to preshrink or not to preshrink flannel - please help?

[Homebirth_Mom216]

I bought some cute flannel to make receiving blankets for my cousin's upcoming baby shower but I've run into a problem:

when I made some for myself, I just preshrunk the fabric - no problems. The blankets are nice and square and work great. Now though I'm not sure if I should because I'm worried it will make the fabric look pilly and old instead of new. The flannel is from JA's and I'm sure it will warp/shrink if I don't preshrink it. Any thoughts? Should I just preshrink it because it will ultimately make for a nicer, more square blanket, or should I leave it as is and let it shrink after I've sewn and gifted?

If it helps, I'm just planning on making one layer 42"x42" hemmed blankets.

Please help I can't decide and need to sew TODAY!

THANKS!!!!

[sunnysandiegan]

I always preshrink flannel because it gets all wonky otherwise. Plus, I feel more comfortable giving a baby gift without all the fabric "sizing" still on it. A few washings usually doesn't make flannel look pilly and old.....

[junipervt]

one hot wash & dry on high should shrink it, but not make it look old & pilly

[weezix]

I run a sewing business and most of my stuff is made of flannel. I preshrink pretty much everything but if i were doing SINGLE layer receiving blankets I might NOT preshrink depending on how soft the fabric is. Sometimes I like to preshrink just to get the stiffness out, but 1 wash shouldn't affect it. So really, it doesn't matter either way.

If it were a double layer blanket I would DEFINATELY preshrink.