When I look up about doing a rag quilt it says homespun fabrics are good. What are they? ?

Question

They also mention flannel is good, but I like all the patterns that come in 100% cotton. Can I use 100% cotton? Like regular quilting fabrics?

Answer 1

Homespun fabrics are easily ripped because of the way they are woven, plus they're the same pattern on the back as the front.

Here's some xamples: http://jubileehomespun.com/Fabrics/Fabri...

Answer 2

Homespun fabrics are best for rag quilts because the pattern is in the weave of the fabric, not printed on top. Also, homespuns aren't as tightly woven as printed cotton fabrics, so they fray a little easier (which you want in a rag quilt). The down side of homespuns is that they are only available in stripes and plaids, and the colors are fairly limited. Homespun fabrics and flannels are both 100% cotton, by the way.

You could use regular cotton quilting fabrics, but it won't have the soft texture of flannel or the clean color in the frayed portions of homespuns. Expect your frayed bits to be lighter because the back of the fabrics will be visible.  

Answer 3

What is homespun fabric? Originally, these fabrics were woven by hand, and had a loose weave and a rough texture. Now, this term is also used for other fabrics that imitate the homespun rustic look. They usually come in plaids, but can be found in solid colors as well. It has no right or wrong side unlike cotton print fabrics

I think you could use your 100% cotton = in fact it would probably be less likely to stretch and shift when piecing.  Homespun tends to be loosely woven and may make it harder to keep straight seams.