I took your advice and went with white flannel. I decided to order all the notions and fabric I'd need from JoAnne's and pick it up at the store (or ride in the car with Stinky the Clown, since I have a broken ankle). This would avoid shipping fees, and they had a great in-store sale.
He dutifully obliged, but it turned out the store was out of the fabric, as opposed to what their website had indicated! 
Can't get started without the fabric. Well, they offered me the opportunity to order it online at the same price without paying for shipping. That's fair.
However, it took more than a week to get the fabric. (I imagine the delays might have been due to the hurricanes.) Finally, it arrived! I washed it, dried it, and am starting to realize how much I've forgotten! It only shrank a little bit, but the pattern layout doesn't work at all. I double-checked the fabric width, made sure I'm looking at the right "view" and size, but nope... it is impossible! Argh!
Rather than keep worrying about what I (or they) got wrong, I figured out a layout that DOES work, although some of the ear pieces might go against the grain. Thank you for steering me away from fabric with a nap!!
Wish me luck. I HOPE I won't have to come back with too many questions! 
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