Match seams and intersections.
- Refer to Diagram #1
[DOWNLOAD here] Stitch together vertically Row 2. Trim to even.
- Stitch together Rows 1 and 3. Trim to even.
- Stitch inner borders to either side of Row 2. Trim both ends. Stitch to Rows 1 and 3. Trim again.
- Stitch on both side borders and trim to even. Stitch on top and bottom borders. Trim.
- Stitch around the perimeter of the quilt, ½" from edge.
- Using pinking shears, carefully trim around the perimeter of your quilt, just slightly in from each raw edge.
- Clip all seams allowances using rag quilt scissors. Remove loose threads as you go.
- Your quilt must now be washed and dried – maybe more than once, to achieve that “raggy” look and feel. Trim, trim and trim again after washing to remove all loose threads. There will be tons and tons of them! It may be wise to take your quilt to the laundromat rather than using your own washer and dryer, as sometimes the quilt is too heavy for traditional washing machines. If you use your own dryer, remember to clean your lint screen every five or ten minutes. You will not believe how much “fluff” and bits of flannel come from the quilt!
I hope you love your new rag quilt. If you have any comments or questions, please email me directly at
[email protected]. Thanks so much.