Sewing with muslin: Muslin is a trendy fabric. Read on to find out what makes this fabric so special. I’ll also share tips & tricks for working with muslin.
The most important things at a glance
- Muslin is a trendy fabric, usually made of 100% cotton, and is suitable for many sewing ideas
- It has a beautiful crinkle structure that it always returns to after washing
- Muslin should not be ironed before sewing
- Muslin is best sewn with a universal needle, size 80 - 90, or with an overlocker
- Rolled hems or simply finished edges are perfect for muslin projects, as the hems do not need to be folded and ironed in the traditional way
- Ideally, muslin should be washed gently at 30°C and not ironed
For many sewing fans, muslin is an absolute favorite fabric. And it’s not just because it’s incredibly versatile: it’s just as great for making baby clothes as it is for beautiful blouses, dresses, blankets, pillows, or accessories. This super lightweight, fluffy fabric is simply wonderful for clothing. My tip: sew a summery muslin hoodie out of it!
Muslin is also so popular because it feels light, fluffy, and soft against the skin. It absorbs moisture lightning-fast and dries very quickly. And one more thing I should mention: muslin is one of the few woven fabrics that doesn't need to be ironed. Feel free to read my blog post on sewing with cotton fabric.
Do you need more reasons to tackle your first muslin project? Okay, then let's take a look at how and what you can sew with muslin. Let's go!
- Also check out my tips for buying fabric if you are interested in fabrics in general :)
What does muslin look like?
Pre-crinkled muslin initially reminds one of baby wipes and cloth diapers. These are also super soft, but have a more uniform, usually slightly firmer structure.
The fine structure of muslin is created by the plain weave, which connects the front and back sides at specific points. This creates fine air pockets between the two layers, making the fabric appear a bit puffed up.
The fabric edges are usually a little frayed and rather firm.
In terms of feel, muslin fabric is soft and fluffy. Overall, it feels warmer and fuller than its cool sister, woven cotton fabric.
The fabric surface looks somewhat like flannel because tiny ripples and knots form due to the pre-treatment.
Muslin is available in endless beautiful solid colors. Nowadays you can also find beautifully printed muslins* featuring anchors, polka dots, and arrows.
The fabric surface is matte, and the color depth is subtle and dreamily beautiful due to the high absorbency of the material (you can tell I'm totally blown away!). :)
Currently, muslin is often available both yarn-dyed and piece-dyed. The latter version is particularly elegant.
Small excursion: If you are not only a "Sewista" but also a "Foodista," you may already know muslin from kitchen supplies. You can get small drawstring bags in which the bouquet garni is well kept – and can be easily removed from the sauce after cooking.
Also straining cloths*, used to line sieves to filter nut milk, juice, or a consommé and remove suspended particles, are made of muslin (true connoisseurs also polish glasses with the fine weave!). Cheesecloths are also made of muslin – though they are processed more plainly. Nevertheless, they are very tear-resistant – after all, the fine fibers must hold large amounts of cheese curd so that the whey can drain off.
More on "Working with fabrics"
What is triple gauze?
This is a relatively new type of muslin. Triple gauze* (pronounced: "triple gauze") does not consist of two layers like standard muslin, but of three, which are loosely connected.
This makes the fabric absorbent and also a bit warmer. Great for airy tunics, baby cloths, scarves, or loops. My favorite project with triple gauze: sewing cozy summer blankets (clicking the link will take you to the tutorial).
You can also perfectly use standard muslin yardage for the blankets.
Where does the name muslin come from?
Muslin, originally named after the Iraqi city of Mosul, is a fine-threaded cotton fabric with a soft hand. Initially, muslin was primarily printed with oriental patterns and designs, which is likely where the oriental-sounding name comes from.
Sewing with muslin: What characterizes this fabric type?
Thanks to the two loosely interwoven layers, air can easily flow through the soft fabric and provide cooling. At the same time, the air pockets are an effective weapon against drafts and cold. That’s why muslin also makes a splash as a self-sewn XXL triangular scarf. You can sew this from just one meter of fabric.
Cotton muslin is very absorbent and at the same time supple due to the two layers. This makes it a perfect fabric for summer dresses and tops!
The cut edge of muslin fabric barely frays. This makes it possible to simply finish the edge loosely with an overlock stitch or using an overlocker. This makes hemming unnecessary.
Muslin can be smoothed by ironing, but it crinkles again when it gets wet.
Although muslin is pre-treated in most cases, it usually still shrinks by a few percent after the first wash.
Pro tip: Better to buy 10 centimeters more – and not be annoyed later.
I have since found out that some types of muslin can shrink by up to 30%. You should keep that in mind when buying fabric.:)
How do I work with irregularly crinkled muslin?
A blog reader writes to me: "My problem is that the crinkling is uneven in the middle and at the edges of the fabric piece (I don't want to iron it, because then I would have to do it after every wash, and that's exactly what I wanted to avoid), and I honestly don't know how to cut out a pattern piece so that it is correct."
