Trying out flannel

This is going to be a bit of blogging the quilt process in real time. I am making two baby quilts this weekend. I have never sewn flannel before, so I have no idea what I am in for. I did some research online and everybody stressed pre-washing.





I am glad I listened. Flannel shrinks and frays!!! I expected some shrinkage and some fraying, but not like this. Somebody mentioned increasing the seam allowance to a half inch and I am definitely doing that.

The quilts are for baby girls, so the fabric I chose are pink, floral and green. They are really pretty fabrics. I am using the And Baby Takes 3 pattern from Teacher's Pet. The quilt store recommended it as an easy baby quilt pattern.

While I was at the cut counter another lady was getting flannel as well to make blankets for babies in the neonatal unit. She said that they take some fabric and make hearts for the mothers. The mothers wear the hearts so their scent wears on the hearts and they place them with the babies when the mothers have to leave. I thought that was really neat.