Using Flannel For Quilt Back - Recommended?

Hi - I'm making a quilt for someone and they want to know if I can use
flannel for the quilt back. I haven't used flannel before - is it a
problem? I'm thinking of stretching, shrinking, etc.

This is a queen size quilt, and I use cotton batting.

I appreciate your advice.

Cathy
*********************************
Cathy Hooley
Goose Tracks Quilts
www.goosetracks.com
Alternate e-mail:

I saw on some show that for baby quilts, flannel was used for the backing,
and with no batting in between. I believe it was on Sewing with Nancy, I
could be wrong on that also. If I were to use it, I would make sure the
flannel is preshrunk just like the material for the quilt top was. Now for
a queen size quilt, don't know how that will go. Maybe make a little
sample, wash and dry it a few times and see what happens.

Maine-iac Rose
@---
remove the thorns.
add a hyphen between the 2 words to email me.

"J. Hooley" wrote in message
Hi - I'm making a quilt for someone and they want to know if I can use
flannel for the quilt back. I haven't used flannel before - is it a
problem? I'm thinking of stretching, shrinking, etc.

This is a queen size quilt, and I use cotton batting.

I appreciate your advice.

Cathy
*********************************
Cathy Hooley
Goose Tracks Quilts
www.goosetracks.com

I love the quilt I made with flannel backing! I've made several baby quilts
with flannel backing, and I've been told they are holding up to numerous
washings. I made a large couch quilt with wool batting and flannel backing,
and it is so warm and snuggly! As a bonus, it doesn't fall off the bed at
night - it's been cold here, so that quilt is getting a lot of use!

I did wash and dry (hot) the flannel 2 times before using it, to take care
of shrinkage. I've quilted it all over, pretty well, so I'm not worried
about stretching.

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply


"J. Hooley" wrote in message
...
Hi - I'm making a quilt for someone and they want to know if I can use
flannel for the quilt back. I haven't used flannel before - is it a
problem? I'm thinking of stretching, shrinking, etc.

This is a queen size quilt, and I use cotton batting.

I appreciate your advice.

Cathy
*********************************
Cathy Hooley
Goose Tracks Quilts
www.goosetracks.com
Alternate e-mail:

Hey Cathy:

I use flannel on my quilts. I wash the flannel, dry it, then wash and dry
again to make sure it shrinks. I don't put any fabric softener in the rinse
because that can make the flannel too slippery and it will want to stretch.
I've pin basted, thread basted or used the spray adhesive on different
quilts. Haven't had any problems. Using 100 percent cotton batting, you
will have to quilt very close. No more that 1/2 inch. I've used the Hobbs
cotton/poly batting with good results. Haven't used the Warm and Natural
yet.

Hope this helps.

Kate T.
South Mississippi
"J. Hooley" wrote in message
...
Hi - I'm making a quilt for someone and they want to know if I can use
flannel for the quilt back. I haven't used flannel before - is it a
problem? I'm thinking of stretching, shrinking, etc.

This is a queen size quilt, and I use cotton batting.

I appreciate your advice.

Cathy
*********************************
Cathy Hooley
Goose Tracks Quilts
www.goosetracks.com
Alternate e-mail:

I use flannel to back baby quilts all the time. Remember to buy several
inches extra and wash it twice before using. Flannel shrinks like crazy
so you have to allow for it. If you're machine quilting, clean and oil
your machine twice as often. Flannel fuzzes. You'll want to oil your
machine fairly often when machine quilting anyway and oil it more often
when using flannel. Flannel will actually make basting easier. It hugs
the batting and makes it easier to smooth out wrinkles.


A note that you don't have to take seriously: I love sleeping under
flannel. When I met Jim, I had flannel sheets and thought them
delightfully warm and comfortable-- in Miami. Jim hated flannel then
and hates it now. He doesn't just warm up the sheets; he breaks out in
a soggy sweat. Every time I've bought flannel for a baby quilt, he
reminds me that there might be babies who hate flannel the way he does.
Here's the part you don't have to take seriously. He suggests piecing
the back so that half of it is flannel and half not. I've never done
it, but I wonder if it could be a hit. We all know not to mix different
weights in one quilt, and we've all done it and learned that the world
doesn't collapse. Why not? It could be the latest thing in his and her
quilts.


--Lia


J. Hooley wrote:
Hi - I'm making a quilt for someone and they want to know if I can use
flannel for the quilt back. I haven't used flannel before - is it a
problem? I'm thinking of stretching, shrinking, etc.

This is a queen size quilt, and I use cotton batting.

I appreciate your advice.

