Muslin Fabric

Muslin is an incredibly versatile 100 percent cotton fabric with three main uses. Dressmakers use basic, unbleached muslin to sew practice garments known as toiles. Parents and clothing designers use a softer version, called double gauze, for baby swaddles and breathable summer dresses. Finally, untreated muslin is often used in the kitchen for straining liquids and making cheese.

Standard single muslin is a very loose, sheer weave that is slightly stiff, making it ideal for mock-ups and crafts. Double gauze consists of two layers of very fine, loosely woven cotton that are basted together with tiny invisible stitches. This double layer makes the fabric incredibly soft, highly absorbent, and opaque enough to be worn as beautiful summer clothing.

Yes, because it is a loosely woven natural cotton fibre, muslin is notorious for shrinking significantly in its first wash. If you are sewing a garment to wear or making baby swaddles, you must pre-wash and dry your muslin before cutting your pattern. If you are just using it to make a temporary dressmaking toile, pre-washing is not necessary.

A toile is a test version of a garment. Because fashion fabrics can be very expensive, dressmakers will first sew their pattern using cheap, unbleached muslin. This allows them to test the fit on the body, make alterations, and practice tricky sewing techniques before cutting into their final, expensive fabric.