Piecing with muslin
 

I am planning to make the Baby Strings quilt, which is in the October issue of Quilter's World. The directions are to piece strips of fabric on muslin strips. I am wondering if it really needs to be muslin or if it could just be scrap fabric strips of a light color. I am posing this question to all you quilting experts as I am fairly new to quilting and have been on the train myself method using internet sources, including this site.

Grandma Nancy

I don't know about the Baby Strings quilt, but I am in the process of doing the seasonal table toppers (nancysnotions.com). The pattern says to piece on paper or muslin. The pattern is too big for me to do the paper (too much bunching at the machine) and I didn't have any muslin on hand. I did have the really thin stiff off white fabric from Walmart that I wouldn't make a quilt out of if my life depended on it. So I traced the pattern on the fabric, sewed the sections on, and it worked perfect. I plan on putting a backing on it, so the thin fabric with the permanent markings on it are just fine. I didn't need the muslin after all. I was very happy to have a use for the Walmart fabric as no one at 2 garage sales would buy it either.

Sorry if this doesn't help as i haven't seen the pattern you mention - but currently working on a strings quilt with my small scraps - 3-4" pieces and all the remnants of triangular cuts......sewing them together using adding machine paper roll as the "base".... which of course i'll remove later.

I don't know of the particular pattern you speak, but I use fabric that I don't care for as the base of a lot of my string quilts. People give me fabric that I don't fancy, and this is a good way to put it to use.

I use muslin and any other fabric as long as the color works for that pattern

Muslin is rather inexpensive fabric that you can buy just about anywhere from Walmart to LQS. Now that being said I did not know that there are various thicknesses of muslin when I started up so I bought a package of rather nasty stuff in a craft store and brought it to my crazy quilting class. I was still able to use it as a foundation but from that point on I touch before I buy. If it just for a foundation you can use any light colored fabric because it will not be visible. If you are making a project in which muslin will be visible you can use whatever you choose.

I use fabric cut from worn white sheets as my stabilizer fabric for string quilts. An advantage to them for me is that they have been washed so many times that shrinkage will not be happening.

Dayle

You can use any fabric, as long as it won't show through. That's a good way to use up some of that really ugly fabric that we bought during a brain farkle!

I you cut lots of strips parallel to the selvage edge there is less need for a stablizer (either a backing of muslin or paper). If you cut your strips the other way they get stretchy easily and need the stablizer for sure. You can gently tug on fabric and determine the direction to cut. Here is a link to explain the terms: selvage, grain, bias. Here they are making bias tape--and want the stretch:

http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/01...-bias-and.html

Be sure to pre wash any new fabric. Thin fabric is cheaper at store - other than the LQS. If for a foundation, I sure would use the cheapest fabrics I could find. Just how I would do it.

Thanks for the replies. Apparently the muslin (in the pattern) is just a stablizing or foundation piece for the string pieces. I didn't realize that and wasn't sure if it really needed to be muslin. Sometimes I take directions too literally.

No, it doesn't HAVE to be muslin. Muslin is simply a very inexpensive fabric that is easily available, which is why they recommend it. As other posters have said, you can use anything you have on hand, as long as it doesn't show through your top fabrics. I've purchased sheets on clearance and at IKEA that I've used. Just keep in mind that sheets are usually woven tighter than muslin, and this might be an issue for some quilters.

I think muslin is recommended because of it's light weight, neutral in color so it won't show through other pieces on top and economical. If your scraps fit all this, then use them. Hope that helps.

Hope you pre-shrunk your foundation fabric.

I haven't started yet, only in the planning stage at this point. However, I like to prewash all fabric!

I have used dryer sheets (used) as foundations for string blocks and they have worked beautifully. If your making smaller blocks this may be a idea for you ...............