muslin
05-14-2016, 06:26 PM
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Blue Ridge Mountians
Posts: 7,076
Should not use it for what? I use it all the time. Make sure its not too thin (low thread count) for the front. It will degenerate before the other higher quality fabrics over time. If you use it on the back as your only backing it might be too boring. What are you worried about?
05-14-2016, 07:19 PM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,140
Who says not to use muslin? I especially love it for baby/kids quilts because muslin is very breathable & certain muslin fabrics are quite soft once laundered -- and get softer with every wash. I am working on a really lovely quilt (Calico Garden) with Aged Muslin in Beige by Marcus Fabrics for the background. Kona muslins are the same 140 thread count as their standard Kona cotton (and, if you love "painting", their PFD muslin takes ink really well!). I've also bought lovely dyed muslin from James Thompson & Co and Moda. If you look for the same qualities in muslin that you do in quilter's cotton, there's no reason why you can't use it exactly the same way.
It needles really well & gives a lovely traditional/vintage look to my quilts. I have never had any issues working with quality muslin. It comes in very few colors but the nice thing is that I can usually buy it at my LQS in 90 or 108"W. I've also read that it's best to steam muslin rather than press it because you can get permanent shiny spots on your muslin from pressing. I've not had that happen personally except when working with muslin that I've inked with fabric medium and tried pressing through a pressing cloth when my steamer broke (and that could've been due to the fabric medium -- idk). I've ironed/pressed all my other muslin fabric with no issue.
The two brands of "quality" muslin I avoid are Colonial & American Made. Colonial seems to fray more than the alternatives. The weave on American Made is a lot looser than Kona muslin making it more prone to bearding (I use W&P, which doesn't have a scrim -- so if I'm not careful, it beards quite easily). If you're going to use American Made muslin, I'd recommend quilting with either a 40wt or a 28wt thread and either an 80/12 or 90/14 Quilting Needle so that the spaces between the weave are filled in enough to prevent bearding -- & strongly consider either a bonded batting or one with a scrim.
In addition, there are 2 types of muslin that I would caution you against using. The first is actual vintage muslin (like what you find on eBay or at an estate sale). Vintage muslin typically was a much looser weave. The fibers used in the weaving were also much coarser than those in vintage quilter's cotton (or in very rare cases, high quality muslin was much, much finer & more fragile than quilter's cotton). It produces a quilt with a rougher feel & that is more prone to fraying and caught threads during the quilting and laundering processes. The second problem muslin is dressmakers muslin that you find at sewing stores like Vogue Fabrics, Mood Fabrics or big box stores like JAF, HL or some of the muslin at Hancock's. They are great for making dress forms & I've even used the thinner ones for backing damaged vintage fabrics (fused with Pellon 805) before I could use them in a quilt, back when I took commissioned work. But they really don't make for very soft or sturdy fabric either on the quilt top or the backing of a bed quilt. The cheapy muslins at JAF are still great for backing a wall quilt where roughness doesn't matter & they aren't laundered nearly as often.
But with a little bit of care & common sense, I think you will find that muslin fabrics may soon become you absolute favorite fabrics to work with.
It needles really well & gives a lovely traditional/vintage look to my quilts. I have never had any issues working with quality muslin. It comes in very few colors but the nice thing is that I can usually buy it at my LQS in 90 or 108"W. I've also read that it's best to steam muslin rather than press it because you can get permanent shiny spots on your muslin from pressing. I've not had that happen personally except when working with muslin that I've inked with fabric medium and tried pressing through a pressing cloth when my steamer broke (and that could've been due to the fabric medium -- idk). I've ironed/pressed all my other muslin fabric with no issue.
The two brands of "quality" muslin I avoid are Colonial & American Made. Colonial seems to fray more than the alternatives. The weave on American Made is a lot looser than Kona muslin making it more prone to bearding (I use W&P, which doesn't have a scrim -- so if I'm not careful, it beards quite easily). If you're going to use American Made muslin, I'd recommend quilting with either a 40wt or a 28wt thread and either an 80/12 or 90/14 Quilting Needle so that the spaces between the weave are filled in enough to prevent bearding -- & strongly consider either a bonded batting or one with a scrim.
In addition, there are 2 types of muslin that I would caution you against using. The first is actual vintage muslin (like what you find on eBay or at an estate sale). Vintage muslin typically was a much looser weave. The fibers used in the weaving were also much coarser than those in vintage quilter's cotton (or in very rare cases, high quality muslin was much, much finer & more fragile than quilter's cotton). It produces a quilt with a rougher feel & that is more prone to fraying and caught threads during the quilting and laundering processes. The second problem muslin is dressmakers muslin that you find at sewing stores like Vogue Fabrics, Mood Fabrics or big box stores like JAF, HL or some of the muslin at Hancock's. They are great for making dress forms & I've even used the thinner ones for backing damaged vintage fabrics (fused with Pellon 805) before I could use them in a quilt, back when I took commissioned work. But they really don't make for very soft or sturdy fabric either on the quilt top or the backing of a bed quilt. The cheapy muslins at JAF are still great for backing a wall quilt where roughness doesn't matter & they aren't laundered nearly as often.
But with a little bit of care & common sense, I think you will find that muslin fabrics may soon become you absolute favorite fabrics to work with.
bet you aced all your exams!!
05-15-2016, 04:18 AM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,387
I use muslin all the time. I got a bolt of the permapress stuff just for the pillowcases I make for the children's pillowcases. Add fabrics leftover from the quilt for the cuff and accent strip and add their name to the cuff. Have also used good quality muslin in my quilts if that's what I need. There are some very thin muslin out there you have to be careful to watch for as it seems to be almost see thru, shreds terribly too.
05-15-2016, 04:35 AM
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 2,222
Originally Posted by marigold
Please tell me why I should not use muslin.
05-15-2016, 04:35 AM
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 2,222
Originally Posted by Snooze2978
I use muslin all the time. I got a bolt of the permapress stuff just for the pillowcases I make for the children's pillowcases. Add fabrics leftover from the quilt for the cuff and accent strip and add their name to the cuff. Have also used good quality muslin in my quilts if that's what I need. There are some very thin muslin out there you have to be careful to watch for as it seems to be almost see thru, shreds terribly too.
05-15-2016, 04:57 AM
#9
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
No reason I can think of. I use muslin for all kinds of projects. And quilt for many customers who always back their quilts with muslin. You don't mention how you plan to use it, or why you thought you shouldn't....
one thing to know though....there are Many different grades, weights and weaves of muslin. Not all are suited for all uses.
one thing to know though....there are Many different grades, weights and weaves of muslin. Not all are suited for all uses.
05-15-2016, 05:02 AM
#10
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 188
I made this quilt. The white is bleached muslin from JoAnn's. It's been appraised by a certified quilt appraiser at $1500. Why shouldn't you use muslin? No reason I can think of!
(It's an Ann Orr design from the 1930s called "Postage Stamp Rose". It's 6205, 1 - inch squares, hand quilted 1/4 - inch inside each square.)
(It's an Ann Orr design from the 1930s called "Postage Stamp Rose". It's 6205, 1 - inch squares, hand quilted 1/4 - inch inside each square.)
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