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For All Versions
Measure the bed, adding the number of inches you want your bedspread to extend on the sides and foot of the bed. When shopping for flannel sheets, always check measurements in inches rather than bed sizes such as double, queen and king because cheaper sheets often skimp on fabric. You can either use two flat sheets in colors or patterns that compliment each other, or a sheet set -- when your bedspread is finished, the corners of the fitted sheet will curve around the corners of the bed. Always launder sheets before you begin sewing because cotton flannel tends to shrink a lot.
Simple Duvet Cover or Bedspread
Pin your flannel sheets with right sides together. On one side, mark the size of the opening you'll need. For a flat bedspread, an opening of about 12 inches should be enough to reverse the fabric right side out. After you've done that, blind-stitch the edges together by hand to close the opening invisibly, and your bedspread will be ready to use. For a duvet cover, you'll need enough room to insert and extract the duvet, but a 20-inch opening, less for a smaller bed, should suffice. Close the opening with snap fasteners, Velcro or buttons.
Using By-the-Yard Fabric or Fat Quarters
A more creative approach to your bedspread project would involve using one full flannel sheet for the bottom and making the top out of by-the-yard flannel, which usually comes in widths of 42 to 45 inches. This enables you to take advantage of discounted fabric remnants as well as "fat quarters," a quilting term referring to quarter yards of cloth measuring 18 by 22 inches instead of 44 by 9 inches. Quilters cut FQs into much smaller patches, but if you use them full size, they don't need top-stitching to lie flat. FQs are sold either singly or bundled together in coordinating patterns and colors.
Quilt Patterns
Cotton flannel is a preferred fabric for quilts, bed covers consisting of two fabric layers enclosing another layer of insulating material such as cotton batting, wool or down, all stitched firmly together in a decorative way. If you're interested in learning how to quilt, the popularity of this traditional American art form means that classes are probably offered close to your home, no matter where you live. Free tutorials are also widely available on the Internet. Start small with a baby's quilt, wall hanging or lap quilt to get a feel for what's involved. If you like the idea of creating the top of a quilt but not the prospect of sewing the whole thing together, you can pay an accomplished quilter to do the finishing.