Originally Posted by Sewze
I'm a newbie and am attempting to make a flannel throw. My ? is can you starch flannel? Thanks for helping.
Flannel is the only fabric I prewash. I prewash and dry it *twice*! It's also the only fabric that I use the 1:1 starch solution on before I ever start cutting it. The starch stabilizes the flannel so cutting and piecing are very accurate. Without starch, flannel tends to stretch and distort while you are working with it.
I haven't made a flannel rag quilt yet, but would like to. Not sure I'd bother to starch flannel for that kind of quilt because cutting and piecing accuracy are not at all critical to the pattern. For regular pieced flannel quilts, though -- and especially if the pieces are small -- I like to starch heavily before cutting.