Flannel quilt

[Rita C.]

I just finished the top for a flannel throw for my hard-working hubby to snooze under in the evenings. I used a kit and the flannel is wonderfully heavy weight. I bought matching flannel for the backing. We live in Central Washington state so we don't normally have very cold winters. I don't want the throw to be too heavy so I'm wondering if it needs batting. I plan to tie it with Perle cotton or quilt it with Big Stitch quilting. I would love suggestions about the batting issue.

[Frances L.]

I don't really think that you need batting. My daughter made throws before with flannel and she just put them right sides together and sewed around the sides, turned it right sides out and tied it. She used lightweight flannel and it was fine. I've heard of others making flannel quilts without batting. Good luck, Frances

[Hannelore N.]

I wouldn't use batting, except if you want a quilt for arctic temperatures. I have made a lapquilt with flannels top and back AND batting some years ago, but it went to friends in Alaska.

[Deborah W.]

I put batting in if I want it to be warmer (we have COLD winters). I have also made them without batting and they are light. As an alternative. I have used inexpensive flannellette (preshrunk) as batting just to give it a bit more warmth.

[Deborah W.]

I put batting in if I want it to be warmer (we have COLD winters). I have also made them without batting and they are light. As an alternative. I have used inexpensive flannellette (preshrunk) as batting just to give it a bit more warmth.

I've never used flannel in a quilt, but am considering it for a quilt backing. Besides being bulkier than quilter's cotton, is there anything special that I need to consider when machine quilting flannel? Does good quality flannel stretch?

[Caroline A.]

I've made several quilts using flannel for the backing. The ones I wanted to be warm but lightweight, I used Hobbs Tuscany Wool batt and love it, although it does have more loft than some other battings. In another one I used a thin Dream Poly Request, which worked well. All were quilted on a frame with my HQ16 midarm. Good quality quilt shop flannel holds its shape well, but I prewash, or at least rinse a couple of times, and dry it in the dryer, to eliminte as much shrinking as possible. Fi

[Hannelore N.]

Good point, Fi! I often don't bother to pre-wash fabrics, but I always pre-wash flannels, especially if they come from different sources. They definitely shrink at different rates. And a red flannel can bleed so much that you are surprised there is any dye left in the fabric.

[Hannelore N.]

Good quality flannels come in different weights (thickness) and the best are made in Portugal. When I used flannel to back my daughters' TV snuggle quilts I had to clean my machine more often for flannel lets off a lot of fluffy lint as you sew.
Jeanine

[Carolyn o.]

I did make a flannel quilt and used batting and the big stitch. My son likes quilt that are heavy. HOwever, I make baby quilts without batting. flannel on both sides. I found it easier to stitch around and turn it rather that bind it the traditional way.
Carolyn

[Hannelore N.]

I did the same as Carolyn for one of my granddaughter's quilts. It's been washed lots of times now, hasn't faded, and has got even softer.

[Sue H.]

I also live in Central Washington -- Selah! I made my husband a flannel quilt, backed it with flannel, and used cotton batting. I took it to a long-arm quilter who had no complaints about quilting. She did an overall design that was what I would call of moderate coverage. It is heavier than quilts made with cotton, no doubt, but my husband loves it. He likes the weight. I made it pretty good size because he's 6'2" and likes to hook it under his feet. I've washed it many times with no problem. I think it's just a matter of preference as to the weight. Personally, I like cotton quilt tops and flannel backing. I back ALL my quilts with flannel. Can't beat the snuggle factor! ~Sue

[Marion D.]

My daughter complained that my quilts were cold! That meant that she had to warm them with her own body heat before they felt warm. So I made her a flannel quilt and she loves it! The surface traps heat and it is instantly warm. I back all my baby quilts with flannel.

Love the snuggle factor comment!

[Margo C.]

My daughter complained that my quilts were cold! That meant that she had to warm them with her own body heat before they felt warm. So I made her a flannel quilt and she loves it! The surface traps heat and it is instantly warm. I back all my baby quilts with flannel.

Love the snuggle factor comment!

My DH gets really chilled sometimes because of chemo and I throw his quilt into the dryer for about 5 minutes and give him a "toasted" quilt to warm him up!
I put him in bed, put the "toasted" quilt on top of him and tuck it snugly around him then pull the regular bedding on top of the quilt. Works GREAT!

[Charae H.]

Wonderful idea, Margo! He's not only nice and warm, but wrapped in love!

[Charae H.]

I agree! Margo's idea is very clever. Why didn't I think of that?

The quilt that I made for my husband is my favorite to snuggle up in because of its cotton & bamboo batting. It's so very soft and snuggly, but does take a few minutes to trap my body heat. My other lapsize quilts have 100% cotton battings which are heavier, not nearly as soft, and do not have the same thermal properties as bamboo.