Muslin or Other Fabrics for Summer

Hi everyone,

could you please tell me what muslin fabric is used for? What do people sew with it? Is there anything to keep in mind when buying muslin fabric, or is the quality the same across the board? Is it breathable, and does it shrink when washed?

Summer is just around the corner. I think I need to keep summer in mind when making clothes for my kids. What fabrics should I use to sew summer clothes for babies and children? Is muslin the right choice, or is there something else that’s better?

Thank you so much for your expertise.

Best regards, Ina

Always wash muslin first because it has a nasty habit of shrinking quite a bit. Muslin is great for summer dresses or blouses, but I wouldn’t use it to sew pants. Go to a store that sells baby clothes and take a look at what they’re made of—even in summer, they’re often made of jersey, and there are thinner varieties available too.

Best regards, Inge

I love muslin.
Even for bloomers for the kids.
And yes, pre-washing is veeeery important because it really does shrink a lot. And then iron it.
For boys, in my opinion, it’s only suitable to a limited extent—mainly for bloomers and, for very little ones, as play clothes.
For girls, it works for little dresses, skirts, pants, and shirts…

Thank you both for your answers. That reassures me that I’ll sew a little summer dress for Lisann out of it. When it gets scorching hot again, little ones need something to wear, after all.

Today I checked out the store to see what kids’ clothes are usually made of. Yes, mostly jersey. But I wanted something even more airy and lightweight. And it seems to me that muslin fabric can provide that. So it’s going on my to-do list.

Now I just have to finish Oskar’s pants and T-shirt first. The T-shirt isn’t as easy as I thought it would be. More on that when it’s done.

Best wishes, Ina

@ZwernaseBaer
It’s nice that you posted a real photo of yourself, too. You look so relaxed and content—I really like that.

@Ina:
Lisann is still so tiny—she’ll barely be able to sit up by summer. I’d rather sew her a little romper (it’s easy—you can do it!), because a little dress keeps slipping up and down and then has to be constantly “tugged” back into place. I think dresses, as cute as they look, are only suitable once a child is old enough to walk. But that’s just my opinion and just a little tip 😊

Thanks for your kind words about my new photo (though that was already over a year ago… I really need to take a recent picture 🙈😂). The one before that was also “the real me,” but you can see me better in this one.

This one is relatively recent, from February:

Dear Nina,
You’re absolutely right, of course! But in my imagination, I can already picture her in cute, airy little summer dresses. I know I’ll have to be patient until she can walk confidently. No, there’s no point in doing that before then. A play suit is definitely the much better choice for the coming summer. But I’ll have to look into that first.

I like your new photo from February even better than your “portrait at CP” (no idea what the correct term is). It really highlights your friendly charm—and red looks great on you, too. And your little boy in the photo looks great with you as well. He has lovely chubby cheeks and definitely an enchanting smile that makes it easy for him to wrap you around his little finger.

Best regards, Ina