HOW TO PREPARE MUSLIN & OTHER FABRICS TO BE PAINTED UPON:

From what I understand about muslin (in my part of the country)
is that it can be any of many types of fabric, including heavy
raw fiber material to light, gauzy woven fabric.  I am told it
can also be a thick but smooth cotton material like linen or a
textured fabric with or without patterns manufactured in.

NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF FABRIC is being used, all fabrics must be
washed, rinsed, and dried well WITHOUT fabric softeners or dryer
sheets BEFORE painting onto the material.

Manufacturers like to used oil-based (and other) chemicals to
coat their fabrics for transit to retailers.  This has benefits
for the sellers...it helps to resist dirt and helps the fabric
get less wrinkled.  That way it sells better because it looks
better to consumers as it hangs on the rack to be sold.  Manu-
facturers know that these will wash out once the consumer has
bought the article and laundered it.

ALWAYS WASH, RINSE, AND DRY ALL FABRICS WELL BEFORE FABRIC
PAINTING.  Chemicals in fabrics will prevent fabric paint from
adhering to fibers which will allow the fabric paint to wash away
causing fading or fade-out.

NEVER USE FABRIC SOFTENER OR DRYER SHEETS PRIOR TO PAINTING AND
FOR BEST RESULTS, DO NOT USE THEM AFTER THE ARTICLE IS PAINTED.
Fabric softeners and dryer sheets also put oil-based chemicals
into your clothing.  This can also be absorbed by your skin!  YOW!
Oil-based chemicals can cause discoloration to fabric paints and
dyes as well, even softening non-water based fabric paint like
Liquid Embroidery (Tri-chem EZ Flo or Artex paints) to the point
that some of it may wash away, especially if recently painted.
They can also prevent fabric paint from curing properly for
permanent wash-ability.  I also recommend that fabrics to be
painted or fabrics already painted NOT BE TREATED with fabric
guard chemicals if it can be avoided.  If you must treat it, do so
after the paint has had at least one week to cure properly.

NEVER WASH A PAINTED ITEM FOR AT LEAST ONE WEEK AFTER PAINTING IT.
For more humid or rainy climates allow 10 days before washing the
item after painting it.

If your muslin is the rough type, you will want to do all of the
above, letting the material shrink to a tighter weave.  Then iron
WITHOUT steam to prepare it for painting.  Dry ironing any fabric,
especially those with cotton contents, just prior to painting is a
GOOD idea.  This will smooth the surface and dry-out any moisture
absorbed from the air which can contribute to color-bleeding
(depending upon your climate).

The treatment that you may have been thinking of was (probably) to
add sizing after washing, but I do not recommend it unless you try
it first on a scrap piece.  I am not aware how sizing may effect
fabric paint since I never use it, so do it only if the paint will
penetrate the fabric well with the sizing.  It doesn't make logical
sense to me to add sizing since it eventually washes out and may
take fabric paint with it.  In any case, only a water-based sizing
should ever be used.

Perhaps there is a special product on the market for muslin pre-
paration, but I am not aware of any.  If anyone has heard of such a
product, they are welcome to share what they know on the forum.
Tread lightly with any add-on product since it may eventually wash
out and take fabric paint with it.  Always try it on a test piece
BEFORE committing it to a larger project.

I hope this message is helpful for you.  Please feel free to contact
me any time, if you would like further assistance.  You will find all
of my up-to-date contact at:
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HAPPY FABRIC PAINTING & HEIRLOOM CRAFTING!
Diane Seveland of FabricPaint.com