How to Cut Fringe Straight for Rag Quilts

You'll be doing a lot of cutting with your rag quilt. Add leather gloves to protect your hands.

Rag quilts are easy to put together even for beginning quilters. Unlike most quilts, rag quilts keep all seams on the front side of the quilt. Small snips are made down the length of each seam to promote fraying. The fray that results makes these simple quilts feel soft and fuzzy. The snips you make to create the fringe do not have to be completely straight. Instead, concern yourself with not cutting through the seam.

Things You'll Need

• Completed quilt ready for fringing
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Leather gloves, optional

Instructions

1. Select an area on which to begin working. Starting from one corner and working your way across the quilt horizontally is a good way to start.

2. Put the seam directly in front of you. Make your first snip, making certain to cut up to the seam but not through it.

3. Move the quilt down a little and measure down 1/4 inch to make your next snip. Snips should be 1/4 inch apart throughout the rag quilt. Keeping the quilt directly in front of you will keep your snips straight.

4. Continue moving the quilt and snipping the seams until all rows, horizontal and vertical, have been snipped.

5. Snip the outer edges, starting at one corner. Snip corners at an angle, then straighten the subsequent stitches.

Tips & Warnings

• Instead of scissors, use a pair of spring loaded rag quilting snips. You'll feel less pain in your hand because the palm does most of the work, not the fingers.

• Take frequent breaks while snipping your rag quilt to give your hands time to rest. If they are not steady, you might cut through the stitched seams.

• Snip your rag quilt in good lighting to make sure you don't cut through the stitches.

• Use caution when using scissors.

• Snipping rag quilts can be rough on your hands. Use leather gloves or special snippers to help alleviate some of the pain.

• If you cut through a seam, quickly stitch over it. Lock the ends of the broken stitch by repeating the beginning and ending stitches of your replacement seam. There is no need to remove the first seam.

References

• Video: All About Quilts; Rag Quilt Video
• Knit and Tonic: Simple Rag Quilt; Wendy Bernard