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Home » Backing Quilts with Flannel – The Better, Cozier Choice

Backing Quilts with Flannel – The Better, Cozier Choice

Danielle · June 22, 2021 ·

171 shares
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Backing quilts with flannel and skipping the batting will help you achieve soft, cozy quilts with a nice drape that you’ll want to snuggle up with. I’ll walk you through the pros and cons of using flannel to back quilts and explain why it’s the only way I make mine.

A brightly coloured quilt hanging over a rail with an aqua flannel backing

Why I Love Backing Quilts With Flannel – and Have Never Used Cotton Backings or Batting

Before I learned to quilt, I had an image in my mind that quilts were pretty, but not a cuddly sort of blanket. They were the kind of blanket that you might put across your bed, but not one you’d want to burrow under up to your chin. And not a blanket that you’d want to mound around you while you read a good book on the couch or snuggled with your family watching TV. I remembered quilts feeling light weight, sometimes puffy, sometimes stiff, and smooth on both sides. Based on these impressions, I certainly didn’t want to have a whole stack of quilts like this, or make one myself.

But then one day, a vibrant, modern quilt on Pinterest led me to Cluck Cluck Sew. There, Allison talked not only about using flannel to back a quilt, but also eliminating the batting layer. The resulting quilt would be cozy and drape nicely. Since I am perpetually cold and prefer to cover myself in afghans at all times, this was a lightbulb moment of inspiration for me.

I set out to teach myself to learn to make quilts like this, making my first quilts with flannel backings and no batting. Unsurprisingly, I loved them. They sewed up nicely with a minimum of quilting lines, which did prevent them from becoming stiff. And they were deliciously soft and I felt “snug as a bug in a rug” (as my parents used to say when tucking me in at night). To this day, I’ve made every quilt in the same way – a pieced cotton top with flannel backing. No batting.

Quilt top of brightly coloured squares pinned to flannel backing
Here’s an old photo of the very first quilt I made in a small throw size. The quilt top has been pinned to the flannel backing.

How we use quilts in our house

I’ve made a good number of quilts over the years. Many times my husband has made comments of “Do we really need another quilt?” I mean, really. Is there such a thing as too many quilts? I think not. Because my flannel backed quilts are so soft and cozy, we use them everywhere in our house.

Generally, we cover the couch seat with a quilt to protect it from wear and smells from our dog, Oliver. He spends a lot of time sleeping on the couch. My camera roll is 75% pictures of Oliver sleeping (often on quilts), so you’re getting sleepy puppy spammed today 🙂

Oliver the dog stretched out sleeping across quilts on couch

While Oliver doesn’t like blankets covering him, he likes it if we use quilts to make a nest. I bunch up a quilt and curve it in a C-shape. Then he curls up in a ball with the quilt surrounding him.

Oliver lays in a quilt nest and looks out the window
Oliver in one of his quilt nests, watching out the window in our previous apartment.

I continually have several quilts on the go as afghans on our upstairs couch because I’m almost always cold and prefer feeling cozy. I love nothing more than to snuggle up under a quilt, with a sleeping dog beside me on me and do some stitching, knitting or crochet.

Quilt across lap and sleeping dog while I stitch ornaments

On our bed, we use quilts in combination with wool blankets. We have a shelf beside the bed with extras ready to grab for whenever it’s extra chilly. Downstairs, there’s also a pile of quilts that all three of us use on the couch when we watch TV, as it’s much colder and more humid in the basement.

Oliver smiling while getting scratches on quilt on bed
Oliver is happy to be enjoying our bed and getting scratches.

Being able to add quilts for warmth around the house allows us to set our heating a degree or two cooler, which saves us money. And I feel confident that if we lost power (and therefore heat) for a while, that we would have ample blankets to get us through a winter’s night – and probably plenty to lend to neighbours if need be! Being covered in quilts at all times is not just a winter thing though. When the AC makes me feel just a touch cool, I reach for a quilt to keep my bare feet warm.

