Candace

GOOD flannel will have a much better outcome. Joannes flannel are the ones to avoid if at all possible.

luvTooQuilt

Mine pictured above was made with 3 layers of Joannes flannel and it turned out fine.. Ive washed it 3 times already.. I do wash in my top loader and i wash it all alone. and dry alone- halfway thru drying I take it out, shake off the loose fluff and toss it back in to completely dry.. run a tape lint remover over it - if it needs it- and its fine..

grammy of 6

luvtooquilt,
I am so glad you posted!!! I am in the process of finishing 5 (yes 5) quilts with material I bought at Joannes on Black Friday. I have not washed them yet, so I have read all of these posts with much interest. I am glad to say that several of the fabrics I used are in your quilt.
I am in the process of clipping the seams. 2 are done and 3 more to go! They are for my grandchildren.
I will take a pix of them after they are washed (if they are still in 1 piece
Wish me luck!

Candace

I don't have time to take a lint brush or tape to a quilt every time I wash it. I will stick to good quality flannel only in the future. I would also never want to give a gift to someone who has to spend time removing the pilling after washing. My opinion!

Jmncolts

Thanks again!! I will let you know how the one I'm doing turns out! (cotton front/flannel back..also used flannel and batting in middle...*fingers crossed*!) I hate that part of my trial and error is for something so important..(and using a discontinued print)! Not much I can do..my friend's baby is due too soon to make another "practice" quilt for my kids lol!! Thanks again for the feedback! I posted on another quilting board and got 2 responses out of hundreds of views! You all are great!!
-Jeanette

SundarKoyal

I had also read somewhere that you should Not use fabric softener when washing flannel or fleece because it can cause the material to pill.

Jmncolts

Done! Well...almost! Just a few touch ups and it will find it's new home in my friend's nursery! I like how the (mostly) cotton front turned out! Thanks again for all the advice!
-Jeanette

Lorettan

im getting ready to use flannel on the back of a rag quilt. i purchased it at Hancock fabrics, but it was with the bolts of batting and marked/labeled as "quilt backing flannel". after reading suggestions on this wonderful board, i washed and dried it first. now, im hoping it will hold up after i put the rag quilt together. i would hate for it to get all funky looking after all that work. i tend to wash my rag throws alot.

kbryan

Just made my first flannel rag quilt with moda & JoAnn flannel and it laundered by the cleaners and it pilled terribly. I just read this that may help with pilling:

Instructions

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• 1 Wash flannel sheets in 1 cup of white vinegar instead of laundry detergent. This can help reduce pilling and prevent future pilling.

• 2 Add 1/2 cup of vinegar added to the rinse cycle or in a plasticizer ball to prevent pills from forming.

• 3 Cut pills off manually, either with scissors or a safety razor. Stretch the sheet over a smooth, round surface and snip pills off or shave them. This will remove pills, but can be time consuming. Follow with regular vinegar rinses when washed to prevent pills from re-forming.

I'd try this at home, but my quilt is kingsize.

Buy quality, 100 percent cotton flannel that feels smooth to the touch and has a minimum weight of 4 oz. per square yard. Avoid flannel that looks or feels thin or rough, or that contains polyester or other synthetic fibers. Launder your sheets gently, avoiding high heat and excess agitation or tumbling.

Hope this helps someone.
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QandE2010

I will reiterate that you have to wash them separately so they can't get fuzz or anything else from other fabric. I have had good luck with flannel sheets from Land's End. They seem to not shrink as much and they don't pill. Good luck.