Hi Guys,

I have been buying some of the Australian and American quilting magazines and I need help from my quilting sisters across the waves from both countries....

In many of the mags they say to use muslin! Over here in the UK muslin is a very sheer seethrough fabric.... and I can't see how that could be used in quilting.

Is it the same in the ...

USA and Australia

Looking forward to replies!#

Hugs

In the US, muslin is a plain white or off-white cotton fabric. Many people here in the States use it to back their quilts with. It comes in a couple different "grades"...some is thin, but the more expensive muslin has more threads per weave and is thicker.

Not usually, although, there was a thread the other day that mentioned how thin muslin ahd become. It is not sheer, just thin. Usually it is a white or off white fabric and not as expensive as "regular" fabric.

I believe what we in the US call muslin is called calico in both the UK and Australia.

If you can't find any muslin acceptable, you can use sheets. Wash them in hot water and toss in a hot dryer, that will get rid of all stiffeners and if used, any other stuff that might be lurking in the material. These will last and last and last.
I was raised to believe that the only thing acceptable for quilt backing was white, but now it's becoming not only acceptable but quite usual to find either patched backing or some color/pattern matching the front of the quilt on the backing. It's YOUR quilt, use your color sense, or use whatever you can find and feel good about.

Here in Australia I also have known muslin to be very very thin. However, I did see something they called muslin in our Spotlight store recently and it was much thicker...but maybe just a little thinner than normal quilting fabric.
I think Calico is a tighter weave than what I saw as muslin

It's also (or was, when I was younger) called
"domestic" fabric/material. Here's a pic on ebay to hopefully help.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Natural-Unbleach...-/390306843764

I've heard the same thing.

Caroline, it is just the fine calico you can buy here!!! Or plain white cotton, not muslin as we know it!! Hope this helps!