I'm new here, and kind of having a melt down (plus I'm pregnant and that is adding to my hysteria). I'm making my first quilt, I'm 'lap quilting' a sampler (I'm using this 20 year old book called "Lap Quilting With Georgia Bonesteel"). I have all of the blocks sewn together and I'm adding the borders right now. I'm just using muslin for the borders & backing to keep it simple. I have a few of the blocks completely done already, so I brought one of them with me to match the muslin. I bought 7 yards & I've cut out all the borders... and its not the same kind at all!!! Its much heavier/thicker (this must be because it was the cheapest kind, for some reason I thought I just needed to match the color & that all muslin was the same otherwise). I haven't sewn any borders on yet with the bad muslin... but, how much effect is this going to have if the majority of the quilt is super heavy duty muslin & a few blocks are really light weight muslin? And how hard will it be to quilt it (since I'm doing it by hand)? Should I just get the right kind and suffer the money/time loss? I really want a nice lightweight quilt for our bed for spring/summer (for some reason our military housing thinks you don't need A/C in Colorado!) UGH I'M SO MAD!!! Especially since I spent like 3 hours cutting out 96 3" borders!! HELP!

Welcome to the board, Mrs White! from St. Louis. I wish I could help you, but I don't have much experience wiht muslin. I'm sure someone will have some good advice! The best advice I can offer is to BREATHE! I have done some things that I thought at the time were really disasters, but they turned out okay! :?

Welcome from Southern California. I don't use muslin in my quilts so I'm not sure how to help you. I am sure that there is someone here on the board that will. I was a military wife for 20 years. I understand!

As long as the color matches, you probably won't see the difference until years down the road when the thinner fabric wears faster. For hand quilting, the thinner stuff will go faster.

I've never used a lot of muslin - my experience is the muslin shrinks unpredictably.

I can't he;p with the muslin problem, but wanted to say Hi and Welcome from Northern Indiana ! Hang in there , someone here will be able to help you. Great group of helpers here :lol: Also we love pictures (hint) :wink:

Sharon

I don't use much muslin because of the shrinkage. If its a wall hanging and will not be laundered much it may be ok if the weight is not the same.

MrsWhite--welcome to the board from GA.

I am sorry that you are frustrated with your quilt. I think you are better off using the same weight of muslin throughout your entire quilt, including the borders.

Where did you buy your original muslin? Did you return to the same store to buy more? Are you sure that what you purchased the second time is muslin? (I am not trying to imply that you do not know what you are doing--there are other fabrics that are the same color as muslin, but actually are not and sometimes they are in the same place in the store) Shopping for muslin is sort of like shopping for sheets--it is all about the thread count. If you buy a cheaper muslin that is a looser weave it is going to shrink more. If you buy a muslin with a higher thread count it will shrink less.

Can you please post a picture of the blocks you have made for your quilt? Maybe we can help you with some ideas so that you are not so frustrated!!

Good luck with your pregnancy---when are you due?

My husband was in the Arny for 30 years. We were stationed in Colorado Springs for 2 of those years. Unless it has gotten hotter and more humid there, you will not need air conditioning in the summer.

I had a similar experience recently. I could not find a decent muslin here in my area. I used two different kinds and the color didn't even match perfectly. Once done, you could barely notice the difference.

If it is just for general use I would just use what you have. but, that's just me. I am one who hates waste whether it be time or money.

Lynette

I too would want all the same muslin in my quilt ....cause they will shrink differently and show color change.....that's my 20 words worth.....:-).....Good luck and Colorado is usually dry so the heat isn't too bad...lived there 3 years....husbands from there and he said they had what the call a swamp cooler.....AKA air conditioner......:-)......hope this helps....

I would finish the quilt with what I had and not fret about it at all. Don't even think about mentioning the difference to anyone when they admire it. :wink: