Thread: Free Motion Quilting using Minky for backing

I have a baby panel, I would like to use minky for the backing. To quilt I thought of free motion, but not sure if that works real well with free motion. The only other thing I thought of was to use the hair sp? marker and using a ruler, mark it, just sew lines one way and repeating for the other. This would be easiest, but wondered about free motion in certain areas. Thanks for any ideas here.

Considering the experience I have had with minkiy I think you would have problems. It is a wonderful fabric, but quite unstable. Even crosshatching, as you mentioned, might be a challenge. Try on a sample sandwich and let us know.

Hmm...one of the things that are so nice to look at, but look out when you try working with it. Eh??? Does is knot up underneath or is it the stretching?

I made one quilt with minky backing and I made the mistake of spray basting it to keep it from shifting so much while I was quilting.

Minky is polyester and apparently of a type that reacts with the basting spray, causing the needle to gum up and require cleaning every couple of minutes. Ack! I thought I would lose my mind!

I had constant skipped stitches and tension problems because of the sticky needle and thread.

I also had a heck of time with the Minky resisting being moved - wherever I was pushing on it, trying to slide it around under the needle, it was gripping the cabinet surface. I got a giant poly bag - very thin and crinkly, not the soft clear plastic that comes from the dry cleaner's - and covered the surface with that and that helped. My all-cotton quilts just glide right over the cabinet and cutting table mat that's behind the cabinet - I'd never had any trouble with that before.

There was much wailing and sweating here, trying to get that Minky thing quilted. Thank God it was a rather smallish quilt, not my usual queen/king. I used to say that I would NEVER do that, again, but now I say that if I were to try it again, I would not use basting spray.

In fact, I would probably tie or bar tack any quilt with Minky on it in the future. Good luck and have fun with your project!

I agree with the idea that you should probably tie your quilt instead of trying to machine quilt it. Stretchy stuff is exteremly hard to quilt on a machine.

I quilted a baby quilt with Minky as a border. I had to pin heavily, but did a large loopy loop design on it and it worked out fine. Just take your time, and go really slow when you start going back up as that seemed to make loops on the back.

Originally Posted by judylg

I have a baby panel, I would like to use minky for the backing. To quilt I thought of free motion, but not sure if that works real well with free motion. The only other thing I thought of was to use the hair sp? marker and using a ruler, mark it, just sew lines one way and repeating for the other. This would be easiest, but wondered about free motion in certain areas. Thanks for any ideas here.

Judy- It may depend on your machine some too. I have a Baby Lock and just finished quilting a a quilt with minky on the back for my youngest grandson. I have a layer of batting in the middle. I did mainly straight line quilting but also quilted around the larger animal shapes with no problems. My friends with Baby Locks seem to do just fine with it. I would try out a sample to see how it works for you.

I have a baby lock as well, maybe it will work ok.

I love to use Minky but i use a long arm. Maybe sew straight lines and avoid crossing lines to help. Good luck and post pics!