Flannel

Julie Bonnar from The Pattern Pages shares her tips for sewing with this staple winter fabric

What is flannel?

Flannel is a loosely woven fabric that has been brushed for softness. During the manufacture, a fine metal brush is used to raise some of the fibres to create a ‘nap’, which gives the fabric its fuzzy feel, which is warm and soft against the skin. Originally flannel was made of wool, but now cotton, along with synthetic blends are more common.

The good news is that this is a fairly inexpensive fabric to buy.

Here are my top tips for choosing and sewing with this winter fabric:

Quality

Like most fabrics, using a better quality of flannel makes a big difference when sewing! The more expensive the flannel, the higher the thread count. Often it’s double-sided and this seems to last longer and pill less. It also tends to fray and shrink less too, and feels denser. The lower thread count flannels can stretch and distort, and also not wear very well.

Prewash, Dry and Press

Always pre-wash. This might not be as important for smaller projects but for making garments it is essential. Pre-wash on a delicate cycle, using a low temperature – this will help prevent pilling and keep shrinkage down. If tumble drying – use a sensitive cycle and this will keep your flannel fabrics fluffy and press lightly with a medium heat.

Cutting

Some sewers spray starch on the wrong side of the fabric. To make it easier to cut, place right sides together, the nap tends to grip the fabric and stop it slipping around.

Make sewing with flannel easy:

Needle – This fabric is thick so use a 80/14, 90/14 or a jeans needle to cope with layers.

Thread – Choose an allpurpose polyester thread like Scanfil.

Stitch length – Use a longer stitch length of 3-3.5.

Seam Allowance – Use a wider seam allowance of 1.3cm (½in) to accommodate for any fraying.

Presser foot – A walking foot is ideal for sewing flannel so the layers don’t shift around.

Special finishes –Avoid the fabric from unravelling by finishing the raw edges with a wide zigzag or using an overlocker. Fray check or pinking shears can also be used.

Tip:

As this fabric has a loose weave, there will a build up of lint on the needle and throat plate known as ‘shedding’. It’s important to clean this away from your bobbin, the and after sewing with flannel.