Flannel Top

[grammydiane]

I need some advice on what to tell a friend who has made a flannel top. What type of batting works best so it won't be so heavy, and what type of backing do most of you use. The last time I made a flannel top, I used a flannel backing and the thing weighs a ton. Can't remember what I used for the batting, but I know it was very thin. I had it quilted by a friend who has a Millie and she did a beautiful job. That was before I got my Liberty. Now that I will be doing the quilt myself would love some input.

I'm really new to LAing, and would love any suggestions.

Thanks much.

[grammydiane]

Wouldn't 2 layers of flannel, plus the flannel top make it heavy?

Does anyone put cotton backings on their flannel quilts?

Thanks.

[Spi-Cap]

Some of my customers have brought me a wide cotton backing with a very thin polyester batting. The quilts I did with warm and natural and flannel or cotton backing was so heavy. Did one flannel quilt with just the flannel backing, customer did not like it as it looked to flat. Her next flannel quilt had the thin polyester batting - don't know the brand -and she liked it alot better. Most of my customers use Poly-Down batting it is not as heavy as the cotton battings. If she decides on the cotton back, then a wide cotton backing would be better than a piece one as you will have enough seams on the quilt top. Hope this helps.

[Kelly]

I just quilted one of my own quilts with polar fleece on the back of it. It is cotton on the front, 6 oz poly batting and the polar fleece on the back. I don't think it's that heavy, not even as heavy as you would think. It's just a twin size, but I think it came out very well. The fleece quilted up really nice. The front is all different John Deere fabrics and the back is just a plain JD yellow. I wouldn't think that flannel with flannel with poly batting would be too bad. Just my opinion.

Kelly

Mille

[MarieBrewer]

Speaking of flannel-what a pain. My sashing/borders seem to get so wavy. When I did a border on the top and bottom and a feather circle in the corner blocks, the side sashings seem so mis-shaped now. I did the circle block corners when I went accross the top and bottom sashings. Did I do something wrong? Now the backing doesn't line up very well on the edges and toward the corner blocks. I tried steaming the sashings to ease in the fullness but it isn't looking too good at this point. Any hints to correct the problem or to avoid in the future? Thanks-Marie

[Guest Linda S]

I've used a cotton backing on a flannel quilt. Likewise, I've used flannel backings on cotton quilts. Something light like Hobb's 80/20 would probably be a good batt for the quilt.

Linda