Meant for using, loving and laundering!

Until I started making quilts of my own, most of our throw blankets were solid-coloured fleece throws from Ikea or similar. They were inexpensive to replace when Oliver was a puppy and he had an accident of some type. But they were lightweight, a bit prone to static, and a whole lot boring.

Then I learned to make colourful, cozy, and weighty quilts. Those quilts have not been inexpensive, and I don’t want to ruin any of them. However, I want them to be used, and am pleased that we do. But, since we use them so heavily on the couches, the bed, and around Oliver (who’s not even a slobbery dog), we machine wash and dry them regularly. I can see general fading, wear on some bindings, and pilling on the flannel backings over time of course. But it makes me happy to bundle up in something colourful that I’ve lovingly handmade. Personally, I don’t see the point of having them sit, carefully folded and untouched in a closet.

Oliver is fast asleep on bunched up quilts

For all these reasons, I’m going to continue making my quilts with flannel backings and without batting. They are cozy, and that means they get well used in our house.

Learning About Backing Quilts with Flannel

Can I quilt without batting?

Yes! You can definitely make a quilt without batting. I’ve read things before where people feel that eliminating the batting reduces a quilt to a mere blanket. But I disagree. In my opinion, a quilt consists of a quilt top (generally pieced, but not always), sandwiched with a backing, and then those layers are sewn together (quilted).

To make a quilt without batting, you’ll need to replace the quilting cotton backing with something heavier like flannel. This will help give the quilt substance and weight.

What is the difference between flannel and flannelette?

I’ve often seen the terms flannel and flannelette used interchangeably. I’ll admit that I almost always use the word flannel, though I’m actually talking about flannelette. The difference can be a little confusing. And whenever I tell my mom that I bought flannel at the store, she’ll say, “Do you mean flannelette?”

Let’s sort this out:

Flannelette is usually made from 100% cotton (though it could be a poly-cotton blend). It is brushed on one or both sides to create softness and imitate real flannel. Flannelette can also be known as Brushed Cotton. In North America especially, flannelette is often just called flannel and it is commonly used for making pyjamas and sheets.

Real flannel is made with wool, or it may be combined with cotton or synthetic fibres. It is less common than flannelette and more expensive. Flannel is also more durable than flannelette over time, but it is less soft.

Based on this, I’m certain that almost all of the quilt backings I’ve used and have called flannel, were actually cotton flannelette. They may not last as long as true flannel backings, but they’re holding up just fine after many washings. Since I’m not intending them to be heirloom quilts, I like the better prices and availability of flannelette. If you wish to make an heirloom quilt, perhaps it’s best to search out real flannel.

Five bright quilts all with flannel backing, hanging on a rail
Here’s a selection of quilts I’ve made, all backed in flannel. Their backings range from patterned flannel, to solid, to pieced scraps of flannel from previous quilts.

What are the pros of backing quilts with flannel?

  • Flannel backings make a quilt cozy and soft.
  • The flannel brings a nice weight to the quilt, making it perfect as a throw blanket on the couch.
  • By skipping the batting layer and replacing it with flannel, it can reduce the cost of making a quilt significantly. I usually buy flannelette from my local Fabricland on a general sale, on sale with my membership, or on clearance for prices ranging from $4-7 per metre. For a 5 metre requirement for a backing, that can put me somewhere between $20 and $50 for the backing. It’s also $0 for the batting layer when I eliminate it completely. Since quilts are expensive, these changes can save you a lot of money.
  • You can sew minimal quilting lines when batting is not used since you don’t need to avoid batting clumps. (I like to quilt every 12 inches or preferably closer and I do straight line quilting, sewing the width of my presser foot away from seams). In my opinion, the less quilting, the better the drape of the quilt. Combined with the weight of the flannel, flannel backed quilts have a fabulous drape.
  • I find that pieced quilt tops somewhat grip the flannel when laying out the quilt sandwich. Therefore I never spray baste, and instead just pin every 6-8 inches or so. I’ve never really struggled with slipping/bunching/puckering because I use a walking foot (which makes sure both layers move at the same rate as I quilt).
Millie sleeps with legs sticking off the couch while I pin a quilt sandwich
Years ago, our sweet Airedale, Millie, was fast asleep while I worked at pinning the quilt top to the flannel backing.

