Easy Doll Rag Quilt & Pillow Tutorial

I’m happy to participate in the Riley Blake Stitch 'n Kitchen Holiday Blog Tour! During the month of December, several bloggers are sharing fun holiday projects, some gift ideas, and favorite recipes. The tutorial I'm sharing is a great gift idea!

Project Details:

This super cute and cozy doll rag quilt is the perfect gift for little girls. It works especially well with 18-inch dolls. Add in the coordinating raggy pillow, and you have an adorable set!

Finished Size - Quilt: 19” x 19”, Pillow: 7.5" x 4.5"

Here is the "Recipe" for this quilt and pillow:

Ingredients:

• 8” of 6 flannel prints for quilt (or 1 Fat Quarter of 6 prints). We used Riley Blake's Chatsworth Flannel. Visit www.flannelqueen.com to view our great selection of flannel fat quarter bundles.
• Two 9”x6” pieces of flannel fabric for pillow
• Stuffing for pillow (poly fiber fill)
• Coordinating thread
•  Fiskars Rag Quilt Snips (optional) or scissors

Baking Time:

I completed this project in a day! 

Quilt:

(Use 5/8^th inch seams)
Step 1. Cut twelve 4” squares of each of the 6 prints.

Step 2. Set up blocks: match up each square with another square of the same print, wrong sides together. Since you have 12 squares of each print, once you match up your blocks you will end up with 6 blocks of each print.

For this quilt, we are using this pattern, where each number corresponds to one of the fabric prints:

1	2	3	4	5	6
6	1	2	3	4	5
5	6	1	2	3	4
4	5	6	1	2	3
3	4	5	6	1	2
2	3	4	5	6	1

Step 3. Sew each row individually, starting with row 1: Take a block from print 1, match it up with a block from print 2, and sew along one side using a 5/8^th inch seam. Please note that your seams will always face up in a rag quilt. If you are working with directional prints like stripes, pay attention to the orientation of the fabric so it will end up looking the way you intended.

Now that you have block 1 sewn to block 2, it’s time to sew block 3 to the edge of block 2. Then sew block 4 to the edge of block 3, and so on until you have finished the row.

Step 4. Using the chart to determine which fabrics to sew together, sew row 2 using the process described in Step 3. Sew the remaining rows using this same technique. Now you will have 6 separate rows.

Step 5. Sew row to row: Take row 1 and line it up with row 2, back-to-back. The bottom edge of row 1 will match up with the top edge of row 2. Sew the bottom edge of row 1 to the top edge of row 2. Remember that the seams face forward. As you sew, carefully use your fingers to press the seams open as you sew over them. This will reduce bulk (your sewing needle will thank you).

Match up row 3 to row 2, back-to-back. Sew the bottom edge of row 2 to the top edge of row 3.

Repeat this process until all of the rows are sewn together.

Step 6. Sew once around the entire perimeter of the quilt. This will hold it all together! As you sew, carefully use your fingers to press the seams open.

Step 7. Clip the seam allowance (make a cut perpendicular to the seam) about every ¼ inch. Take care not to cut into the stitching. Fiskars Rag Quilt Snips work very well in this step.

Step 8. Wash and dry the quilt. The first few times it is washed, it will shed quite a bit. It is best to wash the rag quilt and pillow separately from any other clothing or blankets. When it comes out of the drier, shake it outside. This will help dislodge some of the loose strings.

You’re done!

Pillow:

Step 1. Match up the two 9” x 6” pieces of fabric wrong sides together.

Step 2. Sew a 5/8^th inch seam around the perimeter, leaving a 2” opening on one side.

Step 3. Stuff the pillow with enough stuffing to make it nice and fluffy. Make sure to work the stuffing into the corners.

Step 4. Sew the opening shut.

Step 5. Clip the seam allowance (make a cut perpendicular to the seam) about every ¼ inch. Take care not to cut into the stitching.

Step 6. Wash and dry the pillow. The first few times you wash it, it will shed quite a bit. It is best to wash the rag quilt and pillow separately from any other clothing or blankets. Shake it outside when it comes out of the dryer. This will help dislodge some of the loose strings.  

Bonus: Recipe

My husband’s grandma made the best sugar cookies. They are soft, not crunchy. I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten a zillion of them in my lifetime. Here’s the recipe:

Grandma’s Sugar Cookies

1 cup Shortening

2 cups Sugar

2 Eggs

1 cup Sour Cream

1 tsp Vanilla

½ tsp Baking Soda

4 tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Salt

4 ½ cups Flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer, mix all wet ingredients together. Then add dry ingredients.

Roll dough out onto a floured surface. Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cookies are done when the edges BARELY start to turn golden. Frost cookies with your favorite frosting or icing.

Enjoy!

Rectangular Self-Binding Flannel Blanket Tutorial for Luke's Loves

Kimbo from A Girl and a Glue Gun is doing a blanket drive for Luke's Loves and has asked several bloggers to participate by sharing a blanket tutorial. We are happy to be a part of this great project! Here is some information about Luke's Loves...

For our blanket tutorial, I decided to tackle the Rectangular Self-Binding Flannel Blanket. This is similar to our tutorial for the traditional Self-Binding Blanket, which is square. But I wanted to test it out to see if it works for a rectangular blanket...and it does!

Isn't my little model adorable? She likes to cut her own hair.

Materials Needed:
Two pieces of flannel. Cut them so one piece is 10 inches shorter than the other, both in length and width. For example, if your larger piece is 42" x 62", your smaller piece should be 32" x 52".

Steps:
1. With pins, mark the middle point of all four sides of both pieces of flannel.
2. Pin the two pieces of flannel right-sides together at the middle points. Now pin the fabrics together, starting at the center points and working out to the corners. Expect extra fabric to be showing at the corners. This is how it's supposed to be!
3. Sew each side: I use 1/2 inch seams when sewing with flannel. Sew each of the 4 sides, stopping 1/4 inch from the corners. On one of the sides, leave a 6" opening which you will use later on to turn your blanket right-side out.

 

(step 3) This is what your corners will look like.

4. Fold the blanket in half diagonally to make a triangle. Match up two of the sides you just sewed. The corner will form a triangle like this:

(step 4) The black dotted line is your seam from the previous step.

5. Sew a seam that STARTS at the end-point of the black dotted line and ENDS at the fold, making a 90 degree angle where it hits the fold. Clear as mud, right? The picture will help you out.

(step 5) The red dotted line is the seam you sew in step 5. See how it makes a 90-degree angle with the fold?

6. Cut off the triangle to the right of the seam you sewed in step 5.

7. Repeat steps 4-6 for all 4 corners.
8. Turn your blanket right-side out. Put your hand inside the blanket and use your fingers to work the corners out so they are nice and pointy. Sometimes they are a little stubborn.
9. Iron your blanket.
10. Top stitch the rectangle where the two fabrics meet. Be sure to stitch the opening shut.

Thank you to Riley Blake Designs for providing the gorgeous flannel from the Chatsworth collection!