If you feel the same way, here is my tip: Irregularly crinkled muslin usually returns to that exact shape after washing. Just cut the fabric as it falls. This ensures that the fit of the finished piece is what you want it to be. If the strong crinkling bothers you, buy a bit more fabric and leave out the edge when cutting.
What is muslin made of and how is it produced?
In most cases, muslin consists of 100% cotton, the fine threads of which are delicately woven together in a plain weave. Initially, muslin was also made from wool.
Although this base material was more expensive for clothing, it was also warmer and more durable than cotton muslin, which was used – especially during the Empire period – to make particularly wide-swinging, summery ladies' fashion, preferably in white.
Due to the oriental charm that clung to the fabric, muslin was an extremely popular material for women's dresses. So popular that high-society ladies did not want to forgo their cloud-white muslin dream even in sub-zero temperatures. The resulting infections were referred to at the time as "muslin disease."
Since the beginning of the 20th century, it has been possible to work with silk for muslin. Later, popular viscose was added. Both yarns give muslin a fine sheen but also make it more delicate and refined.
Muslin is also available as durable and absorbent baby, swaddle, and changing cloths, brightly printed from bamboo*.
Bamboo is naturally a very light but durable material – in Asia, they even sometimes build skyscrapers out of bamboo.
Bamboo muslin feels finer and softer than cotton muslin. It has a slight sheen and looks more refined, less like a cheesecloth.
By the way, I bought the beautiful muslin* in the pictures at Stoffe Hemmers.
How do you process muslin?
Due to its fine structure, muslin can be sewn without problems with a sewing machine. The loose weave is satisfied with a stitch length of 3 or 3.5. You should be careful not to pull on the fabric while sewing to avoid leaving holes in the fabric.
The longer stitch length allows the seam to follow the structure of the fabric nicely and does not pull it together.
Muslin is really great to process with an overlocker. Depending on the sewing project, you often don't need a hem at all – the overlocker's rolled hem or a completely normal overlock stitch is perfectly sufficient.
How do you cut muslin?
Muslin naturally has a crinkle structure, which makes cutting somewhat challenging. However, it is important that you do not iron the fabric edges before you start cutting. Cut the fabric exactly as it is. With all the ripples. Many patterns for muslin fabrics, such as our muslin hoodie MAYE, calculate exactly this.
If you don't like sewing hems, you can also process muslin wonderfully with raw edges. Simply stitch the edges with a contrasting color thread and a nice finishing stitch!
Also, rolled hems with the overlocker are genius for finishing edges.
What is the difference between double gauze and muslin?
The weaves and fabric structure of both fabrics are somewhat similar.
Double gauze – sometimes called "double-layered gauze" because of its construction – does not actually have its origins in the Orient, but in Japanese culture.
In Japan, double gauze is traditionally used as a towel. A lovely thought! :)
Mostly, double gauze is, depending on the density of the weave structure, even finer than muslin – overall smoother, more translucent, and woven more loosely. When working with double gauze, it is crucial to finish the edges well so that the fabric does not fray at the seams under stress.
Muslin consists of two sides that look the same, while it is practically a hallmark of double gauze to score with two different fabric sides. That looks super elegant. Therefore, this effect is also used, for example, with outward-sewn hems of summer blouses and dresses.
Another difference lies in the feel: While muslin reminds you of a baby diaper when you touch it, with double gauze, one thinks more of woven clouds. A dream fabric.
Some of these noble double gauze fabrics are real little works of art. Almost too good to sew. ALMOST! ;)
If you enjoy sewing clothing from woven fabrics, then double gauze is a fantastic material: it is soft, lightweight, yet opaque and warm due to its two layers, and – unlike muslin – it is not bulky!
I now buy my double gauze exclusively from Simone at the Nähcafé am Wasserturm. Want to join me? You can also find Simone’s gorgeous fabrics* (which I’ve already recommended several times here) in her Etsy shop.
How is "double gauze" pronounced?
There's no need to feel embarrassed – I was in the same boat: "Double" was easy enough, but GAUZE? If you work in the medical field, you might know the term from the packaging of gauze compresses or swabs, where the contents are usually labeled in several languages.
"Gauze" is pronounced with a long, open 'o' sound. Like in "go," but with the 'o' held slightly longer and pronounced in an "open" way.
So: Dabbel-gohz. :)
How do you wash muslin?
Very important: you should wash your muslin before sewing to remove excess dye and sizing.
Be sure to check the manufacturer's instructions. As a rule, a delicate wash cycle at 30°C is always a safe bet. If the fabric is pre-crinkled, you can help the fabric return to its shape.
To do this, while the garment is still damp, loosely twist it in opposite directions – a bit like you’re trying to make a rope. Keep twisting until the middle of the garment forms a loop. Then, twist the two strands together again and dry the bundle lying flat.
Caution: If you hang the fabric on a clothesline, you might end up with clothespin marks! ;)
Reading tip: Wash fabrics before sewing
What can you sew from muslin?
