tinytopping

I have a cotton Winnie the Pooh panel and would like to put flanel on the back.

I have 2 questions for quilters who are more experienced than me:

1. I don't like pre washing the flanel because i find I loose lots even though I zig zag the edges. Will I have to pre wash the flanel or can I get away without doing it?

2. I usually put warm and natural batting in the middle, but some people have said that warm and natural is too heavy for babies. I was thinking of not putting any batting in the quilt. What do you suggest??

krafty14

Flannel really shrinks a lot more than cotton. Try cutting a small corner off each corner before you wash. Might help with the ravelling. Perhaps you could put a double layer of flannel on the back. It would be a light batting.

rebeljane

You must wash flannel as it shrinks like crazy, I use natural cotton batting in my baby quilts as it is nice and soft and drapey

Jan in VA

Try Quilters Dream cotton, Request loft, as a very thin batting for a baby quilt.

Jan in VA

bakermom

Well rebel that i am, I use flannel as backing alot and don't prewash- never had a shrinkage problem. Also use Warm and Natural as batting as a rule. Since I see the quilts on a regular basis (they are my GK's quilts) I can say they hold up to repeated use and washing. The mamas use them on the floor tummy time or covers over the carseats . They wash them on warm/cold and tumble dry

ManiacQuilter2

Quilter's Dream is a good suggestion that Jan mentioned in the above post. I am using Hobbs 80/20 for the baby quilts I am making for charity.

profannie

If you don't put any batting it will be a very lightweight blanket. This kind of blanket is easy to find in stores, but not a more heavy weight like a traditionnal quilt with cotton batting. It makes a more unique gift. It's so useful for playmat, tummy time, carseat, etc. Also, it make a wonderful lovey blanket for a toddler. Cotton become very soft and souple after a few washing cycle.
Don't forget to use a good quality flannel. Prewashing it is for me a good way to check the pilling. It happen once in a while that I decide to not use a fabric because the pilling is too bad (this fabric end up in batting or pyjama instead)

CanoePam

I do some baby quilts with two layers of unwashed flannel, no batting. Like you, I have some cute panels that make it quick and easy. Besides, I like quilting a lot more than piecing <grin>! The result is more like a receiving blanket than a quilt, but it is very appropriate for milder climates like mine. I did one quilt with flannel plus warm and natural, but I though it was far too heavy; the flannel provides significantly more weight than a regular cotton quilt.

When I washed the the completed two layer quilt, it did shrink. However the quilting kept it together, and since both top and backing were similar weight, it shrunk pretty smoothly, if that makes sense. No wonkiness. I do think you have to pre-shrink flannel when using it with other types of fabrics, and I pre-wash it if using it in piecing.

Deb watkins

I make quilts for the NICU and always use W&N batting. No issues.

tessagin

I purchased some new flannel the other day and forgot it was still in my car. Lot of chaos and yes forgot about it. I usually throw everything right into the washer. My machines are always on the ready to sew something. DH said his mother used to keep fabric from fraying by folding the fabric corners down then stitching on the diagonal. Sometimes she would just make a couple whip stitches also throughout the edge of the fabric. Worked for her and worked for me. Still shrunk but didn't fray as much. I always pre-wash.