Backing, Border, Batt for Heavy Blocks?

I'm making a large string quilt; sewing the strips to 10" squares of
good-quality muslin (which in hindsight seems almost like a waste of good
muslin, but so it goes.) If I decide 88 blocks are all I can stand, but
still need it to be 10 or 20 inches bigger, what could I use for the
borders which would be compatible in weight to the blocks? Also, I figured
I'd use Warm and Natural as a batt because it's thin and doesn't require as
much quilting, but would I be better off with something lighter, like
4-ounce polyester? Finally, backing: does it need to be heavier than usual
(usual being whatever decent cloth I find on sale at JoAnn's) to balance the
heavy blocks? Would Kona cotton or chambray work well? Given that it'll be
heavy just with the blocks, I'd like to keep it light where possible--but
not if it won't get along with itself. Make sense?

TIA muchly.

Dogmom

You might not need a batting at all -the muslin is probably enough. Try
curtain-weight cotton for borders. You can also add width with sashing,
which is not a bad idea anyway when the blocks have so many odd seams. I
usually sew this type of block together with a 1" sashing strip, finishing
to 0.5" so the thick blocks just butt together. Fleece might be a nice
backing for this, it's lightweight but heavy structure. And then you'd
really need no batting. You could tie it or machine quilt down the sashing
strips.
Roberta in D

"dogmom" wrote in message
...
I'm making a large string quilt; sewing the strips to 10" squares of
good-quality muslin (which in hindsight seems almost like a waste of good
muslin, but so it goes.) If I decide 88 blocks are all I can stand, but
still need it to be 10 or 20 inches bigger, what could I use for the
borders which would be compatible in weight to the blocks? Also, I figured
I'd use Warm and Natural as a batt because it's thin and doesn't require
as
much quilting, but would I be better off with something lighter, like
4-ounce polyester? Finally, backing: does it need to be heavier than usual
(usual being whatever decent cloth I find on sale at JoAnn's) to balance
the
heavy blocks? Would Kona cotton or chambray work well? Given that it'll be
heavy just with the blocks, I'd like to keep it light where possible--but
not if it won't get along with itself. Make sense?

TIA muchly.

Dogmom

When I make this type quilt-and am just finishing one-I use Warm and Natural
for the foundation blocks. This way it already has the batting. Just add a
backing. If I want it anchored to the batting, I use decorative machine
stitches and stitch on the seam lines-this flattens the seam also.
Gen

"dogmom" wrote in message
...
I'm making a large string quilt; sewing the strips to 10" squares of
good-quality muslin (which in hindsight seems almost like a waste of good
muslin, but so it goes.) If I decide 88 blocks are all I can stand, but
still need it to be 10 or 20 inches bigger, what could I use for the
borders which would be compatible in weight to the blocks? Also, I figured
I'd use Warm and Natural as a batt because it's thin and doesn't require
as
much quilting, but would I be better off with something lighter, like
4-ounce polyester? Finally, backing: does it need to be heavier than usual
(usual being whatever decent cloth I find on sale at JoAnn's) to balance
the
heavy blocks? Would Kona cotton or chambray work well? Given that it'll be
heavy just with the blocks, I'd like to keep it light where possible--but
not if it won't get along with itself. Make sense?

TIA muchly.

Dogmom