FLANNEL SUCCESS

Quilting and sewing with flannel is one of the most favorite fabrics sewing enthusiasts enjoy working with. It is soft, snuggly, with so many different patterns to choose from. BUT - quilting with flannel can get a little tricky because of a few of flannel’s hidden quirks. Sure - flannel has some skeletons in the closet - but at Marshall Dry Goods, we have a grip on how to use flannel to create some of your most adored items. The more you know, the better you will get at sewing with flannel. Here are some things to consider, and tips that will help you to be successful:

NOT ALL FLANNEL IS CREATED EQUAL

Flannel quality varies a ton, depending on what you buy and where you buy it. Higher-priced flannel is often double-sided, washes and wears well, and shrinks and frays a little less. We all tend to go for the lower-priced options sometimes -so if you’re going to be quilting with bargain flannel, know what you’re in for. In most cases with flannel, you get what you pay for. Investing in a better-quality flannel will produce a better product! At Marshall Dry Goods, we only sell the best quality material, guaranteeing that you will have the best you need for your projects! Low-quality flannel purchased from an outlet or cheap online store usually has a pretty low thread-count. That means that even though it’s soft and cuddly, just one wash can pill that baby up. Lower-quality flannel can come with distorted plaid as well. Flannel is already woven pretty loosely, making it a delicate fabric to work with. If you wind up having to rip out some seams in preparation for quilting with flannel, rip with care - otherwise, you might end up with a few holes in your cheaper flannel.

FLANNEL CHARACTERISTICS

Many of us choose to work with flannel because of its texture. Flannel fabric is a softly woven cloth made from wool, cotton, or synthetic fibers. How does flannel get so soft? Part of the flannel-making process is using a fine metal brush to raise some of the cloth’s fibers (usually only on one side), napping it up a bit, and really upping flannel’s fluffy feel. Quilting and sewing with flannel is an obvious fan favorite because of this softness and warmth, but just like using any new fabric, it’s good to know what you’re working with before you really get going. This is especially true when quilting with flannel.

FLANNEL PREPARATIONS

When you’re prepping for your big date with flannel, you’re going to want to add a few extra steps. Most often this fuzzy fabric comes in narrower rolls. Definitely something to keep in mind if you’re quilting with smaller pieces. You’re also going to be glad that flannel runs on the less-expensive end of the spectrum when compared to other fabric choices, because you usually have to buy more than you planned on buying. Here’s why:

• Flannel shrinks. A lot! So when you take your fabric home and pre-wash it, it’s going to come out of the dryer smaller than it was when you put it in. This means you’ll have to buy more in the first place.

• Flannel frays. (try saying that three times really fast!) Those loosely-woven fibers that give you that soft and cuddly feel also come apart easily on the edges. Because of this, you’re going to want to increase your seam allowance when quilting with flannel, from the typical ¼” all the way to ½”. This usually means purchasing up to a quarter yard more. In the long run, it’s worth it!

After you make it home with your brand-new flannel, you’ll definitely want to pre-wash it. Use very mild detergent, and crank up your water temp so you can get all that shrinking out of the way before you start. You may want to use a lingerie bag to cut down on that fraying problem. Some experts even recommend washing it twice. Drying is the same story: crank up the heat! Tip – If you want, add a large bath towel or dryer balls into the dryer to keep the yardage from twisting and accumulating unwanted wrinkles. If things do get a little wrinkled, it’s not a bad idea to iron things out before sewing. Except… maybe don’t actually iron it. Since flannel is really stretchy, ironing can stretch out the fabric a little too much. Try pressing flannel instead (holding the iron in place for a few seconds), or even trying starch. Because of all of that stretchiness, flannel can slide a bit, making it hard to sew.

THE FLANNEL COUNTDOWN

Pre-gaming is over. You’ve pre-shrunk and straightened-up your fabric. It's time to get to work. Because flannel is a thicker, softer fabric, sewing with flannel can be harder on your hardware. Use sharp scissors, or a larger blade rotary cutter (2-inch diameter) when cutting. Arm your sewing machine with a new, 80/12 or even 90/14 machine needle if you have one.

As far as stitch length goes, try making them a bit longer than if you were sewing with light-weight cotton. It will give you a great seam, since a shorter stitch could stretch the flannel fabric (also, if you happen to make a mistake, it’ll be easier to pick open the seams. It’s ok. We all do it.)

Lastly, use a walking foot on your sewing machine. This has to do with all of that stretching we’ve been talking about.

THE FLANNEL CHAPTER: CLEAN UP

Chances are, after a serious session with flannel, things got a little dirty. It's the looser weave that produces all of that lint. A simple fix is to clean out the bobbin and also around the needle after you are finished with your flannel project. One accessory that tends to help is the use of a compressed gas duster for the small back corners. Ending any project with a clean machine will set you up for success on your next endeavor!

At Marshall Dry Goods, we have an unbelievable warehouse, stocked full of flannel and other fabric options for you to choose from. Give us a call, or come by and see the flannel options we have waiting just for you! We are located in downtown Batesville, Arkansas - 310 W. Main Street!