Having problems with flannel...............
03-07-2013, 04:19 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 125
Having problems with flannel...............
I have washed two different flannel fabrics purchased at two different stores and they both ended up with really bad pilling all over the flannel. Has anyone else had this problem? The fabric looks too bad now to use it for backing which is why I bought the flannel in the first place. Thanks for any help with this problem.
03-07-2013, 05:23 PM
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 1,384
This is an issue I often have with inexpensive flannel. I am the farthest thing from a fabric snob, but flannel is the one thing I really try to buy from quilt shops or higher end brands. All flannel has a tendency to pill, but some of the better brands pill less and are more colorfast.
So sorry this happened to you!
So sorry this happened to you!
03-07-2013, 05:27 PM
#4
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
most of the flannels from joannes & other (big-box) stores will pill with one gentle wash---try a good quality double sided (quilt shop) flannel- I love the Benartex flannels & the woolies from moda are really nice too- wash gently on a short cycle- you just want to remove the sizing, & then Pre-shrink in the dryer-
single sided flannels pill much sooner than double sided (meaty) flannels.
single sided flannels pill much sooner than double sided (meaty) flannels.
03-08-2013, 01:31 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NW IL
Posts: 493
"I made 5 rag quilts for me grandkids for Christmas. I bought all the material from Joann's and washed them all [to help "rag" the quilts]. I can honestly say that none of them pilled. Guess I was just lucky. "
I believe that was because you didn't pre-wash and the batting which I'm guessing you did the X held it togther and helped prevented the fuzzies. Yet those rag quilts will not hold up sorry to let you know and will show wear very quickly. It's the same with the cheaper big box homespun fabric. I will no longer waste my money on the cheaper flannel or homespun those made from these lasted about a year with normal use but the one I made with the high end fabric (LQS) from maybe 10 years ago are still color wise, fabric and just as nice when I gave them as gifts look like I had made them a few weeks ago and they are used, washed often.
I believe that was because you didn't pre-wash and the batting which I'm guessing you did the X held it togther and helped prevented the fuzzies. Yet those rag quilts will not hold up sorry to let you know and will show wear very quickly. It's the same with the cheaper big box homespun fabric. I will no longer waste my money on the cheaper flannel or homespun those made from these lasted about a year with normal use but the one I made with the high end fabric (LQS) from maybe 10 years ago are still color wise, fabric and just as nice when I gave them as gifts look like I had made them a few weeks ago and they are used, washed often.
03-09-2013, 06:12 AM
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,165
I made a raggie with cheap flannel, too, but only used it as batting. The top and back are good cotton/muslin.
What I found was hard spots in the flannel that would make needle skip when adding quilting design to hold block together.
I don't like bare flannel. It feels creepy. No one in this house has ever had flannel sleepwear or flannel shirts.
What I found was hard spots in the flannel that would make needle skip when adding quilting design to hold block together.
I don't like bare flannel. It feels creepy. No one in this house has ever had flannel sleepwear or flannel shirts.
03-09-2013, 06:21 AM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Monroe, IN
Posts: 2,283
I recently made a baby quilt with flannel from Connecting Threads. I prewashed all of it, and then washed again when I was done. There was no pilling and the flannel was still bright and pretty. I will definitely buy their flannel again.
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