I agree with you on the problem with Joann's flannel. I paid their asking price for a huge amount (approx 50 yards) of flannel to make quilts for a bunch of kiddos in our family. I was making rag quilts and the flannel needed to be washed and dried before cutting. Well, let me tell you, I had the worst pile of pilled flannel I've ever seen. No matter what I did with it, it continued to look terrible. It even felt terrible. Now, on the other hand, I've gone to the local Walmart and spent $2.57 a yard for their flannel and had the best luck with it fluffing up and handling very nice. So my strong advice on Joann's flannel is to buy a small amount and play with it before buying a bunch.