A Crewel and Raggedy Christmas Part 2 and Patchwork of the Crosses!

  Have you ever made a rag quilt? With clipped and frayed seams? I made and gifted my very first Rag quilt over the Holidays!

 I had a really fun fat quarter bundle of "You are my Sunshine" and planned my first Rag quilt around the panel. I made this for my daughter. "You are my Sunshine"  was a fun little bedtime song I used to sing to her.  I also incorporated some woolie flannel printed squares that I hand stitched around and a few of "Bertie's Year"  woolie flannels. My daughter also has 2 kitty cats, a gray and a brown, so I included a few kitty squares.

I decided to use just 2 layers. The cotton / flannel top and all flannel on the back. I did not include a middle layer and since I did not have enough of the same print flannel for the backing, I mixed it up a little with some Christmas flannel. I also did not sew the traditional "X" thru the middle of the squares since there is not any batting.

There are several Rag Quilt facebook groups. They suggested scraping a butter knife on the seams to help them fray before washing. You can also use a vegetable brush.  The picture below is before fraying. I clipped the seams approx every 1/2" .

I used a one inch seam allowance since the squares are rather large (7 3/4") plus with the center panel I thought a larger frayed seam allowance would look better.
I decided to add a machine stitched binding instead of a frayed edge.

I loved the entire process! I did take it to a commercial laundry mat and asked permission before washing. I washed it, shook it outside and then dried it. I repeated this process 3 times.

I loved how it turned out. It is super soft and snuggly without being too heavy for my daughters Middle Georgia temperatures. It measures 64x74.

I can't wait to make my next one. I saw a Rag Quilt on pinterest that was set on point!There are also Cathedral Window Rag Quilts and Log Cabin, Rail Fence and the lists goes on and on. You can see some really pretty ones on my Pinterest board here: Rag Quilts!

 I have 2 Kansas Troubles layer cakes that I would love to make into a bed sized rag quilt. I just have to find the right flannel.
I did want to share this handy chart although it is for straight set squares.

I'd love to hear about your first rag quilt or if you have plans to make one! I think Rag quilts are also a great way to use up scraps!

    Also we have had a really fun January with my 1930's and Feedsack Patchwork of the Crosses Block of the month program.  Marcia de Aguiar finished her 30 block quilt from 2017! Isn't it beautiful??  I loved designing the kits and Marcia did a fantastic job with layout and stitching! She included a few blocks from her own stash too!

I do have a few ongoing openings in the 2018 1930's & Feedsack Patchwork of the Crosses Blocks of the month program as the 2017 members are finishing up their quilts. If you are interested in joining the 2018 program , please leave me a comment below and please make sure that I have a way to contact you. I have had several Anonymous comments that I cannot contact. You can read about the program here: Click here

This block from our January 2018 BOMs kit was pieced by Colleen Harris. This was her very first Patchwork of the Crosses block ever! Isn't it just too cute! This is a great example of why kits are a great way to learn. In the program, you receive 3 block kits plus a 100 piece package of Honeycomb templates. And we offer alot of fun and support in our exclusive facebook group for members only!

You can also email me at featherweightquiltcompany at gmail dot com if you are interested in joining. Please read the description and guidelines  before requesting to join.

Happy Stitching everyone!
Thank you for stopping by  and a huge WELCOME to all of our new friends and followers!
xoxoxox Jan

My Roots are showin'!

Mmmmmm, mmmmmmm, mmmmmm  All of my favorite New Years Day fixin's! Hog Jowl or down here in Georgia we say "Hog Jaw". Black Eyed Peas, Turnip Greens ( any greens will do) and Cracklin' Bread ( cornbread with bits and bobs of fried pork fat). Yeah, my roots are definitely showing! This is the Southern New Year's Day feast that I grew up on.  Do you know the meanings behind the South's favorite New Years Day dishes? These dishes are said to bring luck throughout the year!

 Well, this is the way that my granny on my daddy's side always explained it to us.

   Let's start with good ole' Black Eyed Peas. The reckonin' goes all the way back to the Civil War! During the time that the Union forces marched and pillaged their way through the South, they also ravaged, burned or stole all the crops! They considered Black eyed peas livestock feed so they just took what they needed and left most of those crops undisturbed since they had either stole or killed most of our livestock. . Well it was a lucky thing that they left those Black Eyed peas because that is what most Southerners survived on through the hard winter months. Lucky for us they didn't know what they were leaving behind!  Heck, they just didn't know how to fix em.

   Now Turnip greens are pretty obvious. They are as Green as cold hard cash! And since they are a winter crop they are pretty plentiful to bring in the New Year! Some also say that the Green represents all things new, like a newly sprouted Black eye pea!

   Hog Jaws are delicious! I mean all that good ole fried up pork fat! And did you know pigs are very , very smart. And that they can't look behind. And they only root going forward? Yep, How Jaw represents not looking behind at the year past but looking forward to the New Year and the good things to come. Just like Miss Scarlett didn't look back when they were burning Atlanta neither!

   No meal would be complete without Cracklin' Bread! This Golden yellow delight full of all those Cracklin's slathered up with fresh butter and a cold glass of Buttermilk, well eatin' just don't get any better than that! Granny always said that the first young Belle ( like Scarlett O'Hara)  to find a cracklin' in her golden yellow cornbread would be engaged before years end! So you can imagine just how popular Cracklin' bread became! All the Southern Belles used to poke holes in the pones looking for the cracklins so they would know which piece to choose.  And the yellow of the cornmeal represents the Golden band of Marriage!! Since it is just hubby and I today, I made Cracklin' muffins so they would keep fresh. Muffins stay fresher longer than a pone of bread that has been cut into.

I hope you've enjoyed me sharing a little about my roots. Does your family have any New Years Traditions?

Friends I hope that you had a wonderful New Years Day! I pray for Peace, Happiness and Prosperity for you in the coming months!
Much love,
 Jan