Due to the aforementioned properties, muslin is wonderful for making great scarves, shawls, and infinity scarves. If you want to be truly trendy, you can also print on your new garments or add a funny quote to your new triangular scarf using a plotter.
But you can also make beautiful clothing out of muslin. Thanks to its slightly rustic look, you can sew fluffy blouses or a wide-swinging skirt. Airy palazzo pants and sophisticated jackets also look super casual in muslin – and provide wonderful cooling in the warmer months. Also great: a fluffy muslin shirt:
My favorite muslin project: sewing a dress. For example, our Boho dress Maris:
It is absolutely essential that you do not iron crinkled muslin fabric before cutting! Why? Because the fabric stretches when the wrinkles are smoothed out. The finished item will then crinkle back up after washing, and your lovingly hand-sewn unique piece will be too tight.
MY TIP: If your muslin has deep creases, steam it without letting the iron touch the fabric and smooth it out with your hand.
Since muslin is relatively inexpensive, you could also consider making custom bedding from this great material. Tone-on-tone muslin pillows also look fantastic – and are guaranteed not to be fussy, since the material is wrinkled anyway.
I sew muslin with a universal needle. Depending on the project, I choose a needle size between 70 and 90.
However, I prefer to work with muslin fabric using an overlocker.
Viscose muslin has a finer structure and a cool feel. It is perfect for sewing soft-draping dresses, skirts, and wrinkle-resistant summer pants.
Thanks to this property, muslin is also a suitable fabric for a travel wardrobe! :)
When calculating the required fabric, keep in mind that muslin is usually not as wide as standard cotton woven fabrics due to its crinkle properties.
Muslin for babies
Its softness makes muslin a perfect fabric for summer baby blankets, baby clothing, and accessories. Swaddle sacks, baby stars, summer sleeping bags – this dream fabric is ingenious for all that and more!
You can also use muslin to sew a baby kick bag for the summer. A particularly beautiful project for this great fabric is our pattern for the MOON muslin children's jacket:
What goes well with muslin?
What we really love: cotton lace – especially when it matches the fabric tone-on-tone. It looks elegant, and bobbin lace in particular highlights the structure of muslin nicely due to its matte yarn quality.
Chiffon ruffles at the hem are also very trendy, for example, when you sew tunics or shirts from muslin. The contrast gives the rather rustic fabric a beautiful lightness. And you create a harmonious transition to a skirt or trousers (soft-draping tunic and tight shorts? Super cool!)
Muslin is also particularly beautiful (because it's stretchy) for summer hoodie patterns:
Muslin and patchwork
Muslin and patchwork can also be good friends. For example, as the back of quilts and patchwork blankets. Here, too, you should make sure not to iron the muslin fabric before cutting. Otherwise, the material will crinkle after washing and the quilt will distort.
The soft feel, the beautiful drape, and the warming properties make muslin a comfortable and easy-care backing fabric.
For baby quilts and patchwork blankets, the single fabric width may be enough.
For larger blankets, you will likely need twice the fabric width. A great opportunity to showcase the fabric colors of the top on the back of the quilt. For example, by connecting both muslin pieces with an element made from scraps of the top fabric.
How much does muslin cost?
Muslin by the meter* in the quality shown usually costs around 10 euros per meter. The printed version typically costs around 11 - 12 euros.
Viscose, cotton, or bamboo muslin is a bit more expensive.
For the delicate, almost fragile double gauze, you have to dig a bit deeper into your pockets at 20 - 30 euros per linear meter.
Where can I order muslin?
One of the largest selections of great muslin fabrics* in a gigantic range of colors can be found at Stoffe Hemmers. Currently, for example, a muslin printed with tiny anchors in a great berry-pink, which made me gasp when I saw it.
Double gauze is not always easy to find, as many designs sell out quickly. You are often lucky if you look in online shops that also sell Kokka or Echino fabrics. You will definitely find what you are looking for in Simone's Etsy shop!
It helps if you focus your search on the more delicate shades: double gauze is rarely produced in really bright, vibrant colors.
I would also like to recommend a particularly cool muslin: muslin quilting fabric. This is what it looks like:
The top consists of "normal" muslin, the bottom of a layer of fine cotton fabric. A layer of batting is quilted in between. I think it is insanely cool for jackets, homemade summer blankets, and – bags! You might not think of it at first, but it looks incredibly good. You can get the beautiful muslin quilted fabric at Stoffe.de
Also very special: muslin jacquard*. A multi-layered, structured cotton fabric with a firm yet fluffy feel. Insanely good for jackets, blankets, pillows, tops, scarves, and much more.
The fabric is relatively rare, so if you can get your hands on it, secure a few meters. You will rarely get anything better under your needle. This fabric was concocted by the folks at Merchant & Mills. Always a good address for fabrics of all kinds (and great sewing accessories!).
By the way, our muslin hoodie MAYE (sizes 32-68) is also sewn from fluffy muslin!
Oh! I'm off to sew! You too?
Happy simple sewing,
your Sabine
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