LOVE that flannel!

/ Tuesday 1 December 2009 /
Look what came yesterday: five yards of flannel for the back of the Values quilt. This is called Paradise Garden in the wine colourway, from Amy Butler's line Love. I couldn't wait to get it home and wash it to see how it softened up. Oh my! Words fail to express how soft and luscious it is. I just wanted to wrap myself up in it then and there.  I plan to use a regular cotton/bamboo batt for this, since it's destined for my daughter's bed. She's off to university in a couple of years (kineahora) so I want it to be a low-maintenance quilt: machine wash and dry without batting an eye. I'm itching to get starting on the quilting - bring on the weekend!  I'm ever so slightly nervous about quilting it, since I've never used flannel as a backing before. As expected, it's got quite a bit more give in it than regular woven cotton. I've read in several places that I should fairly dowse it in spray starch before assembly to keep the flannel from puckering. I'll ask the ladies at the LQS when I go buy my batting, but what about you?  Do you have any tips for me on working with flannel?

6 comments:

{ Dee } on: 1 December 2009 at 10:14 said...

Lovely fabric! Wow! Just love it!

Tip from me is to keep your little cleaning brush handy. Flannel loves to fuzz all over your machine. Special spots to look for are your darning needle or walking foot, your bobbin case and the feed dogs!

Can't wait to see what you do with this!

{ Thelma } on: 3 December 2009 at 07:51 said...

I've never quilted one of my tops OR worked with flannel! I'm no help other than sending you good thoughts and well wishes. Good Luck!

I love the fabric, I thought flannels only came in plaid and baby prints!

Anonymous on: 3 December 2009 at 10:42 said...

I've been eyeing that flannel big time. I was thinking some lounge pants.

Anonymous on: 3 December 2009 at 10:54 said...

Added your link for the spray baste. What a great idea. I'd still pin.

{ Claudia } on: 3 December 2009 at 17:46 said...

I'm about to quilt a baby quilt with flannel backing. I already have it sandwiched and pinned - I wish I had thought of using starch spray. I've used sizing spray when working with batiks (Bali Pops) and helped keep the fabric from distorting.

{ Shanley } on: 5 December 2009 at 14:33 said...

I actually prefer flannel for backing and use it on most my quilts. Definitely does fuzz more but oh such snuggly quilts.

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