Prewashing flannel
 

I have question- I want to use a flannel layer cake for a baby quilt but knowing the shrinking properties of flannel I want to know if I should prewash and if I should, how would you suggest I do it?

It's been my experience that higher quality flannel doesn't shrink very much. Even the quilters flannel sold at joannes has little shrinkage, about 3-4 inches over 7 yards. The quilt shop stuff was about 2-3 inches over 7 yards, often less. Joannes snuggle flannel shrunk about 7 inches over 7 yards. If you are combining
flannel with regular cotton on a quilt top, I would definitely preshink.

Are you using 10 inch precuts? Is that what you mean buy layer cake? I don't think I would prewash a precut (sounds weird, doesn't it). I would think that once it is pieced and quilted it should be OK. Could you ask the people where you bought the layer cake?

I never pre-wash pre=cuts. I've used lots of flannel over the years without pre-washing and have never had any problems with the end result- my sister's flannel crazy quilt I made even had a mixture of pre-washed, not pre-washed and regular cottons- the quilt is beautiful, and has been washed many times. shrinkage is one of those things that is 'relative' the batting, backing, and density/type of quilting all play their parts. I would wash the finished quilt in cool water & tumble dry on low heat- it will turn out fluffy, soft, warm & cozy.

If you machine quilt moderately, the batting will prevent flannel from shrinking more than the batting shrinks. I would not prewash pre-cuts. What kind of batting are you planning on using? As long as your quilting lines are not more than 3" to 4" apart, you should be fine.

I would worry about bleeding as much as I would worry about shrinking. Therefore, the minimum I would do would be to soak in the sink to check.

Washing the quilt for the first time with Synthrapol in a machine that uses a ***lot*** of water should take care of any bleeding issues. The problem with soaking in water is that the flannel can distort and/or shrink even with that exposure. Wouldn't be a huge problem with yardage, but with precuts any shrinkage can throw off the cutting and piecing.

I didn't prewash the last flannel I used (FQs from Connecting Threads). Had little shrinkage, and even the deep indigo pieces didn't bleed.

Another reason to pre-wash flannel is to find out if it is going to pill. If it does, I don't want it to show in my quilt, so it gets relegated to batting.

my suggestion would be to lay the pieces in the bottom of the tub, add super hot water to cover by a couple inches.--Presort of color in case of bleeding. Let them sit, then rinse. Don't move them around much to prevent raveling. Hang them to dry over a porch rail or at least as flat as you can