In the cold season, in bad weather, naturally a person’s desire is to surround himself with soft, comfortable, and most importantly, warm fabrics. Flannel is ideal for these purposes. What kind of fabric? The question is perhaps unnecessary. But for those who do not know, this is a fairly dense material with a pile, which can be located both on both sides, and only on the wrong side.
Flannel has long been used as a fabric for warm linen. Since Peter's times, it has been an indispensable attribute of the Russian (and Soviet) army - they made footcloths from it.
Characteristic
Flannel can be cotton and wool, linen and serge weave. The threads of the fabric are intertwined so tightly that they do not have gaps. Flannel is natural, environmentally friendly. It has vapor permeability, so they say that the skin in it “breathes”. When buying flannel fabric, it is better to view its photo in advance. On them you can see the correct cut and tailoring. In terms of its heat-saving properties, the flannel is not inferior to wool, but it does not prick and does not cause irritation. The material absorbs moisture well, however, dries for a long time.
The following flannel varieties are available:
- Stuffed.
- One-colored.
- Bleached.
Now it became clear what advantages the flannel has, what kind of fabric and what it is. Now you can pay attention to the picture. If it is applied on both sides, it means that pre-dyed threads were used, from which the flannel fabric was created. If the picture is present only on the front side, then it was applied to the finished canvas. The cost of the first type of fabric is higher, however, and the pattern will not fade after many washes.
Flannel Types
Stuffed flannel can be either cotton or wool. It is dense, tear resistant. This type of flannel got its name due to the way it is applied to the fabric. It is printed, printed with the help of special equipment on the finished web. Each color is applied separately to pre-bleached or painted flannel on one side.
A printed flannel can be white-earth when a pattern on a bleached surface occupies a small area. Typically, fabric dyed in this way is used to make diapers to reduce the risk of dye allergies in newborns. In addition to white earth, there is a covered and unpaved flannel. The area occupied by the figure in these species is increased.
Quite often you can find one-colored flannel. What kind of fabric and how is the image applied to it? The pattern on one-colored flannel is created by threads of different colors. This method of painting is more durable than printed. Flannel bleaching is the initial stage of the "paint" work. With the help of special technologies, it is possible to achieve a uniform, even, light shade. Bleached flannel is the most environmentally friendly and cheapest, but somewhat faded.
Flannel application
For a long time, before the advent of modern synthetic linen, flannel fabric was used as a material from which underwear was sewn for men, women and children. However, even today, many prefer it. People working in the open air (builders, lumberjacks), fond of winter sports (skiers, skaters), winter fishing enthusiasts appreciate the flannel for its naturalness, high heat-saving properties.
In cold weather, especially in the off-season, when heating is not yet turned on, flannel bedding becomes popular. Even sweating in a dream, a person will not go cold and will not catch a cold after a while, since the linen absorbs moisture well and has an optimal coefficient of vapor permeability. In other words, the cold from the room will not reach the human body, and excess moisture in the form of steam will be taken outside, contributing to the creation of a cozy and useful “microclimate” in bed.
For sewing home clothes (bathrobes, nightgowns) , natural fabrics are used: chintz, flannel. Calico items are worn in the warm season, and flannel home dresses are a real salvation on cold days.
Flannel for children
Even before birth, young mothers try to answer their own question: flannel, what kind of fabric, what things for a baby are sewn from it? It is an ideal material for children's things, it is soft, warm, hypoallergenic. All this makes it the best material for sewing children's things. Flannel sliders, semi-overalls, vests and bonnets, traditionally become the first clothes of the baby. Such things can be dressed as a first layer for a denser suit or jumpsuit, for example, for a walk. In any case, you can be sure that the crumbs are warm and comfortable.
If you need a warm cloth for
diapers, flannel also becomes the best option. In addition to softness and environmental friendliness, it should be noted the high absorbent properties of flannel matter, which is important when sewing diapers.
Flannel Care
It’s easy to take care of this material. It is interesting that after washing it becomes even softer, more pleasant to the touch. Flannel products can be washed both automatically and manually, using warm water, since hot promotes shrinkage of the fabric. Previously, the thing needs to be soaked in cold water, after which the fabric will become soft.
You should not rub the products hard, since spools quickly form on the material, which give things a sloppy appearance. To get rid of stubborn pollution, it is better to use a stain remover.