dunster

I always wash flannel, no matter what I'm making with it. It rags just fine after washing. Flannels shrink unevenly and are notorious bleeders. The other problem is that flannel (even the "good" stuff) sometimes pills, and if it does I use it inside a quilt, not on the outside.

Edit: Oh yes, I forgot your first question. When I'm cutting something off a large piece of fabric, I usually first cut a little more than I really need off the big piece. (I know, wasteful perhaps, but if it means avoiding a poor cut then it's a good thing to do.) For instance, if I have 3 yards and I need two 6" strips, I will cut off around 12.5", making sure that there is still enough to straighten out the end, which may not be straight. Then I will even off the end, make my first 6" cut, and make my second 6" cut. There will be a little bit left over, but not much, and I won't be fighting with the weight and bulk of the remainder of the fabric.