I'm considering a beautiful flannel fabric as the backing for a Christmas quilt. This is Florida, and I would like these quilts to be used a good part of the year, so they can't be to heavy.

I'm worried that if I use this 5 oz. flannel I should forgo the batting in this quilt, and if I do that wont that cause extra wear and tear where the seams in the top -rubbing on the quilt back? I've never used flannel to back a quilt, so any insight would be helpful.

I don't want to worry that because I picked flannel it's thought I went the cheap way, and therefore my quilt wont last so long. :( Please help.

I think that it will be just fine. They are called summer quilts when there is no batting in them. I would just caution you to wash the flannel more than once because it does not shrink all the way in the first washing. I usually wash two or three times just to be sure. It would be bad if you got your quilt all together and washed again and it turned out wonky.

Debbie

i did one with a flannel backing and i used a cheap flannel that i bought at wal mart for a dollar a yard for the batting it gave it just enough warm and stability

good luck let us know how it works

oh yes remember to wash it a couple times before using the flannel

You can get a very thin cotton batting that comes in a package, I've used it and it makes a nice summer quilt. I used muslin on the back

I always put flannel backing on all my baby quilts. It makes them so soft and warm.

you could also line it with plain, white muslin instead of batting. chuck it into the prewash with the flannel since muslin is also a shrinker. i use hot water, hot dryer to speed up the preshrink.

Patrice ~ Now that's an idea I would have never dreamed up! Sounds like a good idea. :D Thanks for the tip!

Hi,

I don't think there is anything wrong with using flannel on the back of a quilt with or without batting. I make a lot of Linus quilts and lap robes for the military hospitals etc. Putting flannel on the back makes them cuddly and keeps them from sliding around so much. Many of the amputees just want something to hide their injuries from their visitors who have a hard time coping. A heavy quilt would be uncomfortable. While not in Florida it gets hot and humid in the summer time in Maryland. While I appreciate the weight of a regular quilt on my bed in the winter, it would be a real burden on a hot steamy night.
If your qult is not going to have heavy quilting prewashing the back is a must.