Backing a quilt witih flannel
 

I am making a baby quilt for my newest great-grandson - have the top pieced and am pleased with it - my question is - can I use a piece of flannel for the back - sew the four sides leaving a spot open to turn - and then stitch in the ditch to attach it together and not put batting in the center? Would the quilt be too flimsy without batting and not wear well - my baby lives in the South so batting for warmth is not necessary. You gals are always so gracious in offering help and my thanks for your input.

Best regards, Joan

I like to have something in the middle...even if its another piece of flannel. If not to me its like a table cloth...and no I am not the quilt police, but I think for it to be called a quilt it needs three pieces of fabric. - I make blankets for my granddaughter with flannel on one side and cotton on the other, turn them inside out and sew a decorative stitch around the outside...works great.

I am wrong...I looked it up and it says some modern quilts only have two layers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quilt

I live in southern Georgia and have done small quilts just like that...we don't have lots of cold and they are nice for when it's just cool.

don't forget that some flannel shrinks at a higher percentage than other fabrics. perhaps, you might want to launder it in hot water several times to allow for this shrinkage.

I second this. Measure fabric, wash, dry. Measure. When it stops shrinking, you can stop washing & drying! I've had some that just shrunk on the first wash, and some that took 3. The up side is that each time it shrinks, it gets softer & thicker.

I just made a baby quilt for my sister using flannel and it turned out great! I didn't use batting and I have to tell you... I'll never do that again. It was way too flat and it didn't flatter the quilting at all. Baby quilts should have some fluff! :)

I do this a lot. I am also in the deep south and we rarely need heavy blankets. Flannel backing with no batting makes a nice lightweight quilt that is soft and drapes well. I made one for DH this way and he uses it as a throw on the sofa all the time. Use a good quality flannel, and like the others said, definitely prewash. I am not a dedicated prewasher, but I ALWAYS prewash flannel, often two or three times.

I always use w&n batting even when I back it with flannel. It has a nicer feel to it.
But defiantly always wash flannel for shrinkage.

I use flannel a lot. Wash/dry, wash/dry. Also use a wider seam on back, like half inch. Even better, use a serger. Flannel likes to fray a lot.

You can use however many layers you want. Your quilt, your rules. I made my DH a t-shirt quilt and used warm and natural in the center and backed it with flannel. It's very warm - too warm for the south. I have done quilts with flannel instead of batting and backed it with flannel - that works better for me. I like to anchor down all the seams with quilting.

One of my grandmothers used to make tops and only use a sheet for backing and nothing inbetween - everybody loved them.

Let us know what you decide.