Does Muslin Fray and Pill? How to Use Muslin Fabric Properly
Every fabric has a right and wrong way. In sewing with, cleaning, or even wearing, there is always a right and wrong way to use fabric. Learning both ways helps you use those fabrics right and lets you create some wonderful sewing and craft projects.
Does muslin fray and pill? Muslin is created with a loose weave. That construction style means that it will fray easily as well as pill just as easily. One way to use it properly is to use it as a test material when working with expensive fabrics. It can save you a lot of frustration and heartache if you use it this way.
To learn how to use muslin fabric properly, just continue to read our article. It delves into this topic to make sure you have the right information and know-how to use the material correctly. Muslin has many uses and is very versatile.
Muslin Fray and Pill 101
Does Muslin Pill?
Yes, it should pill as it is made with a very loose weave. When fibers are not woven together tightly, threads can start to migrate together and twist into little fabric balls. Muslin is not immune to this as besides a loose weave there are other factors involved in creating pills.
First, friction can cause these little fabric balls to appear on your muslin clothing. Your washer and dryer create a lot of friction with their agitation and tumble dry methods. Depending on the quality of your muslin material, the pills may fall off naturally.
Second, wear and tear can create pills, especially in the underarm section. The friction there is enough to make little pills appear. If you want to avoid pills, check out the quality of the material before you buy it. The better quality the less likely you will have pilling take place.
Does Muslin Fabric Fray?
Yes, it will fray and it will probably fray as easily if not easier than the material will pill. It is the same reason that causes pilling that causes fraying. The loose weave is to blame and does little to stop that action from taking place.
One way to stop the fraying from taking place is to use a little scotch or fabric tape. Make your mark on the fabric and make it dark enough to see from the wrong side. Next place your tape over the area you are going to cut keeping the mark in the center of the tape.
Now make your cut going along the mark splitting the tape in half. The part of the tape that remains on your fabric should stop the fraying from getting started. Remove the tape when you are reading to finish the seam or the hem.
How To Fray Muslin
It is not hard to fray muslin on purpose. All you have to do is make a cut line after you have made your outline. You want to put the stitch line about 1/4 of an inch inside of the rough edge Next you do a zig-zag stitch, about 2 1/2 mm long and 3 mm wide along that stitch line.
Once that is done, you can pull a thread or three from the unstitched side of the fabric to create your frayed look. The unfortunate aspect of this technique is that the zig-zag stitch will only slow the fraying down. It will not stop it from taking place completely.
The only thing you have to watch out for here is that you do not go too far and pull too many threads out of the fabric. Make sure you know how much fray you want and have back up methods like fusible interfacing just in case the stitch line is not going to do the trick.
What Does Muslin Feel Like?
This fabric will have a different feel to it depending on the style of the weave and the quality of the fabric. If the material is made from basic cotton, then it will possess that basic cotton softness and feel to it.
Swiss muslin is very thin so it will have a very fragile feel to it and book muslin would feel a little coarser than the Swiss style. The Indian style has a silky feel to it while mull does not.
Then leno muslin comes with a stiff feel while organdy had raised spots giving it a rougher feel than smooth muslin. How your muslin fabric will feel will depend on which one you buy.
Washing is supposed to make the material a little softer but that will also depend on how you wash and dry the fabric. Getting the right fabric will often depend on the feel of the material and not the colors.
Does Muslin Keep You Warm?
This would depend on what type of muslin material you are using for your clothing items. The muslin material made for babies’ blankets and swaddling clothing can keep little infants warm.
Whereas the mull is lightweight and used more to help the dress have body and weight. The extra layer should contribute to the warmth you feel wearing clothing with that type of muslin on it.
Swiss muslin is more for warm weather situations. It is sheer, lightweight, and very breathable. It is unlikely that this style will keep you nice and warm. In general, muslin is a very breathable fabric that helps prevent overheating. That means if you are looking to stay warm, wear wool or other clothing made with cold-weather fabrics.
Also, staying warm with muslin will depend on how thick the fabric is and its quality. Just take your time when looking for an inexpensive fabric like muslin to line your cooler weather clothing projects.
Can You Use HTV on Muslin?
HTV stands for heat transfer vinyl and as the name says the vinyl uses heat to adhere to the fabric you want. Muslin is usually a very thin fabric thus trying to put heavy HTV items on it is not a good idea.
