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UPDATE: I took two identical pieces (cut from shirt patterns). I soaked one piece in hot water and then ironed it dry.
There appears to be no shrinkage in the piece. I feel confident the scraps do not need to be prewashed. The flannel is a very good quality, nice and firmly woven.

I am so happy I washed, and dried the flannel I was planning on using for a quilt. I was using burgundy, and it bled something bad. I'm glad it did before I sewed it into the quilt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holice (Post 6274236)

The local Fabric Pantry (fabric for charity) received a very large bag of flannel cuttings from a factory making men's flannel shirts. They are factory cuttings and all sizes. I plan on making crazy quilt type blocks from them mixed with squares that we will be able to cut from the larger pieces or bolt flannel.

We can't prewash the scraps. What has been your experience making quilts if the flannel will not be prewshed and shrunk especially if the blocks are made from stips and pieces as in string quilts. Will it help to spritz and steam the pieces before sewing.

I'd darn sure wash the pieces if I were you. Put some HOT water in your tub, add a bit of detergent and dump a bunch of similar colors and slosh around. (the bottom of a clean trash can makes a good "slosher") Then hang on a wooden drying rack. Even medium colors can run. So don't dump everything in at once.