LA ? on quilting a quilt that is flannel top & backing
08-21-2013, 12:21 PM
#1
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Location: Mechanicsville, IA
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LA ? on quilting a quilt that is flannel top & backing
Ok you Longarm quilters give me your wisdom. I just received a top & backing in the mail. The backing is flannel and seamed vertically. The top has plain squares alternated with pieced squares. Everything is plaids. What suggestions of Do's and Don'ts regarding working with flannel can you share with me?
08-21-2013, 12:25 PM
#2
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Location: Northern Michigan
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what is your concern? I back most of my quilts with flannel- have for many, many years- I treat it just like any other cotton fabric- load it up, and quilt. you may want to check with the *owner* and find out if she pre-washed the flannel- if you do not know- if it is not pre-washed it shrink when it is finished & laundered- but it depends on the batting used & the amount (density) of the quilting how much it will shrink (and the quality of the flannel/tightness of the weave. but as for quilting --- it is just another cotton fabric- quilts up just fine.
08-21-2013, 01:07 PM
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Brush out your bobbin area well and frequently. I made one that was pieced both top and back and all flannel. Left a lot more lint in the race area than any other quilt. Screwed up my tension once because a little blob of lint lodged in the tension spring of my bobbin but it wasn't too bad and because it was my own quilt, I could live with a small area where the tension was a bit off so I didn't rip it.
08-21-2013, 01:19 PM
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It would help if the pieced seam in the backing is ironed open.
I wouldn't worry about shrinkage. If the machine quilting is moderately close, shrinkage becomes controlled by the batting. In other words, if quilted adequately, the flannel will not shrink significantly more than the batting. I once took a class from Harriet Hargrave and she brought an all-flannel quilt of her own that she made to prove this. She did not prewash the flannel, machine quilted, bound the quilt, measured it, washed it, measured it again and it was fine. I was able to handle the quilt and look at it closely, so I am sure about this. When flannel fabric is washed on its own it will shrink many inches; however, after it is quilted to a batting, the batting prevents it from shrinking as much as it might otherwise.
I wouldn't worry about shrinkage. If the machine quilting is moderately close, shrinkage becomes controlled by the batting. In other words, if quilted adequately, the flannel will not shrink significantly more than the batting. I once took a class from Harriet Hargrave and she brought an all-flannel quilt of her own that she made to prove this. She did not prewash the flannel, machine quilted, bound the quilt, measured it, washed it, measured it again and it was fine. I was able to handle the quilt and look at it closely, so I am sure about this. When flannel fabric is washed on its own it will shrink many inches; however, after it is quilted to a batting, the batting prevents it from shrinking as much as it might otherwise.
08-21-2013, 03:28 PM
#5
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 992
Brush out your bobbin area well and frequently. I made one that was pieced both top and back and all flannel. Left a lot more lint in the race area than any other quilt. Screwed up my tension once because a little blob of lint lodged in the tension spring of my bobbin but it wasn't too bad and because it was my own quilt, I could live with a small area where the tension was a bit off so I didn't rip it.
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