I have mixed fabrics on a lot of scrap quilts, especially one for a child that I knew was going to be dragged all over the house and the yard. Some of the fabrics look crinkled when you wash the quilt, and some look smooth, (depending on the fabric content, but that is the only thing I have noticed. I do wash all flannels or anything I think may shrink, but don't normally wash quilting cotton. I have even used t-shirt fabric in scrap quilts, just use the iron on interfacing before cutting the pieces.

Excuse me, but am I the only one who knows that flannel IS COTTON??? Come on, dears; lets not get so rigiid about these things. lol
Judy

The different thickness and texture will make a very fun quilt! Might even look for satiny, shiny for even more texture friendliness.
And yes I do think in this case prewashing everything would be a good idea (I usually don't).

Not long ago our quilt guild had a guest speaker who brought quilts that included all kinds of mixtures--coruroy, flannel, cotton, cotton/plueter blends, etc. I don't know that any of them included fleece, but I don't see why not. She said she started quilting when she was poor as a church mouse and didn't know any of the rules and once she started she kept doing what she was doing. The quilts were very pretty and just right for a child's quilt with their many textures and colors. froggyintexas

Honestly, we make the rules and we should be able to change them. That said, I wouldn't put flannel and a woven cotton together to make a top. Flannel is cotton, but the weave is much looser than the cotton fabrics that we make tops from. The 2 will shrink differently. Even if you pre-wash. The minkee fabric or fleece I have seen used on the back of a quilt that a long armer did. It created a whole new type of texture. I wouldn't do it on my home machine, because I can't 'stretch' the sides, to be flat. It would be more like a lake on the bottom if I did it!

Cotton is the fiber content, flannel is a finish. Mix to your heart's content. Personally, I don't care for fleece mixed in. It's generally a knit and I don't want stuff that stertched that much.

Flannel stretches??????????

Do you have any idea how many times I've posted just that on this board? I did again just now. I remember one woman who went into a panic because there was only 100% cotton in the backing collection whereever she went for muslin.

Batiks are not considered cotton on here.
Broadcloth is not considered cotton on here.
Denim is not considered cotton on here.
Corduroy is not considered cotton on here.
Heavens only knows what what the fiber content of canvas and duck is thought to be, or batiste and lawn.


I'd be scared to mention that velvet and satin can be 100% cotton.
Not to mention that cotton can be processed as so many weights of knit.

I'm making a quilt for my grandson and want to make the top cottons and the backing fleece. Will this work?? Should I wash the fleece first?

WE does not include me. I combine what I want to use.