What can I use instead of a muslin cloth?

MrsE_2

I want to make windfall marmalade

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mumsknowbest/recipefairs/ep2_bridget.pdf

But I don't have a large muslin cloth.

All my pillow cases are good ones.

The town I'm getting my shopping in today doesn't have much.

Where would I get large muslin cloths?

What do you think I could use today instead?

Would a tea-towel be OK? They are not plain white would that be a problem?

I'm a mad chucker-awayer who throws everything away & has no scraps (well I used to be, been saving jam pots & pretty condement pots lately:)).

Alison_Funnell

I'd happily use a clean teatowel.

luxor4t

My nana who was an ace jam maker used to sew two new dish cloths together, (the 'old fashioned' creamy white two-layer knitted mesh sort, usually had a coloured overlocked edge) to use as a jelly bag. Worked fine hung from the wooden clothes horse..................mmmmmmmmmmmm damson jam

Apollonia

You can get muslin squares in the baby supplies section of Tesco - 6 squares (size 68cm/26") for £3 approx. So Boots, Mothercare etc probably have them too.

MrsE_2

Apollonia wrote: »

You can get muslin squares in the baby supplies section of Tesco - 6 squares (size 68cm/26") for £3 approx. So Boots, Mothercare etc probably have them too.

Oh brilliant, I was going to buy a couple of new dishcloths like the poster above suggested, but I can take a detour to Tesco:)

But not Boots (well only a teeny tiny one) or Mothercare.

valk_scot

This is to put the pips etc in, yes? Then buy a new pair of the cheapest tights you can find and cut one leg off, double it over and use that, tied at both ends.

luxor4t

Sounds a bit silly saying thank you for asking this question, but it brought back some lovely memories of my grandmother, who made saving money & 'old style' into an art form.
I suppose she was a genuine 'housewife' in that it truly was her profession - she ran a clean, comfortable house, served delicious but economical food and sewed or knitted most of her clothes, as well as knitting for grandad & the family.
She seemed to know how to do virtually everything - especially make jam! (not forgetting lemon curd and damson cheese) The dishcloth-jelly-bag was used for bramble jelly, which was amazing, and a great favourite as it was virtually free: blackberries picked on the cliffs & apples given from her neighbour's tree. Happy days.

MrsE_2

I popped into the one shop that might have it (had forgotton about that shop) & they had a muslin square for jam making - £6:eek:
It wasn't really big enough either to tie up all the stuff I need it to tie up (pith, cores, seeds, apple peelings), it was only really suitable for straining.

I did my shop in Waitrose & bought a pack of dish cloth for just over £1:money:

Then I popped into Tesco (only another couple of miles out of my way:cool:) & they had 6 LARGE muslin squares for £4.80 in the baby section, so I got them, the dish cloths will always be used, so I didn't mind buying both.

Great idea too the dish cloths, in case I couldn't have got the muslin squares. My DD is 22 so I haven't been looking at the babys stuff for donkeys years:) I really wouldn't have though Tesco would have them, I though I would have to go to Mothercare or a dept store:A

Anyway its in my giant stew pot right now, will keep you posted.

Thank you ladies for all your help:beer:

Primrose

If it's just to put the citrus fruit pips in, I use an old clean man's handkerchief. Or you could use a new Jey cloth.
If you need something bigger, an old pair of clean tights will do - the legs will probably be far too long so you can cut them off at some point and tie the loose open end into a tight knot.