Client Quilt - Unwashed Flannel
 

Queen sized, flannel top and bottom. I'm figuring I need to Pin Pin Pin.
Any other suggestions?
Sigh!

other? well i would think the flannel would shrink. I've not used it unwashed. have you? perhaps pinning a ton would suffice, don't know.

Are you going to be quilting it? Is that why you have it......I'm sorry but I don't understand your concern about it being unwashed....I must be missing something. Second thought- are you 'making" the quilt from beginning to end and the client has provided the fabric. Is client aware of the shrinkage that will occur when washed?......if she/he is, then just do it, but do not wash before returning it......

I am with Geri. What are you going to be doing? Inquiring minds want to know, lol.

I think the editing by the moderator removed all context of the post. It makes no sense now.

Cari

Are you quilting it on a frame? Honestly, I don't think it would require any unusual handling. Just make sure it stays square to the frame as you roll. And don't stretch the backing too tight; you don't want it to spring back when you take it off the frame. (That is assuming you are using side tensioners on the backing.)

If necessary, you can use a little basting spray underneath the quilt top to keep it parts of it flat to the batting. It is easier to do this if you float the top because you can get all the way across the portion you are quilting. However, I have used it on rolled tops along the edges to help keep them in place.

The batting you use will control the amount of shrinkage when the quilt is washed. Polyester batting would provide the least amount of shrinkage. With cotton batting you can expect up to 5% shrinkage when the quilt is washed. (This is assuming quilting lines are no more than 3" or 4" apart at most. Close quilting locks the top and backing to the batting, which is much stronger than the other two layers.) As long as the amount of quilting is even across the quilt, the quilt should shrink evenly.

I would probably pin the sides.

Also, once the quilt is loaded and the side tensioners are on (and, if the top is floated, the top is secured to a rail), I would probably mist the quilt top several times with spray starch, letting the starch dry in-between mistings. A hair dryer speeds the drying process. Even that small amount of starch will help stabilize the top while you quilt. The backing should be sufficiently stabilized by the side tensioners.

Hope all this is clearer than mud!

Edit: Sharon Schamber has a Youtube video showing how she spray starches her backings when loading a quilt. I would consider doing this as well. Here is a link to her video (starching starts about 3 minutes in):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlZxLvwOvrE

MaryKatherine--have you talked with your client about your concerns? I'm wondering if she did not pre-wash the top, having her pre-wash the back won't make any difference in the long run. So guess I'd go ahead and quilt and tell her to expect it to do lots of crinkling when she washes due to nature of flannel, maybe suggest that when she does wash, that she lays flat to dry since air drying won't shrink as much as dryer heat.
As far as quilting--i'm thinking that a less dense quilting will cause less stretching as you quilt. I'd be most concerned about the back stetching and getting puckers. Maybe before you put the bat and top on the frame, you could spray the back with water to get some shrinkage and avoid the puckers??

Unwashed flannel? My flannel backing shrinks up at LEAST 4-5“ both ways when I pre-wash it, no matter the quality. If she didn’t pre-wash the flannels for the top, it’ll probably shrink up pretty evenly. It’s her quilt to have done as she wishes, but I’d give her warning. I wouldn’t quilt it densely. Simple quilting would be my suggestion....

I have a king sized flannel quilt that I made prior to washing the fabric. I love it. All of the fabric is from a quilt shop. It washes beautifully, although it is heavy. When I work with flannel from JoAnn's, I wash it because the quality and thread count varies a lot. I find that flannel is very easy to work with. It doesn't slip or slide. It kind of sticks to the other pieces of flannel. I don't understand your concern about pinning.

I forgot to mention that my much loved flannel quilt has a large stipple over the entire quilt.