Shazeeda, I love the fresh clean look of your quilt -- and the muslin is so perfect in it.

Jeanne, what a beautiful quilt and so touching that it was made by you and your sister. A family treasure!

Dhanke, what a gorgeous quilt -- and the quilting is fabulous!

Katie, love those leaves! That is a design that would probably look wonderful with unbleached muslin.

ShabbyTabby - the cost of fabric is what often sent me to estate sales. I was so blessed to find those two bolts at a quilter's estate sale for far less than $1 a yard. While I don't know the maker, it is top quality muslin as was everything else she had. Sad she didn't get to use it, but lucky for me! My husband also picked up a hardwood cutting table and that was one of the few things that survived the flood. I thought he was nuts, but I use it all the time.

repro and muslin quilt
 

Here is one I made before Xmas and Charisma quilted for me

So many beautiful examples of quilts using muslin. Thanks to all of you for letting the rest of us take a look.

Beautiul quilt!

Believe it or not, this thread gave me courage that I do not absolutely have to have colored quilt backing for the new quilt I am making for our grandson (http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...s-t214214.html). As long as I can get enough to finish the top, I will feel blessed.

I wish I had the muslin I bought for a friend of mine who recently had to break up housekeeping and go to a nursing home. I know her kids and grandkids do not quilt and so it is lying in somebody's attic somewhere. Maybe I should get up the courage to ask for it back, but have been shy to do that. What would you do?

Now that I remember my own mother's and grandmother's quilts, they all had muslin backs.

GramMer, why not call and mention it to them? You might tell them you'd like to use it to make her a lap quilt!

WOW what a wonderful thread and beautiful quilts! thanks to all for sharing pics! in my opinion you just can't go wrong with muslin - gives all quilts a homey look/feel for me.

Isn't it strange that we hesitate to tell about our 'frugal' sewing only to find out everyone is doing it? I'm drawn to the unbleached muslin just because it looks old and I can use any other colors with it in scrappy quilts. My mother always used sheets for backing in her later years. When she was younger feed sacks were used. As far as I can tell mother never bought any fabric for quilts - everything came from dressmaking scraps. I've been considering dying some muslin using Kool-Aid in a spray bottle like we did at Vacation Bible School a few years back. Think it would work? I know it wouldn't be solid but I'm curious to see what it would look like. Everyone knows Kool-Aid is almost impossible to remove from clothing.

MissEva, I don't know about Kool-Aid, but why not? As far as feedsacks go, they were used out of frugality back in the day ... now they are a high-priced trendy piece of cloth!

GramMER ... oh I think that muslin will look wonderful the Moda Snow Days pinwheels! Can't wait to see your finish pix.