that is such a cute quilt! i would love to know how to make one. could you send me the link with the instructions on how to make a rag quilt? i have been trying to start a tshirt quilt for awhile but i haven't bought a sewing machine yet. do you have any recommendations for a beginner?
Thanks so much for the compliment!
Rag quilts are so simple! Seriously! I Googled "How to make a rag quilt" and all sorts of stuff popped up. Also, go to YouTube to watch some tutorials. Rag quilt construction is not like traditional quilts. With traditional quilts you piece your top squares into the complete top, layer the top/middle/back, do the "quilting", then finish the edges (or something very similar to that). With rag quilts you layer each square like a sandwich: top/middle/back, "quilt" each sandwich, piece your sandwiches together into rows, sew your rows together, snip the exposed seams, then wash/dry a few times.
Here's an additional
link for you to look at. Try to find instructions that are pic-heavy if you're not real familiar with sewing and the lingo. You'll catch on fast. Make sure you understand what the steps are. Visualize how you will do things. As you're preparing to actually sew, hold the pieces together so you can see and confirm your seams will be the way you want them. That's something I learned from watching my MiL sew. She pins stuff together then turns it back to see what it'll look like. She spends the extra time re-confirming things to herself. That extra time is important because it keeps you from having to go back, pick out your stitching mess-up, then re-sew. Believe me, having the patience of a gnat on crack I've had to learn the hard way to SLOW DOWN. LOL!
If you search for rag quilt, you'll come up with hundreds of different ways of doing it, but this is a nice tutorial:
http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/rag_quilt.htm
T-shirt quilts are tricky--you need to make sure you properly stabalize the tshirts before sewing them, or the stretch in them will skew your measurments and sewing. You should back them with a light-to-medium weight fusible interfacing before cutting and sewing.
And to answer your last question---
I own over 20 sewing machines of various makes and models (people tend to give me their machines, or I rescue them from the curb). I like Brother sewing machines for beginners---easy to use, have the right amount of functions for a beginner, generally reasonably priced. I'd look for a machine in the $100 range, anything cheaper and you're getting just that---cheap. It may break easier, or not have good stitch quality. My local WalMart and Target both carry decent Brother machines. For high-quality, I like Elna machines, but they can be pricy for a beginner!
Good luck and have fun!
Agreed with many points here! If doing a tshirt quilt, definitely stabilize that fabric first! I try to watch for sales at the fabric stores and buy the iron-on Pellon interfacing in big quantities.
Sewing machines. I've been sewing by hand as long as I can remember. I just always liked to make stuff. I started really learning machine sewing when I met my hubby. For 15 years I borrowed machines from my MiL or had hand-me-downs from my mother. While the DH was making the big bucks 2 1/2 years ago I invested in my first brand new machine. I went to a sewing specialty shop locally and had the ladies show me the different models they had. I knew I didn't want one of the big-mammy-jammies that does all the computerized embroidery (not ready for all that!) but I wanted something good quality with a few of the bells-n-whistles. I think I ended up with a machine that was a step or 2 over entry-level. I got a Brother Project Runway Edition. The features that sold me were: I don't have to use the presser-foot while sewing to control the start/stop/speed, self-threading, drop-in bobbin, the overlock stitch, and self-measuring button-hole. If they had a machine that whips out zippers for you I'd spend any amount of money for that but unfortunately people still have to do some of the work. And zippers are my nemesis! LOL! I didn't purchase the machine right away. I came home & did some searching online to do some price comparison. The price at the little specialty shop was actually very competitive with everyone else so I went back and made the purchase from the lady who showed me the machines. I'm pretty sure I paid about $400 for it but I didn't necessarily want entry-level.
Like SewIn2Disney said, you can pick up entry-level simple machines at Walmart or Target in the $100 range. That's probably a great option for beginning. Once you know you'll be using it more and what options are the most appealing to you, that's when it's time to take the step up.
Oh! And SewIn2Disney, I'm sending you a PM! I have some questions about more heavy-duty machines and the AccuQuilt system.
thanks for the advice! i have been reading up about tshirt quilts for a little while now but i haven't gotten the courage to actually start :lol: i will have to take a look at that tutorial on rag quilts. and then i need to get a sewing machine so i can actually start making all these fun quilts! $100 doesn't sound too bad. thanks again!
T-shirt quilts are awesome! I love the idea of upcycling and repurposing things. A couple years ago I was shopping at Ikea in Houston and saw these pillow inserts that were shaped like a tshirt but it was a pillow. You could slip your old tshirts over it for the "pillow-case". I thought these were brilliant but had so much in my buggy already that I passed them up. I fully intended to go back for them. Well, I forgot about them and didn't remember until last year when I was finally back in Ikea with time to browse. Dangit if they didn't have them anymore! They'd be simple to make out of an inexpensive muslin or even an old sheet. Just trace the t-shirt shape onto your fabric, draw a 2nd line in about 1/2 inch from your tracing, cut 2, and stich like you would a pillow insert. Sew the tshirt neck & arm openings shut with a blind-stitch and add snaps, buttons, or even velcro to the shirt bottom to hold it shut once your insert is inside. Voila! Your tshirt is now a pillow! And you can switch out your tshirts, too! Cool, huh????
