Flannel is wonderful but you need to prewash the flannel. the best way to avoid the ends being a mass of tangled threads is to put multiple folds in the end and safty pin it, do on both ends, wash and dry. When you take the pins out their maybe some dampness but the shrinking has taken place. I then iron the flannel being careful not to distort fabric, so more of a press. I just made one without any batting for a light weight summer quilt.