What are the cons of backing quilts with flannel?

  • Flannel can pill more than quilting cotton. I’m not bothered by a bit of pilling, personally, if it means that quilts are used.
  • Flannel generates a lot of lint during washing and drying. It can also produce a lot of lint in your sewing machine. See my tip below to deal with this.
  • Flannel frays more than cotton. See my tip below.
  • Flannel can shrink a fair bit. I usually buy a little extra yardage than the pattern recommends for the backing. And I also make sure to always prewash my flannel and shrink it in the dryer so I never have any surprises after washing the finished quilt.
  • A quilt with just a pieced top and a flannel backing is thinner than quilts with batting. I find that no matter how I adjust the tension on my sewing machine, I can sometimes see the bobbin thread poking through on the top, or the top thread from the back. I do still use a different colour bobbin thread to coordinate with the flannel backing, but it’s best if it’s not a complete contrast to the pieced top.
  • Sometimes it is more difficult to find nice patterned flannels that don’t have baby or cartoonish pyjama prints. But solids are always an option. I prefer small prints when I can find them like the tiny houndstooth I used on this Snippets quilt.
A close up of a brightly coloured quilt and aqua houndstooth flannel backing

Tips for backing a quilt with flannel

  • Save money by eliminating the batting layer of the quilt, but increase coziness and drape by using flannel to back the quilt.
  • With the batting eliminated, and just a pieced cotton quilt top and a flannel back, the thickness of the quilt is thinner than a quilt with batting. Most quilters cut binding strips at 2 1/2″ wide, but lately I’ve been reducing them to 2 1/4″ wide to account for the reduced thickness of the quilt. This is just a personal preference though, and 2 1/2″ strips will still work.
  • To accommodate for shrinkage, I usually buy a little extra flannel than the recommended backing yardage. Then I make sure to always pre-wash my flannel and shrink it in the dryer before sewing. I know there is much debate about this, but I also always prewash and shrink my quilting cottons (unless I’m using charm squares). By washing all my fabrics, I’m confident that there won’t be any shrinking or colours bleeding after the quilt’s first wash.
  • Pre-washing and drying the flannel also helps to remove a lot of lint. (Make sure to empty the lint trap of your dryer). This reduces the amount of lint that will end up in your sewing machine. Don’t forget to have your machine serviced or to vacuum out the lint periodically.
  • Because flannel frays more, when piecing the quilt back be sure to use at least a half inch seam allowance.
  • Use a walking foot when you quilt to make sure that the pieced top and flannel back move at the same speed, reducing slipping and puckering.

I’m confident that you’ll love the result if you try backing quilts with flannel. You can’t beat the coziness!

Flannel backed quilts Pinterest Pin

You might also like How to Resize a Quilt Block – with a free resizing worksheet! Or get the free Rainbow Ring Quilt Block pattern in either How to Make Quilted Coasters, or How to Make a Mini Quilt.

Or check out the tutorial for a DIY Picture Rail Quilt Hanger, or a Guide to Ordering Fabric Online.

How do you use quilts?

I want to hear from you. If you own quilts (even ones given to you), how do you use them in your house? Do you display them on the wall or store them as an heirloom for safe keeping? Or do you use them on beds, or as throw blankets? Let me know in the comments below.

All the best,

Danielle

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susan says

    June 24, 2021 at 1:41 pm

    The puppy spam is too cute!! Love this idea. You’re right! Quilts aren’t really that snuggly. Brilliant solve!

