[Jess M.]

I think I’m going to start making muslin garments first (not because of the patterns, but my daughter has unusual anatomy that makes it hard to fit her and will cause me less heart ache in the end when I get to the finish line of making something for her in the cute designer fabric. Usually my problem is that it’s too short, or if it buttons, it is too small around the belly and will not close, but fits perfectly in the chest/sleeves. I’m so looking forward to her surgery next year! Hopefully she’ll be easier to fit after that 🙂 ).

I know there are a billion different kinds of muslin, does it matter what kind I use, or will the cheapest stuff work fine?

[Nicole]

I find the term ‘muslin’ confusing!

My mother made toile’s when she was making a garment,usually out of calico or a similar fabric to the desired garment.

Muslin is a sheer cotton fabric,used for summer swaddling wraps. Strangely enough when I ordered muslin from fabric.com I received calico!

When I started sewing Hot Pattern(a brand,not pinched patterns),they went on and on about making a muslin! I ended up watching their U tube clips to discover they meant a toile!

Sorry to bang on Jessica,a fabric similar to what you will be finally sewing with will be fine for a toile/muslin.

The advantage of calico(soft, mind)! is that you can write on it and clearly see your markings.

[Jess M.]

Yes! I knew there was another term I’ve heard for them—basically I’m just wanting to make a mock garment. Here in the US, they are sometimes referee to as “muslin garments”, and probably isn’t the correct fashion term either lol

[Jess M.]

Oh and I did a quick search and yes calico & muslin are the same terms

[Nicole]

It’s like flannel and flannelette!

[mrsc1345]

I love the differences from Australia and US! As far as I know, a calico is a small flowered print, and muslin is either a white or naturally unbleached cotton fabric. And toile is that nursery looking print with story book or victorian characters (although one time I did see a skeleton toile!)

For me, I just buy muslin fabric from Joann’s for 1.50 a yard or something, the cheapest I can find. Since I just sew it up once and toss it I don’t want to spend any money on it. When I am done I let me little ones go at it with scissors or embroidery thread with no guilt. You are supposed to use a muslin fabric similar to your end product, but I find it very similar to all the quilting cottons/ apparel fabrics I use.

And please tell, what is flannelette? Just the aussie version of flannel?

[Nicole]

Yes,it is.

That explains so much-Thank you

Aus calico is US muslin

Aus muslin is US light weight voile or gauze?

[mrsc1345]

The muslin fabric I am used to is just like cheap quilting cotton, (in fact the older quilters in my family use it exclusively for the backs of all the quilts they make)But Kona makes a cotton muslin that is nearly indistinguishable from their regular quilting cotton. (both in quality and price) Up until recently I hardly could find any voiles, only cotton lawns, and those were few and far between.

[mela]

I have a stash of fabric, some of which i’m not too into anymore. I use that fabric to make my “muslins” because sometimes, if it turns out the pattern was ok, they turn into wearable muslins. besides, as a fabric hoarder, I don’t need to have another reason to have a special fabric in my stash, even if it is cheap. A couple of these muslins that I have made ended up being some of my favorite clothes for my daughter. For me, it is just a chance to see if the size is right, if I need to make any alterations, and to get through the learning curve. It is a bonus when it works and I end up liking the fabric. My second time with a pattern is always better than the first. The next time I use it I am confident enough to use my more treasured fabric.

[Sarvi]

Yes, in the US when I hear people talking about making a muslin they seem to mean making a project, or part of a project such as a placket or cuff, to test the technique and/or fit. It’s just a practice run. Muslin fabric is often the cheapest fabric that is sufficiently similar to the real fabric, and sufficiently easy to work with, for it to be a practical and economical substitute.

Personally, I am just not that meticulous. I rarely remember to even check for errata, let alone am I going to make a muslin per se. But what I will do is use leftovers from other projects, so that if it works out, I have a nice garment, and if it doesn’t, oh well, it wasn’t my main piece of something super precious.

edited to add that I am pretty much repeating what mela just said — sorry, I think I didn’t read the whole thread!

[meleliza]

This explains to me why those swaddling blankets from Aden & Anias are called muslin when I think of them as guaze. That’s an Australian company, right?

[JohannaO]

Aussie “flannelette” is what the US thinks of as cotton flannel- the stuff that P.J.’s and blankets are made out of. Aussies use flannel to mean wool flannel only.