Flannels
 

Hi! I’m not new to quilting but I am about to start on a flannel quilt and that is a first for me. It is 2 ply, no bright colors but there is a black solid, 100% cotton by Henry Glass. The owner of the quilt shop said that I do not need to prewash. I am pretty sure I have read that you need to prewash it at least once. What are your thoughts? Is 2 ply different than other flannels? Also, is Aurifil 50wt a good thread for this fabric? Thanks for your help!

Aurifil thread is fine. I have found the really nice quilt shop flannels do not shrink like the single sided loosely woven ones

Is this going to be a rag (snipped) quilt? If so, do not prewash. You need the wash to make the fringe happen. If you wash it first, it won't work as well.

I wash my flannels sometimes.....if I am making a new quilt from quilt shop quality flannel (12-14 dollars a yard usually), I usually do not wash if the flannel is all from the same manufacturer...if I am making a quilt and the flannel is from a lot of manufacturers, I usually do wash everything before, unless I am making a rag time quilt, I do not....If I purchase a cheaper quality backing I most always wash it, as cheaper flannel usually shrinks quit a bit.....

This will be a regular pieced quilt, not a rag quilt. It’s for a baby.

I always wash my fabric. Flannels shrink a lot, have lots of dust in them and could run. Why take the chance?

I’ve used Benartex and Moda woolies flannels without prewashing and everything came out beautifully. No excessive shrinkage- in fact less than many regular cottons I’ve used. I love the thick, soft double sided flannels.

I've only used Moda flannel and loved it. It was a quite substantial flannel. I could probably have gotten away without prewashing but I am a prewasher of virtually all fabrics.

I would prewash, especially since it's for a baby. I've had shrinkage in both good and not so good quality flannels, and the one that ran the worst was supposed to be very good quality.

I've used these & have not washed until the quilt was finished. They have all don fine. I did have 1 red flannel odd brand & that did bleed but I usually don't worry about it.