Hi all,
Looking for suggestions for working with flannel as a backing fabric. i'm making a lap sized 45 x45 baby quilt using flannel as backing. I have a Bernina with a walking foot that I have used to machine quilt small quilts fairly successfully - nothing fancy. This quilt is giving me fits with puckers all over the back. I spent the afternoon quilting and then the evening pulling stitches. I saw one post about flannelquilts which suggested lowering pressure on the presser foot so the flannel doesn't stretch. Does anyone know if this will work when only the back of the quilt is flannel? I'm hoping for some input that will help me avoid another seam ripping session, and let me get this quilt finished and not be embarrassed by puckers in the backing. Thanks in advance!!

I would starch the backing quite heavily. Flannel is a softer fabric, not much body to it. Believe me, you can't starch it too stiff. I soak it, and let it dry and then press it. If it is stiff like paper, then you have it stiff enough :wink:
Starching the backs is one way besides basting well, to keep puckers away :D:D:D

I have only hand-stitched flannel..

The only other thing I would say is to be sure you wash and dry your flanel because it loves to shrink.

My friends avoid flannel backs as much as possible. When i do use them, I pin heavily. How about spray basting?

Did you pin, or spray baste? I have found after you wash and iron your flannel, if you liberally spray baste then roll your sides, start quilting in the middle and you should be fine. Baste gun and pins allow too much movement with flannel (just my opinion) Good luck

Oddly - I normally use a basting spray for smaller projects - but decided to pin baste this one. Don't ask me why-LOL! Maybe when I 'm done pulling stitches, I'll pull out the can of basting spray. I usually don't use flannel as a quilt back, but it's a baby quilt and the printed flannel went so well with my other fabrics I just couldn't resist. I thought it would be nice and snuggly for a little one. If this went well, I was considering doing a larger flannel backed lap quilt for my father-in-law who is always cold. I guess his quilt will not be backed in flannel!!!

when I longarm fleece or flannel I keep the backing material very taut. I also use the selvage edges pinned to my leaders to help me keep it from getting too stretchy you can also sew on the the side regular fabric selvages to help keep it from stretching so bad.The biggest thing is to pin the heck out of it. and let machine do the work not your hands when doing it on a dsm.

I just finished doing one with flannel. I used basting spray and the flannel didn't move at all.

I flannel-back All of my quilts. I have a bernina and either use my walking foot, or free-motion. After washing & drying, I spray starch the flannel (soaking it is a Great idea, btw). I use basting spray and I pin the quilt heavily with quilter's safety pins.