Flying_V_Goddess

I'm making quilted stained glass wall hangings. The technique i'll be using is similar to what's shown in this video: http://www.hgtv.com/video/stained-gl...deo/index.html

In the video she doesn't completely cover the background fabric in "glass" pieces and leaves a lot of the background fabric showing. But my background fabric is going to be completely covered with colored pieces.

I'm wondering since it will be completely covered anyways if the cheapest fabric will do for the background, like any sort of bleached muslin or white fabric. Or if I should splurge for a more quality fabric.

jemma

pre-wash [pre shrunk] is a must---i have used calico ok

Flying_V_Goddess

Well, I pre-wash everything so that shouldn't be a problem.

montanajan

Since its already pre-washed, and is for a wall hanging, not something thats likely to be washed frequently, I'd opt for the inexpensive muslin.
Please post pics when done & good luck with your decision.

Flying_V_Goddess

That was kind of my thought. And once the pieces are sewn to the fabric I plan on putting on backing fabric like it were a quilt top. Maybe a thin batting, but we'll see how that goes. So the inexpensive stuff will have a solid appliqued layer of better fabric and then a layer of fabric and maybe a batting inbetween sewn to the back of it. I figure the quality of that backing fabric for the applique won't matter quite so much (just as long as it isn't threadbare) because it will be for something that's not going to be heavily used, its not going to be seen, and will be surrounded by more quality materials.

amma

Muslin comes in different weights. As many layers as you will be working with, I am wondering if a lighter weight muslin might work better for this? :D:D:D

Margie

I would use Batiks...to me they have stained glass windows.

Flying_V_Goddess

I forgot muslin has different weights. There will be the black bias tape, the colored pieces, the background fabric, batting, and backing...that's like five layers I'll have to quilt through. Oh, and the binding. Yeah, the lighter muslin will probably work better.

Does muslin come in a 108" bolt? If I get 44" fabric I'm going to have like 20"x5.5 yards of waste because I can only get one panel across the width (I need 8 24X24" panels). But if I get 108" I can fit 4 panels across the width and only have like 12"x2 yards of waste. And I'm finding its going to be cheaper to get a 108".

eastermarie

For the 4 ft. x 6 ft. stained glass wall hangings I do for churches, I use a white or ivory sheet to trace my pattern on. It won't be washed, and it is covered completely with batiks. I do use a batting in between, and very often I'll use a sheet for the backing. The sheets work well with the batiks. I machine quilt it so I don't have to worry about getting a needle through the layers. They are given as gifts to the churches. I haven't had any trouble with them. We have a cross banner I did for my church that has been put up and taken down numerous times with no problems. When I change out banners, I roll them up.