Monday 15 February 2016

Do you like sewing rag quilts but hate cutting all the seams?

If anyone has ever made a Rag Quilt you would be aware that it is a huge and tiring job to cut all the seams after you have finished sewing the squares together and it can be especially difficult if you happen to be older and have arthritis. Well, you might find that using rag quilt snips will solve your problem.





 

 When I made the Rag Quilts for my granddaughters I used scissors to cut the many, many seams which is what helps to make the curled edges you can see in the first photo. After cutting the seams the quilt is then washed and put in the dryer to get that effect.



 As I am in the middle of making a rag quilt for my grandson in the colours my daughter has decorated his room in, I thought I would take advantage of the recent Spotlight 40% off voucher I received in the mail. The full price for the Fiskars snips was actually $40 and I could have bought them online for less but I had asked for a pair to be kept aside for me when they came in which unfortunately took quite a few weeks. However, I didn't need to be in a hurry for them as I don't think my grandson really needs a quilt at present as it is currently 43C up in Mt.Isa. We think it is hot here and it is only 33C but the 35C forecast tomorrow might push us over the edge. LOL!


If you think these would help you with cutting seams it might be worth while checking out how much they are online. On eBay the Birch Rag Quilt Snips are $25.05 and the Fiskars Rag Quilt Snips are $32.55 from the US.  I believe the Birch ones are quite good too.

Talking about Spotlight...I just received an email about the bargain buy of the week and it was for a Sizzix Fabi Starter Kit. Does anyone have one of these and what exactly do they do? It sounds like they cut both fabric and cardstock as well as leather etc. If that is the case, wouldn't the cutting blade get blunt after using cardstock. I just thought it might be a worthwhile investment for someone I know who is very crafty and has a couple of girls who love making cards...not mentioning any names though :-)


Have a great week everyone!




10 comments:

  1. Hi Chel, oh i love your rag quilts, they look amazing, hope those snips will help you a lot with all the cutting you've got coming up xoxo

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    Replies
    1. I do like the pink and green, Karen and I hope the snips work well as they weren't all that cheap.

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  2. Love those quilts in the first picture! And thank you for sharing that handy tool with us! :)

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I love the colours too, Jes. A bit too pink for my grandson though I think. LOL!

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  3. Good idea! I love the pink and green combo as well. I have not made a rag quilt but it is on my list of things to do....someday!

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    Replies
    1. Kathy, for a straight line challenged person these quilts are great.

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  4. Nanna Chel,
    The fabric cutter looks like the big shot. I have the big shot so I guess it cuts the same way. It probably wil cut through a couple of layers easily. Basically you have to use a platform, acrylic plates, and sand which the layers between them. Then roll it through the cutter, think of an old wringer washer machine! I prefer theses cutters to the digital ones as they don't have cords or changing tecnology making them obselete
    Down side is you do have to buy the cutting dies and they get pricey. Just go on youtube and search sizzix big shot.
    -shiralee.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Shiralee. I think it is probably the same as my daughter's Kaszazz machine. The dies are certainly expensive.

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  5. Anything not tied down in your house will end up being used in a piece of craftwork. Look out boys.

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