Hello Everyone,

I am new to the forum but I have enjoyed reading all of the awesome advice that has been given. I need advice, can any of you answer my questions below?

I am about to make a flannel quilt from my granddaughter. I know I will have to wash the fabric first but do I need to add anything to the water when I first wash it?

Also, if I were just working with 100 % cotton, and I washed it in hot water, do I need to add something to the water to hold the color?

Quiltbaby

I have made a couple of quilts with flannel and I just wash it with regular detergent and warm water. If you are worried about it bleeding toss in a color catcher.

Go ahead and wash it like a pair of jeans. If you are usaing a color that could bleed, color catchers are great! Sometimes flannel still shrinks after the first wash,so judge accordingly. I assumed you meant FOR your granddaughter, right?

Yes, it is from my granddaughter. What do you mean by color catchers. What is that? Remember I am new to quilting

Quiltbaby

If you are in the U.S. color catchers are in the laundry detergent section of the store. You can also use Retayne which is sold in quilt shops and it will stop the bleed. If you are using dark flannel I wouldn't wash it in hot water. I would wash in warm with a cold rinse or cold with cold rinse. Dark will bleed for sure in hot water. Ask me how I know! Also throw it in a warm dryer. There shouldn't be any shrinking after this.

I would use warm water not hot. And if you don't have a color catcher, you can use common table salt. It does the same thing.

Thanks everyone for your help. I did wash the flannel and I did iron it befor it got completely dry. I have not decided on the pattern I am going to cut but I have a few magazines that share some patterns.

Happy New Year!
Quiltbaby7

I made a flannel/chenille quilt for the last grandbaby. I washed everything just like his mama would - so she wouldn't have to do anything different. I found that it gives off lots of lint, so afterwards, the machine would need a good cleaning. I used half square triangles, half chenille, half flannel, with flannel borders, flannel as batting, and backing. The baby loves it and it has been washed lots of times and is still soft and snuggly.

I wash mine usually just in detergent but if I am washing more than one color fabrics i toss in a color catcher and have never had anything ruined thus far! :D hope that helps!