quilting fabric
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,813
I have mixed flannel with cotton, Minky with cotton, small wale corduroy with cotton on the front and a flannel backing. I washed and soaked the corduroy in vinegar overnight to soften it. Used it as the sashing and border. The quilt turned out great. Perfect for a boy.
A friend of mine made a dog quilt (the quilt was in the shape of a dog, big). The quilt was made out of squares of flannel, fleece, and cotton, cut into the dog shape, then ragged. Turned out cute.
A friend of mine made a dog quilt (the quilt was in the shape of a dog, big). The quilt was made out of squares of flannel, fleece, and cotton, cut into the dog shape, then ragged. Turned out cute.
#13
Most of the flannel you will find at quilt stores is cotton flannel. It does shrink more than other cotton fabrics, so it should be washed before mixing with other fabrics. Children especially enjoy the texture of a quilt made from different fabric types. I mix corduroy and flannel in rag quilts all the time. As others have noted, starch can be your friend when working with stretchier fabrics like fleece or flannel.
#15
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
you can mix flannels, cottons, wools, fleeces and minkie in the same quilt and make wonderful quilts! some of the best quilts out there have many mixed fibers in them- I make a lot of quilts that contain regular cottons & flannels (which are just soft cottons) homespuns, I sometimes add wool appliques, or strips of fleeces between rows of blocks...the only thing I ever consider is whether or not the fibers will launder ok together- fleece, minkie, wool, cotton, flannel all launder together nicely- I've even made quilts that contained all of the mentioned plus silks, corduroys & velvets - I was worried about the silks, but used a fusible stabilizer and they worked just fine- be adventurous! many *most* of my quilts contain flannels & regular cottons, wool batting and minkie backs- or flannel backs- what ever I decide is best at the moment.
#16
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4,688
Your quilt your way. Kids love different textures and I have mixed flannel, regular cotton and fleece. As has been said before -- definitely wash the flannel (twice is good, but at least once and dry hot). My first flannel quilt had several different flannels, I did not wash them and they all shrank differently when washed. What a mess!! I just had a piece of LQS flannel shrink 4" in width. Also, the flannel tends to shed more than regular cotton so getting all that shedding over first so it does not stick in the bobbin or on the needle bar puts you ahead of the game.
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 5,397
I agree, you never know and I tend to do what I want and don't believe when it comes to quilting some rules are made to be broken. Besides, who makes these rules. Most are made by quilt shows because they only want certain things but even that is changing. I do always wash flannel first, it has a tendancy to shrink so its better to get it out of the way and then you wont have bunching going on when you have say a 6in cotton block and a 6 in flannel together and then washed the flannel gets smaller.
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quilting lessons, quilting tips-The Editors at McCall's Quilting and McCall's Quick Quilts magazines
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