denim rag quilt help needed

[luv-my-boys]

I am looking into making a rag quilt for one of my sons, I have quilted but have never gotten around to doing a rag quilt. Well a few years ago I came across a great site that showed using old denim jeans as the *blocks* I loved it but hadnt found the time until now.
I am looking into using some michael miller fabric "lil cowpokes" and another red bandana print material to add a little more cowboy character to it.
I was wondering if anyone had any tips for sewing denim to cotton (100%) not flannel and getting it to "rag" properly" this is going to be an almost twin size quilt and I'd hate to find out later it wasnt possible. I have to order the fabric online (except the jeans we have LOTS of worn out ones from the boys) so I wouldnt be able to test it before hand. I am modifing it though by making two (front and back) and sandwiching some batting and finishing it off to add a little more substance to it and will tie it.

[brightonwoman]

Um, the biggest issue that jumps out at me (as a professional seamstress) is that the denim is a LOT thicker than the cotton. The uneven fabric weights could potentially be a problem, so I would use double layers of the cotton (get a plain fabric and layer it under the cowpoke print or something). Baste together the double-thick blocks of cotton and THEN sew them to the denim. Another alternative would be to use a moderately heavy iron-on interfacing on the cotton--that would make it heavier without the hassle of having to baste every piece.
BE SURE YOU PREWASH THE COTTON TWICE to make sure that it does all it's shrinking before you cut it or sew it to anything!!! If these are scraps from jeans, then they've been well washed and done all their shrinking, but new fabric is going to shrink a bit and for a quilt I like to wash twice just to make sure. (Wash/dry on hot--the heat shrinks it more/faster than just the washing, and you want it to shrink as much as it can...)

I have never mixed denim with another fabric on the same side...I always do denim on one side and the other fabric on the other side...I might do a couple of little appliques on the reverse, but not actual sewn squares...just a thought to throw out there.

[luv-my-boys]

Thanks brightonwoman I was concerned about the thickness of the two materials together as well. I guess I really *want* the idea I have in my head to work, but now it *wont*. I think Im going to have to revise my pattern around a bit to get it to work. Thanks!