Love using muslin as quilt backing! It feels so soft when it gets older. Wish I could find it wide enough so I didn't have to put a seam down the center though.

I love muslin in quilts but be sure to WASH & MACHINE DRY it first. It is notorious for it's shrinkage. Like flannel, it is often a tad thicker and much softer after washing & drying.

Certainly, use muslin for quilt backs. If you don't like the color you can dye it!

Absolutely...use it! The cost of making a quilt anymore is astronomical. I always use muslin...sometimes bleached, sometimes unbleached...not only is it economical I love the look and it eliminates piecing on the back.

I haven't used muslin yet to back a quilt, but I would use it when making my 20's and 30's reproduction quilts. I like the look of a muslin backing.

I use muslin all the time for backng. Here is a hint. Go to Wal Mart.com Type in 108x108 (3 yards) muslin this comes in 3 colors.Cost is $16.64. I use this all the time(great muslin). You can have shipped to your home(cost in shipping) But you can have it shipped to the nearest WM to you at no Shipping cost.

Ditto, although I don't use mulin for backs when I give gifts, just for things I make for myself.

I love to use it. I use it on a lot of quilts especially if I use a lot of off white or white in the quilt top. Gives the vintage look.

I use muslin as a quilt back from time to time and I use it in my piecing too. If it's not real thin, it's quite a good fabric!

I saw some muslin dyed pink a few days ago. It was beautiful.

I use muslin a lot for my quilt backs, as I hand quilt and I like to see the quilting. On printed fabric, the hand quilting does not show up as well, and the muslin, in my experience, wears like gold.

I love unbleached muslin for backs, for squares when I applique, for anything I need that color for. It is really nice and works so well but I do make a lot of "30's" quilts. My mother used it and I buy it by the bolt! What I do NOT use is a sheet because Mom said not to do that! How is that for a reason???

Suziequilter
 

The quilt club I belong to purchased a bolt of high quality muslin just for the purpose of using for backing on the donation quilts we make. Fabric has become so expensive that this was a good solution for our backings. Has worked out very well.

I recently put together blocks that my husband's grandmother had made over 45 years ago. I took them to my local quilt shop and they suggested I use muslin as a backing and binding and to hand tie. Turned out very nice.

Muslin works very well for backing, have used it for years. Why spend all that extra money on a print backing when you have so much wonderful muslin on hand waiting to be used!

Yes especially on traditional quilts like wedding ring, Dresden and grandmothers garden path among others.

I love muslin! I use it for backing, nice and wide and I like the look of it. Especially on my Civil War era quilts and the retro stuff!

People still use it. It is perfect for hand quilting as it shows the stitches, great for reproduction quilts that are tea dyed and quilts/ walhangings you do not see the back of. I have a friend that only hand quilts and she always uses muslin on the back. Just make sure it is good quality. I use the better grade Moda muslin.

Try Hancock of Pducah online. I have bought some very wide muslin and even debated getting some to make sheets out of it.

People do use muslin for background piecing, as backing for quilts, wall quilts, table runners,and the list goes on and on. I'm glad you were able to salvage the muslin, although sad about having to go through Hurricane Sandy - I can't imagine. Of course use the muslin, I remember a member of my quilt guild who bought bolts of muslin for hand dyeing her own fabric and wouldn't use anything else. Having a print backing on a quilt makes it two-sided, but in my own experience, I seldom switched over my quilts to use the backing as what you see on top. Use it and I'm glad you got such a terrific bargain - it's meant to be used. I also use a good quality muslin when I make dolls, such as Raggedy Ann, as I feel it makes them look more realistic, plus they are washable, when you put them in a pillow case - trust me I've tried it and it works. Hope your life gets back to a somewhat normal life again. God bless.

I have used muslin often for the back of quilts. Just be sure to wash it first for my experience with muslin is that it shrinks quite a bit.

I recently saw displayed at my LQS a lap-size quilt that I love, and plan to do a similar one myself: muslin front and back, with squares of pretty fabric top-stitched into place to make the pattern. Slightly ragged edges on the squares give it a loved and used look. It could be done in color-coordinated or scrappy fabrics and look great either way.

Suzanprincess, I'd love to see a photo!

At the price of fabrics these days I think muslin is a great idea for the backing. I'd much rather save my beautiful fabrics for the top of the quilt. And as everyone says you don't have to piece the backs...win, win situation IMHO

So sorry for your many loss. I have used the wide muslin for large quilt backings for more than 30 years and have both hand quilted and had them long arm quilted. Never have had a problem, in their appearance, durability or washability.

Yes, your calico is our muslin. In the US calico usually means a small, primarily floral, printed cotton.

I would be sure to prewash as shrinkage may be a problem compared to LQS fabrics. I have used it without a problem - also for pillow cover linings. Just made one yesterday. N

I've been quilting about 15 years now and about 95% of my quilts are backed with muslin. I just love the feel of it and when I gift a lap quilt, (which is most of them), I honestly get so many compliments about how nice the quilt feels against their skin when it's backed with muslin. The few I've backed with regular cotton quilting fabric, I've not heard this comment at all.

So it's a personal choice, no right or wrong, but I love using muslin as a backing and clearly folks love receiving quilts backed with muslin. :)

Oh, and I always use the best muslin I can get my hands on. :)

Since you have it, use it. For variety, you can always tea dye it. I try to use darker fabrics for backings, so I might try some other dyes after washing the muslin, too.

Hey Krystyna, I was in Ethan Allen a while back and they had a quilt made of muslin...front and back. It was $900.00 and it was made with yo-yos. The maker had made it by putting the front and back together with batting inside..covered it with yo-yo's all done in beiges..some stripped, some floral, some solids. The yo-yos were stitched down on the top side through the back and that made the quilting. It was really stunning. I am thinking of doing one and if I do I am going to try the batting that is "iron-on"...I have wanted to give it a try but was a bit afraid to do it.

WHAT? "on ONE of your Dear Jane quilts"? I really would love to make one of those but still haven't gotten the nerve to do it...your comment gives me hope. Is there really someone who would make more than one????

You can also give your muslin backing a great look by simply dying it to match your projects. Dye comes in easy to use liquids now and you can go for solid, tye dye, streaky, twisted and lots of other looks.
Another great look is the tea/coffee dyed one that I love. Muslin is easy to dye in the washing machine or outside in a tub or bucket when cut to size. Do allow extra for shrinkage tho. Tea and coffee dying can be done right in the kitchen sink. There are lots of natural dye plants if you want to play with them; onion skins are another fun one. Check out books at the library on it. Muslin is a great fabric for all of these methods.

I would definitely use it for backing and piecing. It works great.

Yes I do it makes the quilts softer on the back not as soft as flannel but very soft indeed.

Wow Great advise thanks!!! I do so agree

I am almost finished hand quilting one that I used muslin for backing. It is nice to quilt through and will use it again. I am also going to use some to make a cathredral window quilt.

I must say it is my very favorite for backings. I love how it shows off the quilting and how nice and soft it makes the quilts.

I use muslin all the time for the backs as well as piecing on the front. Enjoy your 2 bolts.

I use it because it shows off my quilting!:)