Flannel Pilling
 

Does anyone know how to pre-wash flannel and keep it from pilling?

I don't think there is much you can do to prevent it.

Some flannelettes pill .......... and some do not!
And it seems that there is no true way to tell which ones will.

I have had expensive ones do it ... and not do it.
Likewise, I have had bargain basement ones that washed up fluffy as can be and never pilled.
While others were a pilly mess!

I've had the same thing happen. When I buy flannel I wash it without softener and I dry it in the dryer. If it pills, then I won't use it. My best luck has been with Joann's Snuggle brand - they also have a brand call Nursery that has done well for me I can't remember the name of the one I get at Beverly's Fabrics - it's marbled and I like it a lot.

I have yet to have a flannel not pill, wish there were a way to tell!!

And I have had the opposite! Never had a flannel that did pill! Timeless Treasures is one brand I've used. I ordered it from Fabric.com, but there have been others.

First pilling - It's impossible to know if a flannel is going to pill or not. It happens more often with cheap fabrics, but it also happens with quilt shop fabrics. I just use flannel on really fluffy quilts that won't be washed often.

Second: prewashing flannel - I choose not to. However, if you are combining very light fabrics with dark fabrics, you have to or the light fabrics will become dyed. I put the darks into cool water on gentle cycle (shortest cycle). I do a double rinse. Then into the dryer. I have not found hot water to be helpful. It doesn't release or set dye any better than cool water. If this is to be a showpiece, then you might consider a second soak without agitation to be sure that it has released all of its dye. The light fabrics don't usually release dye - just short cycle and dry. I found it helpful to use starch when working with prewashed flannel.

I've seldom had this problem. I use mostly thick double sided flannels but also moda Woolies and the benartex flannels are great. The only flannels I've ever had pill were thin, single sided, loosely woven ones. But my thoughts would be to wash gently in a short cycle then tumble dry.

How do you know that the flannel you are buying is double sided? Does it look different or is it noted on the label? thanks!

Grandma told me that if you kind of firmly rub on the corner of flannel and get lots of fuzzy looking, then it will pill. It has to do with long and short cotton fibers. Longer fibers are harder to " fuzzy up".

Pilling is caused by abrasion of threads that have low twist. It cannot be remedied if the fabric is constructed of low twist yarns. Double sided flannel has more fiber per inch, more compact, and less likely to be subjected to abrasion in the washer or dryer. I prefer to always wash flannel in warm to hot water and dry in the dryer to get the shrinkage out. It generally shrinks more that regular cotton fabric. I go by fabric name and use those I have had good luck with like Moda, Maywood and Timeless Treasures. I have had night gowns that lasted for years without pilling-snuggly and nice.