Prewashing precut flannel
#3
I get the feeling that they would fray a lot!! I think I would not wash in this case (and I am an always pre-wash kind of gal) and make sure that everything I use--borders, batting and backing are also not prewashed. I think I would also make the quilt a bit bigger than planned because I think it would shrink the first time it is washed.
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,572
Even as an almost religious pre-washer, I would not pre-wash jelly rolls and particularly not flannel jelly rolls. Wet and let air dry maybe if you are concerned about dye runs? Otherwise, I would just use them as purchased.
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Tulsa, Ok
Posts: 4,582
That is a tough one. I always prewash flannel due to shrinkage, but that might render your precuts to not be the proper size and useless. I don't think I would prewash, just use as is and hope for the best.
#8
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
I wouldn't wash flannel precuts unless your project can tolerate a lot of shrinkage. Once you get the flannel pieced into a quilt top and *quilted* moderately, the quilting will prevent the flannel from shrinking too dramatically. Basically at that point the flannel cannot shrink more than the batting shrinks, because the quilting binds the three layers into one layer -- with the batting controlling the amount of shrinkage from that point on.
#10
Don't buy any pre-cuts of flannel. period. Buy yardage, prewash once or twice. Dry in hot dryer. If you don't believe me, Measure your flannel pieces, write down all your measurements. Take photos on your cutting board or other flat surface, Before your pre-washing. Then lay out and re-measure AFTER washing, drying and ironing your flannel pieces. Throw a couple FQ of both your Flannel and a trusty quilters cotton into the same washing, it might be easier to get persuasive measurements from a FQ. You need to convince yourself, not just listen to any other advice. But remember "Not all Flannel Fabric is Equal." Do some research and read up about what makes Quilters' Flannel different than other weights. Good luck, and please share with us on Quilting Board your results.
Last edited by yonnikka; 03-05-2015 at 08:11 AM.
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