Sunday, December 6, 2009

Need a little advice on Flannel for backing

I am done......put a fork in me! I have been sewing: a custom tote bag with monogram, and bumper pads and crib skirt the past week. The fabric for said bumper pads and crib skirt was $30 plus a yard. Yikes! I though $10 a yard for quilt fabric was expensive.It was hard making that first cut worrying that I would mess things up. Glad to be back to quilting!

I need a little help with using flannel as a backing and batting both. I will not be using any batting, just the flannel as a backing. I did not prewash any of the fabric in the quilt top, but want to know if I should at least wash the flannel once before I use it. I think that I read that flannel shrinks more than cotton. I don't want it to mess up the top if it shrinks a lot more. Does anyone who has used flannel as backing have any advice? Thank you in advance.

BTW, JoAnn's has flannel for 1/2 price right now.....really cute prints.

I made a sock monkey with a pair of Target's dollar socks. It was so much fun to make. Pictures coming soon.

Take care,
Cathy

10 comments:

  1. Hi, Cathy, you sound as busy as everyone else!
    I just gave a baby quilt with cotton front and flannel backing, I did was the flannel once. The shrinkage rate is different (usually) and although the flannel isn't as pretty washed (ya know what I mean?) I didn't want to have a blanket that would bunch up. Maybe if you were really over stitching the quilt, it would be okay, I wasn't, so that's my 2 cents worth.
    Happy Quilting, pokey

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  2. sorry, wash, not was, the flannel... gee, I should proof read.... :-} pokey

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  3. I'm definitely not an expert with flannel, but when I've used it I've also used the flannel for the batting. I didn't pre-wash and I liked the effect afterwards. But flannel does shrink, and the color does change. Plus many flannels are not high quality flannels (e.g. JoAnns is a low grade flannel vs flannel at most "quilt" stores). Still, it tends to wash up and be a cuddly soft quilt that should last for toddler-hood.

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

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  4. I think I'd wash it once...it does shrink up much more than regular cotton. You've been a very busy girl!

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  5. I would be so nervous to cut into fabric that cost that much.

    I've only used it for flannel for a backing one time and I did pre wash it. I hope that helps.

    Can't wait to see the sock monkey!

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  6. PreWash...if the front was flannel and the back was the same flannel I'd say no...but with a cotton front and a flannel back I'd wash and if you got it at Joanns I'd really wash it..wanna make sure it stays together.

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  7. I'm not an expert on Flannel, but I washed mine as I remember making pjay bottoms and they shrunk!
    I washed and dried in dryer too.

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  8. Thanks for asking this! I am in the middle of a baby quilt with a cotton pieced top and I want a flannel back, so I read all the comments with great interest!

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  10. You know, I've had some flannels shrink up ALOT and others not so much...hard call here! You've been busy, busy!!

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