How to Wash a Rag Quilt

Wash a rag quilt to make the edges fluffy.

When you sew together a rag quilt, you may want to achieve a certain "rustic" look. However, if you do not trim and prepare the seams in a certain way, the rag quilt will look more tailored than you had envisioned. One way to make the rag quilt look more shabby is to cut into the seams in a particular manner, then wash the rag quilt to fray and fluff out the seams.

Things You'll Need

• Seam gauge
• Fabric pencil
• Scissors
• Detergent for delicate fabrics
• Standard washing machine
• Standard clothes dryer

Instructions

1. Lay out the rag quilt onto a table or counter top so that you can work on the seams efficiently.

2. Place a seam gauge along each seam, marking 1/4 inch inward along the seams with a fabric pencil. Space each marking 1/2 inch apart.

3. Cut into each marking with scissors. Place the prepared rag quilt into a standard clothes washing machine.

4. Add 1/4 cup of delicate laundry detergent into the washing machine, and wash the rag quilt on the delicate cycle.

5. Dry the rag quilt on high heat in a standard clothes dryer. This will cause the cut seams to fray and fluff out. Trim off any loose thread or excess fluff using scissors before displaying the finished rag quilt.

References

• Quilting 101: Rag Quilts