    • Danielle says

      June 24, 2021 at 2:18 pm

      Thank you Susan! Glad you enjoyed this idea and the puppy spam 🙂

  2. Ada says

    June 24, 2021 at 11:45 am

    Your quilts are so beautiful! I just got my sewing machine, I would love to try to make one. Thank you so much for all the great tips you share.

    • Danielle says

      June 24, 2021 at 11:49 am

      Thank you Ada! I’m sure you’ll love making a quilt. If you have any questions, let me know 🙂

  3. Julie says

    June 24, 2021 at 10:42 am

    Your quilts are so lovely! I need to try this I’ve always wanted to create quilts. They are the ultimate cosie in my opinion.

    • Danielle says

      June 24, 2021 at 10:51 am

      Thank you Julie! And yes, in my opinion as well, there’s nothing cozier!

  4. Allie says

    June 24, 2021 at 10:27 am

    Excellent post. I too love quilts and I love how you have your dog so involved in your photos. I appreciate how you explain everything and your quilts are beautiful.

    • Danielle says

      June 24, 2021 at 10:50 am

      Thank you Allie – I’m glad you enjoyed it and love quilts too. As for Oliver, he’s just there, sleeping on quilts most of the time 😉

  5. Dusty says

    June 24, 2021 at 10:16 am

    Wow! Great explanation! You have some beautiful quilts in your collection. I love quilts as well, especially handmade ones. So beautiful!

    • Danielle says

      June 24, 2021 at 10:19 am

      Thank you so much Dusty!

  6. Julie says

    June 24, 2021 at 10:02 am

    Excellent post and beautiful quilts! We use them as throw blankets along with adding extra warmth for cool nights. I agree, sometimes they can be stiff. My softest quilts were backed using soft cotton sheets. They are super snuggly. I will have to try backing one with flannel without using the batting. Thanks for the tip!

    • Danielle says

      June 24, 2021 at 10:09 am

      Thanks for sharing Julie. I’ve always meant to try using sheets to back quilts because I think it can be cost effective, but I never remember. If you try some with flannel and no batting, let me know what you think!

  7. Linda Schulz says

    June 22, 2021 at 1:24 pm

    I love quilts as my Grandma was always quilting when I was a child, and I watched her turn rags into beautiful creations. She almost always had a quilt on the go, winter or summer. Everyone in the family received at least one quilt from her at some time. My quilt was a crazy patch quilt, twin size to fit my bed, and made of remnants of cloth that were from clothes that Grandma or my mom made and wore. It was much loved and priceless to me. I used it on my bed until I left home at 17. It didn’t work on the double bed in my rental suite. I still used it as a blanket when watching tv, and when we had our son and he moved into a twin bed at age 2, it was his chosen choice of blanket, as it was so soft and snuggly. Long after that it became a picnic blanket, and eventually it was so threadbare that I threw it away. I can still picture it in my mind; it was much loved and especially because it reminded my of my Grandma and my Mom. It’s sad though that I have no pictures of it.
    I love that you use all your quilts and have pictures of all of them. They are all beautiful!

    We now have a lovely quilt, made and given to us by a dear friend. It lives on the back of our couch, and after about 10 years is faded, and getting softer with each wash. It is used as a blanket when we watch movies with our granddaughters on the living room floor, or on the couch to keep warm. It has also been part of many blanket forts in the living room. It too is much loved.

    • Danielle says

      June 23, 2021 at 10:05 am

      Wow – I loved this story and I didn’t know any of that. Thank you for sharing it with me. Quilts tend to be made with so much love and are so special, especially if they’re gifted to us by special women in our lives. It’s too bad you don’t have any photos of that quilt, but at least it lives on in your memories.
      And yes – quilts also make great blanket forts!

      • Linda Schulz says

        June 25, 2021 at 12:13 pm

        They sure do.

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I’m so happy you’re here! I’m a wife, educator, sewist, and artist. I adore all things vintage and colourful, and am always dreaming up my next DIY or craft project. You can get to know me better, and find out what Mix Measure Make is all about here.

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