Originally Posted by Rachelcb80
Okay, this sounds like the plan of action I need to take. But the only muslin I have is some nice, really soft stuff that I plan on using for a backing at some point for a cuddle quilt so I guess I need to hit the store for some cheaper stuff. Couple of questions; you just basted around all four edges right? Did you just wash on a gentle cycle? And finally what about drying? Did you dry in a dryer, or just hang to dry?
This is not answering one of your questions, but I bought a bolt of wide white muslin at Joann's at half price a few years ago. Not good quality, I found, but excellent for quilt frame leaders and other odds & ends, such as the quilt top washing episodes.
Yes, I only basted around the four edges. Washed on gentle cycle, cold water (Shout color catcher instructions do not specify a water temp.) and I hung them on an inside clothesline in the basement. They are king sized quilt tops; the bigger the quilts are, the less I'm inclined to put them in a clothes dryer, even on air fluff. If it's neither sunny nor raining, I can hang them on an outside line. Since yours is undoubtedly small-ish, you could even hang it over a bathtub or in a shower, if you have a clothes rack & no inside line, in case it drips water. If none of those options work for you, I don't think it would hurt to damp dry it in the dryer on air fluff or possibly even a warm temp for a while.