I have been making my first flannel rag quilt. It now measures 50 x 51". How much does flannel usually shrink when washed? I want to know about what size to make it end up for a lap quilt? Thank you.

Funny thing about the rag quilts I've made, they actually didn't shrink much. I didn't prewash my flannel either. I sewed two layers of flannel together and put an X through the square before sewing them together. Once they were washed they frayed out but didn't shrink enough for me to notice. Good luck

I've made about 30 rag quilts, they are so quick and easy. I allow about two inches for shrinkage in length and width. The quality of the flannel has a lot to do with it.
J

it depends on the flannel- but allow an inch or two in both directions.

I don't think it is enough to worry about.

Oh, good. I thought they might shrink 30% or more. Whew.

I do it the same way and didn't see any noticable shrinkage either.

I did some googling and most websites said flannel could have a shrinkage of up to about 5%. One site said up to 13%, but I have never had a quilt shrink anywhere near that much.

I used non-prewashed flannel for one of the ones I made for my daughter. Honestly, I don't think it shrunk all that much, maybe an inch or so.

I had cotton batting in the ones I made & did stitch the X as well.... They shrink.... but not a huge amount.

I've made flannel quilts with good quality Moda flannel that didn't shrink much, and other quilts with some coarser Joann's flannel that shrunk a LOT. So, IMO, it depends on the quality of the flannel.

Mine didn't shrink that I noticed.

Mine didn't shrink much.

I had a floor length nightgown I made shrink to just below my knee. Good thing it was a roomy pattern.

Fabric shrinks differently when washed by itself and when washed after being quilted to a batt. When washed by itself, some flannels shrink a *lot*! These same flannels, after being quilted to a batt, will shrink only as much as the batting allows. That's why flannel shrinkage becomes pretty much a non-issue when making rag quilts.

I'm making one right now. Have all the squares done and ready to sew together. I'm already fed up with it because when I start sewing the squares together my fabric doesn't seem to want to feed through. I am using a walking foot but that doesn't seem to help. Am I doing something wrong?

I found that if you decrease the upper tension on the sewing machine (like you do when quilting), helps.