Can I mix fabric types? Flannel and another...
#1
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Has anyone used one fabric type on one side of a quilt and another on the back? I made up a quilt top using "regular" material and would like to use flannel on the back. Do I have to worry about the materials shrinking differently?
#2
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Location: MN
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Originally Posted by isewhappy
Has anyone used one fabric type on one side of a quilt and another on the back? I made up a quilt top using "regular" material and would like to use flannel on the back. Do I have to worry about the materials shrinking differently?
#8
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Location: Western Wisconsin
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Originally Posted by isewhappy
The top was not prewashed. Should I just wash the flannel once and then put them together?
Are you planning to quilt rather than tie? Quilting helps keep fabrics from shrinking excessively. The quilting ties the fabrics to the batting, so that the most the fabric can shrink is how much the batting shrinks. The heavier the quilting, the less difference there is in fabric shrinkage among the fabrics used.
#9
Originally Posted by isewhappy
The top was not prewashed. Should I just wash the flannel once and then put them together?
#10
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Location: Western Wisconsin
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You do not want to prewash a top without first basting it to a foundation fabric, even if you are handwashing; otherwise you risk a lot of distortion. It would also be a good idea to block the top, complete with foundation fabric, while it is still very damp.
If quilting and not tying, I would skip washing the top and just be sure the flannel is preshrunk. Poly batting does not shrink, so quilting fairly closely will also keep the fabrics from shinking. Most cotton battings shrink about 3%, which gives the nice crinkling effect I like.
If the quilt will be tied rather than quilted, uneven shrinkage of fabrics can become a problem. In that case I might go to the trouble of prewashing the top.
If quilting and not tying, I would skip washing the top and just be sure the flannel is preshrunk. Poly batting does not shrink, so quilting fairly closely will also keep the fabrics from shinking. Most cotton battings shrink about 3%, which gives the nice crinkling effect I like.
If the quilt will be tied rather than quilted, uneven shrinkage of fabrics can become a problem. In that case I might go to the trouble of prewashing the top.
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