Originally Posted by QuiltnNan
if it is already a top, why would you want to change the background to muslin? since it is your top now, you can do what you want. the previous posters have good suggestions for keeping the 30's feel to it.
This has me confused too, as to why OP would be changing the original, rather than finishing what has been done.
Being that you are considering muslin, what is the original background??