I've also had some success with soaking fabrics in hot water and then washing them.

Sometimes the 'shrunken' fabric is really quite satisfactory. And sometimes it's not.

In the long run, it's probably better to get what you want to begin with.

'Musin' can be purchased in all sorts of weights and qualities.

If you buy the RocLon tea-dyed muslin - it says 'preshrunk' on the end of the bolt. Don't believe it. It shrank a LOT for me~

Another vote for tone on tone fabrics here. I usually look for something that 'reads' solid but isn't just to up the interest a little bit. Then, again, if that's not the look you're going for than I'd go with what everyone else says. I don't normally use solids so I'm no help there.

I have used tone-on-tone in the past. But I wanted to try solids because the books and magazines I see have so many pretty quilts done with white or cream background or black background. So I just got a Kona jelly roll in black. I did order and off-white jelly roll from Moda so I am anxious to try them.

I've only bought Kona once, from someone here. It was black and it was really, really nice. I'd imagine for background quilting, it would be perfect. The weight was super nice.

I use sheets!

Tone on tone or marbles is my vote..

I think some traditional quilts need a white background but other than that I don't use any solid colors in my quilts.

I love the tone-on-tones and marbles. I used to use a lot of "flat" solids, but I like the movement of the "mostly solids." Kona is a nice solid and I have used it for black alot.

Kona cotton is fantastic. I buy mine at Hobby Lobby or Joann's.

I agree Kona cotton is the best for solids but I also like to use a white on white or cream on cream prints for my background. The print helps make the fabric more opaque.