Flannel Squares sashed with quilting cotton...Good or Bad idea?
 

I have a few scraps of some Olaf print Flannel, enough I thought I might make into a kids charity quilt by sashing some squares, probably about 4" ones, with some solid cotton. It's such cute fabric, but not enough to make a whole top or back with on its own. Good idea or bad mixing flannel with cotton on a quilt top?

Crazy quilts mix all kinds of fabric and are just fine. Flannel shrinks way more than some other fabrics, so just make sure your fabrics are all pre-shrunk so you don't end up with willy nilly shrinkage.

Good point on the crazy quilt idea! I prewash all my fabric beforehand, so should be good. Thought it might be kinda fun to have some soft fuzzy spots on the quilt :).

Mixing is fine for a comfort/love quilt. It will not last as long, but it will make a darling gift for a child. Just be sure to pre-shrink all your fabrics, to use a 3/8" or 1/2" seam allowance instead of 1/4", and maybe to use a shorter stitch length to reinforce the seam and prevent unraveling. To prolong its life, I would pre-wash in cold water & put a note on the quilt tag or pinned to your quilt encouraging the recipient to do the same.

Are you saying it won't last long because flannel's tendancy to fray more easily or just wear out quicker? We use it on quilt backs all the time, so not sure how it would be different.

I mix regular cottons and flannels all the time. Never a problem. 95% of my quilts contain at least a little flannel.

I dont one understand the ( it won't last long) comment....the flannel/ cotton quilt I made my daughter when she was 2 ( she turns 40 this month) has held up to thousands of launderings, trips, forts, picnics. I haven't had any fall apart due to flannel being used.... How long is ( not long?)

Great! I will proceed :). My biggest concern was stretch, but when I compare my flannel to my cotton they both stretch pretty equally and also thought if I stick to straight grain cuts and smallish squares I should be pretty safe. Thanks for your report back on your personal experience on the longevity during wear and tear ;).

I did just the opposite, used flannel to sash cotton blocks in this quilt - http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...s-t248015.html. If it's a good quality flannel it should last just as long as the cotton.

Nice! Thanks! I had been thinking if I don't quite have enough Olaf I could mix in a few cotton blocks to fill in. Perfect!

well i think it would be ok i make baby quilts if i use flannel on front i put cotton on back or if i use cotton on front i put flannel on back. really a choice of your own

The thing about flannel is that the seams fray more easily. That is why the suggestion was made to use 3/8" or even 1/2" seams. The last thing you want is your piecing seams to pull apart from the quilt getting heavy use; wider seams with flannels helps prevent this.

It also depends on how much quilting is done. When there is minimal quilting, things like sitting on the quilt, hanging the quilt when wet, etc. will place more stress on both the quilting thread and piecing thread. For a quilt with flannel seams, it's a good idea to plan on at least a moderate amount of quilting to ensure there is no extra stress on seams.

The fraying seams issue doesn't come up with quilt backings, for the most part, because they tend not to be pieced. It's not that flannel isn't durable; it's that flannel seams are more likely to fray under stress.

I believe any kid would just love a new quilt, flannel or/and cotton. Most of the kids we are making charity quilts for don't have much in life and a quilt can bring someone much comfort. I would not worry about the different kinds of fabric. The quilt will be loved, no matter what.