Easy Children’s Rag Blanket Tutorial

Easy Children’s Rag Blanket Tutorial

Today I want to show you a quick, easy and fun way to make a Rag Blanket that is a great couch quilt for kids!

The great thing about making rag blankets…aside from their cuteness and how quickly they come together is this: As you sew the blanket top together you are sewing the blanket back together and it doesn’t need to be quilted!

You also don’t need to bind these blankets. Sure you need to clip them but that can happen on the couch while you watch a movie.

Here’s what you will need to make the blanket front:

18″ by Width of Fabric of a favorite flannel print (shown in blue on quilt map below)

24″ by Width of Fabric of another favorite flannel print (shown in peach on the quilt map below)

15″ by Width of Fabric of one final favorite flannel print (shown in coral on the quilt map below)

***NOTE: You can use the quilt map below for incorporating as many different prints as you would like…the map reflects the use of only 3 prints and in the order that I like to place them in.

Here’s what you will need to make the blanket back:

I use exactly what I use for the front (so the back looks like the front) …however…if you would like you can just use one print or a solid in which case you will need 1 and 3/4 yard of that fabric

Ok now that you know what you need it’s time to get cutting!

Again, using the quilt map cut the following:

For the prints in the blue stripes cut 4 pieces that are 6″ x Width of Fabric and 4 pieces that are 3″ x Width of Fabric (You need 4 of each…2 of each for the front and 2 of each for the back.)

For the prints in the area where the peach stripes are cut 8 pieces of flannel that are 6″ x Width of Fabric. (You will need 4 for the front and 4 for the back.)

For the prints in the area where the coral stripes are cut 2 pieces of flannel that are 9″ x Width of Fabric and 4 pieces that are 3″ x Width of Fabric. (You will need the cut pieces for the front and for the back.)

After cutting I lay my strips down on the floor in order, with the strips for the front and back placed on top of each other, and then I get sewing!

Place row one on top of row two, with the backsides together and stitch using a 1/2″ seam allowance (in quilting we normally use a 1/4″ seam allowance but for rag quilts I like a scant 1/2″ to give us more fabric to rag).

NOTE: You will be stitching through 4 layers of fabric. So you may want to pin your layers together before sewing.

The raw edge seam will be the front of your blanket…it doesn’t seam right but it is! This is the part you are going to clip that will make the cute ragged stripes.

Now place the third row on top of row two, with back sides together and stitch using 1/2″ seam allowance.

Continue this process with each row until you have sewn all the rows together.

When all the rows are sewn together quickly square up the edges of you blanket. This is the time that I cut off the selvage edges of the flannel…this happens as I trim up each side to make each edge nice and straight.

After this is done stitch around the entire perimeter of your quilt using that same 1/2″ seam allowance.

All that is left to do is snip the raw edges!

Snip all along each of the raw edge seams and around the entire perimeter of the quilt. The closer your snips are together the more of a chenille feel the raw edges will have.

Just be careful not to snip too far and cut through your stitching!

Once the edges are all snipped run your quilt through the rinse cycle of your washing machine and then fluff in the dryer.

NOTE: These blankets will put off a lot of threads and lint! BE sure to clean out your lint trap after running them through your dryer!

These blankets are so easy to make…my 9 year old has been having so much for making them. This is the first one that she made:

She chose “pajama and popcorn fabric” for a movie night quilt. But has since branched out into llama prints, kitten prints, and even prints with sharks wearing sweaters.

These blankets are great straight line sewing practice for beginners and make something cute when they are finished.

Plus…they make darling gifts to give.

So whether you are making them for a little loved one or helping a little loved one make their first blanket these flannel ragged blankets are easy, fun and adorable.

Happy Quilting!

For more rag sewing fun check out the tutorial for these ragged bags:

You can find the full tutorial HERE.