Beginner's Guide to Quilting - UK (2020-02)

nightwear, it’s comforting and cosy – and it
washes well, so it’s ideal for baby quilts and
toys. It’s stretchy, so you’ll need to keep an
eye on it when stitching to make sure it
doesn’t lose its shape.
Denim is a popular patchworking and
quilting material, largely because old jeans
can easily be turned into a hardwearing,
attractive project (see page 146 for an
example). Because denim can be quite
thick it’s best to stick to larger, simpler
shapes for patchwork, but the variations in
shades of blue usually provide plenty of
visual interest.

Utility fabrics
‘Utility fabric’ is a broad term to describe a
range of materials that are commonly used
as backings. Calico and muslin are most
popular, although hessian and other
non-cotton materials can be used.
A loosely woven cream cotton fabric,
quilting muslin works well as a quilt
backing, and can easily be dyed to suit a
particular project. Calico is made from

Remember to keep bleaches and

fabric softeners away from quilt

fabrics as they damage the fibres

undyed, unprocessed cotton and can have

a slightly uneven feel.

It’s worth noting that in the US, ‘muslin’

refers to what UK crafters would more

commonly know as calico. However, in

American quilting terms ‘calico’

refers to a type of

patterned fabric, so

if you’re following

a pattern that

specifically calls

for muslin or

calico, check

whether it’s a

British or

American

pattern first.

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