Chairjogger, flannel makes a woooonderful backing. Last year I made a flannel quilt for my hubby and used some of these flannels:
http://www.thousandsofbolts.com/inde...rchsubmitted=1
They were very thick and perfect for my Man Quilt. In addition, they are a wide size. I set my stitch length to a shorter stitch but didn't need to because it was not a loose weave. I also starched the fabric before I cut, just in case. The only problem I had was minor -- it was a lot to handle in my smallish sewing space. That being said, his quilt turned out great because the flannel was superb.
Now, if I could get my MacBook to attach a photo here, I would, but the techno gods are not with me today.