when I first started I purchased a bolt of fairly good muslin (using a 40% coupon) and when ever there was a sale on batting I would buy 4 or 5. then when ever any of us wanted to practice we would load up & stitch away- the *quilts* would then be bound (or zigzag stitched around) a couple of them my granddaughter's loved- and using fabric markers they painted them after they were quilted- a couple made picnic/beach quilts- some were cut smaller bound & donated to the humane society. one I bound in a pretty turquoise fabric and it is my 'couch-cover up' quilt- lightweight, white, with that blue edge- everyone who comes by loves it- and I have to laugh= since it was just practicing swirls all over it- nothing special. sometimes we would cut 2 (2yd) pieces of the muslin- sew them together- so we had 80" x 72" . that 25 yard bolt of bleached muslin made some wonderful practice quilts!