What to sew with flannel?
Flannel is a soft and warm fabric, perfect for cooler seasons. Whether you are a beginner or more experienced in sewing, flannel offers many creative possibilities. Always aiming to try new fibers, it quickly became clear to me that I had to dare to use flannel. For a long time, I associated this fiber with the most comfortable sheets I had in my bed from late autumn, but it was time to vary its uses. So, I let myself be inspired by the comfort and softness of this type of fabric to present you with some project ideas to sew with flannel.
Nightwear
Not surprisingly, the first idea that came to mind was nightwear. Since flannel is a 100% cotton woven fabric whose fibers have been brushed to give it a cozy and warm feel, its comfort is perfect for all pajama patterns designed for woven fabrics. On English-language sites, the mention "designed for wovens" can confirm that it is a good pattern to use with flannel. Here, I made the Lounge Pants by Greenstyle in both short and long pants for my daughter.
Skirts
Most skirt patterns that require woven fabric can also be made with flannel. I can easily imagine the Pocket Skirt by Lowland, the Cosette skirt by Peek-a-boo, or even the Evergreen Skirt by Samantha Marie Design. In fact, Natacha Massicotte recently made a beautiful one.
Since my daughter is not a fan of skirts, but that was what inspired me most with flannel, I opted for the skirt of a dress. Here, I made the River by Simple Life. Even though the pattern is designed for knit fabrics like jersey, I often dare to use woven fabric just for the skirt. In fact, having already tried it with standard woven cotton, I wouldn’t hesitate to make the skirt of the Mandarine or that of the Jujube with flannel.
Shirts
There is no doubt that flannel is also an excellent choice for making shirts. With the plaid patterns often found in this fiber, the combination is easy to make. In this case, I made the Kodiak by Samantha Marie Design which is also available for adults.
I admit I was inspired by the one Kate Rivard made for her daughter with the Shirt Jacket by Peek-a-Boo pattern earlier this year.
Tunics
I haven’t sewn a tunic yet, but it’s definitely a project on my list when I think back to the one made by Noémie. She used the Dover Dolman by Patterniche pattern to achieve this beautiful result.
A Scarf
Seeing the organic flannel from the Mammouth Organic collection, I also wanted to use it to make a scarf. Since the back has the same pattern as the front, you just need to cut a rectangle of the desired length and sew a finishing stitch on the sides to have a beautiful scarf.
And what to do with the scraps?
Washcloths
The small pieces of fabric that could easily have been discarded after sewing my pajama pants were enough to create my daughter’s new favorite washcloths. I just had to cut squares from the remaining scraps and sew a simple finishing stitch on each side. Lined with terry cloth, they could also have become pretty makeup remover pads.
Hair Accessories
Long rectangular strips can be perfect for sewing beautiful scrunchies. Here, I improvised a bit with the pieces I had left, but Frédérique Morin offers a wonderful pattern in the NON NON OUI group with a explanatory video. You can even add a bow.
In conclusion, flannel offers endless possibilities and its softness is worth exploring in different ways. Don’t hesitate to type "flannel" or "flannel" in English on English-language sites in the search bar of your favorite pattern companies. You could easily find inspiration.
Looking forward to seeing your flannel creations soon!
Julie xoxo