Fabric stretches more in the crosswise direction than lengthwise. Go ahead, take a piece of fabric and give it a try. It will likewise shrink at different rates, so a block made with pieces sewn every which way may end up looking uneven at best, or downright wonky. And, flannel is fierce when it comes to shrinkage, sometimes taking two or three washings to settle down.
Originally Posted by
bernamom
I'm kinda new, but if it is all the same flannel, wouldn't it be easier to wait until the quilt is done and let it do all of it's shrinking in the final wash. It should all shrink at the same rate, since it is all from the same line??? Right? Still learning.