Favorite Pattern for Flannel
 

I have a fair amount of flannels and I’m looking for a good pattern for them, no rag quilts, been there done that! What is your favorite pattern for flannels?

i don't discriminate against flannel. any pattern that uses quilters cotton, I feel it could use flannel as well. choices are endless.

I have an overabundance of flannel so I started using it when I want a very lightweight quilt. But like LAF2019 I used for just about anything I would cotton except piecing, which I am not very good at anyway lol

I have only done 2 flannel quilts in my quilting experience. I do have a favorite pattern that works well with flannel. Make an 8" strip block using various widths and colors, cut it diagonally. Take a 9" square and cut it into 4 pieces cutting diagonal in both direction for an X formation. Attach that to the other half of the strip piece. Trim evenly to make a 7 1/2" square block.. Then sew together as a rag quilt. Makes a great fun quilt. Put a flannel back on it with or without batting. I quilted it SITD. Easy to make and can be as colorful as you want it to be.

This is my favorite pattern for flannel. It's called flannel bricks. I tried to make it once but hated my choice of colors and trashed it (too much pattern). I'd still like to have one that was this cozy looking. I love the quilting on it.

bkay

bkay, no wonder that's a favorite. I like it, too. I couldn't see your quilting well enough to understand what you did. Could you explain it? Thanks!!!

I like using a pattern that has larger pieces in it for flannel as the seams are more bulky, some flannel ravels more easily than regular quilting fabric, it seems to stretch more especially on the bias, and it is expensive so bigger pieces give you more quilt as there is less loss in the seams. So I like turning twenty, fence rail with 3 inch strips, or even a simple nine patch. I also have made several scrap quilts to use up all my flannels....for that I have made simple nine patches and four patches, put plain blocks in with them...mixed some rail fence blocks in....some actually turned out pretty cute....wish I had pictures of those scrappy ones but I gave them all away. I picked up a couple of colors of scraps for each one....for the last one...well...it was what was left!

I haven't ever given flannel a second glance, but now I will! I like the brick pattern and will start watching for flannels that I would like to try. Thank you.

I second the larger pieces option, too. This is a strip quilt I made for my GS

https://www.quiltingboard.com/tutori...t-t303359.html

Use the same concept, but maybe not as many narrow strips.

I made this quilt out of flannel and DH loves it so much he claimed it as his own.

https://www.kayewood.com/shop/c/p/Ov...-x32211762.htm

Elise

I recently completed 19 different 24" doll quilts for a charity project using scraps that I had from years of selling flannel bibs. They turn out nice and soft and are surprisingly warm even before batting is added. The ones that I made with disappearing 9 patch turned out really nice as did the alternating 3x5" "bricks" and the bargello with 2" squares. I made a couple with pinwheel blocks but didn't like them as well because some of the flannel I had was a little thinner and the bulky center seams were more pronounced than I like. After fussy cutting nearly 1500 pieces from approximately 3.5" x 5" scraps, I can tell you that I'll probably never make another flannel scrap project again! haha Because flannel frays so easily, be sure that your seams aren't too scant or that the pieces aren't real small. I learned that lesson the hard way.

Do you sew with a 3/8" seam with flannel?
 

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Would you suggest sewing with a 3/8" Seam allowance with flannel? or just shorten the stitch length? due to the extra fraying? Thanks!

This was my first piecing experience with flannel, and frankly, I didn't have a lot of extra fabric to work with so I just shortened the stiches a little. Since flannel is thinner, and a lot of my pieces were lighter colors coordinating with prints the seam allowances tended to be more visible and many of my pieces were 2" or even less and larger seams would make them even more visible. Now, keeping in mind that mine were doll quilts and would get different use than a regular quilt, maybe a larger seam on larger blocks would be better in the long run. Sorry I am not of more help to you.

Large block checkerboard quilt is quick and easy. With good contrasting fabrics it can be quite striking.

i love flannel for backings. Try for larger pieces to keep the softness - but ALWAYS prewash before piecing. I had some JAF stuff that shrunk 2" in the prewash!