You can put lighter weight HTVs on muslin if they fit and really make a decorative difference. The key is to make sure the muslin cloth is the right length and width for the design you want to use.
The lightest HTV option you have is called stretch vinyl. It should handle the tasks you want and also stay flexible when the muslin cloth is pulled and twisted in different directions.
Make sure to read and follow the directions that come with the HTVs that you purchase. That is the best way to make sure the vinyl goes on right.
Can You Use Acrylic Paint on Muslin?
If you do not want to use fabric paint on your muslin cloth it is possible to turn to your acrylic paints and create some wonderful decorative designs. With a little tweaking, you can use acrylic paint on muslin fabric.
The key is to mix some fabric medium in with the paint to keep it flexible and washable. The technical name for the fabric medium is liquid acrylic polymer emulsion. What it does is keep the paint nice and soft as well as stable.
Then it makes the paint more workable and helps it flow better when applied to the fabric. On top of that, the fabric medium helps control and stop the bleeding when the paint is thinned by water.
The last thing that the fabric medium does for you is to help broaden your color selection. Fabric paints are often very limited in color options. What fabric medium does is open up those restrictions and provide you with a very large array of colors you can use.
You can be more creative in your designs and not have to worry about the washing machine ruining what you have done.
Some Tips For Using Acrylic Paint on Muslin
If you do not have any fabric medium on hand or live too far away from a store that sells it, you can still use acrylic paint by following these tips:
1. Use an abrasive- this can be sandpaper and what you need to do is lightly scuff up the area you want to paint. This will help the paint adhere to the fabric better.
2. Use water- lightly spritz the area so you get an even application. Just do not over-wet the area and have the paint run on you.
3. Thin the paint- not by much and do not use a lot of water to do this. The thinned paint goes on smoother and helps you get an even application.
4. No heat- when you use a fabric medium you usually need to use some heat to help set the paint. This is a step you can avoid when you forget to use the fabric medium.
5. Watch your cleaning- when you are not using a fabric medium with your acrylic paint, you have to be very careful how you clean those painted muslin items. Spot cleaning or hand washing are the recommended methods of cleaning. Then hang to dry.
The washing machine can be used if those methods are not possible. You will want to use the gentle cycle on your washing machine and low heat on your dryer.
Some Uses For Muslin Cloth You May Not Have Thought Of
As we said earlier, muslin is very versatile. Here are some activities you can use this cloth for:
1. Exfoliate your face and lips- this is a great material to help get your body nice and clean.
2. Strain jams- one way to remove seeds and other lumps is to push your favorite jams through a muslin sieve.
3. Make some tea bags- the loose weave is perfect for brewing up some nice herbal leaf teas. If you do not want tea leaves in your hot drink then wrap them up in a muslin cloth and tie the ends together.
4. Strain fruits- when you do not want pulp or seeds from lemons, oranges, and other similar fruit, just place the muslin cloth over the fruit before you squeeze it. You should get nothing but pure fruit.
5. Use as gift wrapping- the muslin cloth can look very pretty over the box the gift is in. Add a decorative ribbon and you should be good to go.
6. Protect your hair- when you do not want to use an expensive hairband or towel, use a muslin cloth to cover your hair. It will help keep your facial items out of your hair.
7. Helps with stuffy noses- this technique is for those who do not like spreading Vicks or other cold remedy creams on their faces. Spread it on a piece of muslin cloth and stick it under your pillow or next to you on a bedside table.
8. Shine your shoes- if you can’t find your regular shoe shine cloth, take a piece of muslin fro your wife’s or mother’s sewing area and use it. Just make sure to use a scrap piece to save on trouble later on.
9. Use as a dust cloth- this material is lint-free so it doesn’t leave anything behind when you dust your furniture with it. The cloth is great for glass as well.
10. Use it to get rid of moisture- that is in your vegetables. It is a great cloth to use to soak up excess moisture when you want to be creative with your meal preparation.
Some Final Words
Muslin cloth is made with a loose weave. That means it will fray on you and it will also pill. The way to avoid both is to use top quality muslin materials and put a stitch line in the right place.
Muslin can feel soft next to your skin and it is a very versatile fabric. Keeping it from pilling and fraying means you will have it around for a long time.