Cathy
*********************************
Cathy Hooley
Goose Tracks Quilts
www.goosetracks.com
Alternate e-mail:

I don't like sleeping under flannel either. I love my down
comforter but flannel is awful. As a lap quilt I am ok.
If the baby is born the mom probably can tell you is they
are one that kicks off the blankets. There are some babies
who just don't like to be covered. I would imagine they are
the ones flannel wouldn't be good for.
Taria

Julia Altshuler wrote:
I use flannel to back baby quilts all the time. Remember to buy several
inches extra and wash it twice before using. Flannel shrinks like crazy
so you have to allow for it. If you're machine quilting, clean and oil
your machine twice as often. Flannel fuzzes. You'll want to oil your
machine fairly often when machine quilting anyway and oil it more often
when using flannel. Flannel will actually make basting easier. It hugs
the batting and makes it easier to smooth out wrinkles.


A note that you don't have to take seriously: I love sleeping under
flannel. When I met Jim, I had flannel sheets and thought them
delightfully warm and comfortable-- in Miami. Jim hated flannel then
and hates it now. He doesn't just warm up the sheets; he breaks out in
a soggy sweat. Every time I've bought flannel for a baby quilt, he
reminds me that there might be babies who hate flannel the way he does.
Here's the part you don't have to take seriously. He suggests piecing
the back so that half of it is flannel and half not. I've never done
it, but I wonder if it could be a hit. We all know not to mix different
weights in one quilt, and we've all done it and learned that the world
doesn't collapse. Why not? It could be the latest thing in his and her
quilts.


--Lia


J. Hooley wrote:

Hi - I'm making a quilt for someone and they want to know if I can use
flannel for the quilt back. I haven't used flannel before - is it a
problem? I'm thinking of stretching, shrinking, etc.

This is a queen size quilt, and I use cotton batting.

I appreciate your advice.

Cathy
*********************************
Cathy Hooley
Goose Tracks Quilts
www.goosetracks.com
Alternate e-mail:

Hi Cathy,

I've been using flannel for almost all my quilt backings and have had no
problems at all. It really does make the quilt sandwich assembly a lot
easier because it sticks to the batting. I use warm and natural and have
not had to quilt all that closely, I think the warm company recommends 6
inches apart or something like that. For the most part I don't leave any
unquilted area bigger than my fist. And they wash and dry beautifully,
I've had no stretching or shrinking. Of course I did pre wash and dry on
the cotton settings.


Judie in Penfield, NY


On Thu, 19 Feb 2004, J. Hooley wrote:

Hi - I'm making a quilt for someone and they want to know if I can use
flannel for the quilt back. I haven't used flannel before - is it a
problem? I'm thinking of stretching, shrinking, etc.

This is a queen size quilt, and I use cotton batting.

I appreciate your advice.

Cathy
*********************************
Cathy Hooley
Goose Tracks Quilts
www.goosetracks.com
Alternate e-mail:

I am making a baby blanket in flannel. I am just putting two pieces of
flannel together and quilting it.. One was a print and one was a solid.
One of the pieces shrunk like crazy into a trapezoid shape... Oh
well. I had bought lots and lots extra b/c it was my first time..

NS

PS - I was one of those baby's that always kicked off the blankets, but
I loved, loved, loved soft warm blankets on the floor under me. (And
hated my scratchy carpet)


J. Hooley wrote:
Hi - I'm making a quilt for someone and they want to know if I can use
flannel for the quilt back. I haven't used flannel before - is it a
problem? I'm thinking of stretching, shrinking, etc.

This is a queen size quilt, and I use cotton batting.

I appreciate your advice.

Cathy
*********************************
Cathy Hooley
Goose Tracks Quilts
www.goosetracks.com
Alternate e-mail:

I like using flannel. I generally wash it in hot water and dry it on a
hot setting. After that treatment, I've never had trouble with
shrinkage. It is easier to baste a quilt with a flannel back because it
doesn't slip.

When I first started quilting, the only flannel available was pastels,
often in a cotton-poly mix. Now there are so many wonderful flannels!
Have fun!!

lisae


J. Hooley wrote:
Hi - I'm making a quilt for someone and they want to know if I can use
flannel for the quilt back. I haven't used flannel before - is it a
problem? I'm thinking of stretching, shrinking, etc.

This is a queen size quilt, and I use cotton batting.

I appreciate your advice.

Cathy
*********************************
Cathy Hooley
Goose Tracks Quilts
www.goosetracks.com
Alternate e-mail:

Thank you all so much for your advice - I'm so glad to hear that the flannel
worked for you - I hate to not be able to meet my customers' requests, but I
was very concerned about using flannel - not having used it before, but how
I have the confidence to go for it! Thanks so very much again!

Cathy
*********************************
Cathy Hooley
Goose Tracks Quilts
www.goosetracks.com
Alternate e-mail:
"J. Hooley" wrote in message
...
| Hi - I'm making a quilt for someone and they want to know if I can use
| flannel for the quilt back. I haven't used flannel before - is it a
| problem? I'm thinking of stretching, shrinking, etc.
|
| This is a queen size quilt, and I use cotton batting.
|
| I appreciate your advice.
|
| Cathy
| *********************************
| Cathy Hooley
| Goose Tracks Quilts
| www.goosetracks.com
| Alternate e-mail:
|
|