Quilting with Flannel
#11
I always pre-wash flannel because of the shrinkage. So far I've only used it as a quilt back or in a rag quilt. It will still rag, because it is the fraying of the edges that causes the ragging, not the shrinkage. I got some marvelous dark purple flannel once at a quilt show. It was very thick and the color didn't even fade or bleed in the wash. I wish I knew the source, because I would love to get more of it. I think I will try BellaBoo's idea of buying my next flannel from CT.
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,586
Joann's flannel is absolute junk. You can count the threads, see through it, it shrinks and pills like mad. If you have some that you purchased a few years ago you can really tell the dfference. That being said, I need some flannel for quilt backs for my children's charity quilts. Can you tell me about the quality of flannel at Hobby Lobby? I hate to drive 30 miles to find that it's also poor quality.
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Michigan. . .FINALLY!!!!
Posts: 6,726
Please don't buy flannel from Joann's. I made a rag quilt from flannel from there and it shrank so bad that it popped the stiches on the X's I made on the blocks. I was not happy. You don't want to pre-wash flannel for a rag quilt--that's part of the fluffing process after the quilt is sewn.
#14
I bought a large yardage of flannel from Connecting Threads to use as the back of a quilt. This was when I first started quilting, wasn't used to online ordering (had always been able to stroke the fabric before buying it), and was at a point in my financial life which meant this purchase would make that month pretty tight. I was nervous - but I had to have the flannel - the pattern and colors were just right...
Best quality flannel I have ever felt or seen. Still looks like new ten years later (has outlasted some of the flannel squares on the top of the quilt), and I usually keep that side of the quilt up because I still like it so much. It has not faded, even though it is a very dark green and the bed has sunlight in a strip across it most days.
I can't speak for all of CT's flannel, but that one was superior (and relatively inexpensive, although it didn't seem like it at the time!!)
Alison
Best quality flannel I have ever felt or seen. Still looks like new ten years later (has outlasted some of the flannel squares on the top of the quilt), and I usually keep that side of the quilt up because I still like it so much. It has not faded, even though it is a very dark green and the bed has sunlight in a strip across it most days.
I can't speak for all of CT's flannel, but that one was superior (and relatively inexpensive, although it didn't seem like it at the time!!)
Alison
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,572
Hopefully this is not a double post. I bought/used some Moda Marble flannel last year. Was absolutely wonderful and would highly recommend it. And I'm not a fan of Moda Marble cotton at all. I did pre-wash - because I pre-wash everything - but I believe you could easily get away with not pre-washing.
#16
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4,688
I prewash all the flannel (and I rarely prewash anything) -- I have had some really bizarre shrinkage with flannels regardless of where I have bought it. I quit buying the batik flannel because some of it never softened up when I washed it. I washed some flannels that shrank not a all and some shrank several inches. If I am going to piece with the flannel I want to make sure that if they shrink they do so at the same rate.
#18
I do not prewash regular cotton, but ALWAYS prewash flannel. It shrinks so much more than cotton! I wash it on hot and dry it on hot, trying to shrink the heck out of it before I sew with it. Even so, I have still have some seams come apart in my flannel quilts due to shrinkage. Prewash!
#19
as usual, I tend to differ from what "most" do. I rarely prewash anything as I love the feel of the new fabric. Even with flannel, I usually don't prewash. I use flannel to back most of my quilts too and haven't ever had a problem. But, I've bought cheap flannel ($1/yard) that I have prewashed. After washing it, it thickens up and is no longer cheap and flimsy. It works well too.
When you use flannel for backing do you still use batting and if you do, what kind do you use? Thanks, Pat
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: york county, PA
Posts: 940
my first quilt that I used flannel backing, I did not wash the flannel. Then I read on this board you should wash the flannel because it shrinks so much. Oh durn, and I had hand quilted this quilt also!! So when I washed it, I washed it in cold water, and put it in the dryer for about 30 minutes and then hung it over the line to dry. I think the quilt still looks good in spite of the fact I did not prewash the flannel! And this was WalMart flannel too.
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Andrea7
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05-05-2010 05:50 PM