Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
Has anyone used minky for backing? >

Has anyone used minky for backing?

Has anyone used minky for backing?

Old 12-07-2012, 11:31 AM
  #1  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 47
Default Has anyone used minky for backing?

Hi everyone, This is my first question on the board. Has anyone ever used minky fabric for backing a cotton pieced quilt top? How would I prepare the top and batting? Would I have to wash them first? Should I use a poly batting? Would my LA hate me for using it? The quilt will be for my grandson and I thought minky would be so nice and toasty!
Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Cindy
Forgiven is offline  
Old 12-07-2012, 12:13 PM
  #2  
Super Member
 
pumpkinpatchquilter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 1,384
Default

Yes I have used minky as backing but when I do I nix the batting. It's just too thick and heavy to quilt through. Yes, I wash the minky also and dry it ahead of time, and all my cotton fabric is usually pre-washed before I start making the cotton pieced top.

Talk to your long armer before using it if you aren't planning on quilting it yourself so you don't end up in a pickle trying to get it quilted.

Hope that helps!

Last edited by pumpkinpatchquilter; 12-07-2012 at 12:13 PM. Reason: mis-spelling
pumpkinpatchquilter is offline  
Old 12-07-2012, 12:40 PM
  #3  
Power Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
Default

if your top is done don't wash it before quilting/binding- only wash--if it is pre-washing the fabrics before making the quilts---if you do a search you will find hundreds of us use minkie all the time---it quilts up beautifully with a long arm. do check with your long-armer to see if she has experience with it & any particular instructions.
i have used batting in a number of minkie backed quilts- i don't particularly like ones with out batting- i generally use hobbs heirloom 80/20. but it's your choice- i have used poly batts a couple times with minkie backed quilts.
minkie makes wonderful backings- quilts up beautifully- only down side i know of is the cut edges shed (alot) until finished (i generally purchase exactly what i need so i don't have to do any cutting on it- i order it in 2 or 3 pieces if necessary & when it arrives i take the package outside to open it & shake it out really good before taking it into the house) other than that i've never had a problem with it- the first time we took some to a longarmer was 8 years ago & it turned out so wonderful-now it is often our backing of choice.
ckcowl is offline  
Old 12-07-2012, 02:33 PM
  #4  
Super Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Orbiting
Posts: 1,448
Default

Joann's has it on sale at 50 percent off today through Sunday. Just bought 5 yards of it.

The lady cutting it asked what I was going to do with it and I said "back a quilt with it!" Then I told them about spray basting. Since you are going to a long arm quilter with it you need to ask her/him about what they require in the way of preparation.

I have made minkee backed quilts with batting, without batting and using flannel for batting. My favorite so far is using flannel as batting. I wash/dry, wash/dry it to make it shrink as much as possible.

Minkee wears very well, better than any other backing fabric I have used.

Some don't like it because it shifts on them when quilting. I have always used the spray basting on it and it never has shifted on me.

It comes in such nice colors these days. It seems like when it first came out it was only in "baby colors" (pastels). The minkee I bought today is a solid black. I'm using it to back a Dragon quilt which is mainly black, gray, white and some red.

It is cuddly - my son sleeps with his every night and I made it for him 5 1/2 years ago for his birthday.
AlienQuilter is offline  
Old 12-07-2012, 04:51 PM
  #5  
Super Member
 
faykilgore's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 1,594
Default

I cursed the one minky quilt I made because of the crawling. It was pieced with woven cotten. It does quilt beautifully and I just FMQ'd it with my standard sized Bernina. I will have to try the spray basting trick next time. It does shed something awful as well, but once the project is finished, it feels so good!
faykilgore is offline  
Old 12-07-2012, 05:32 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
vanginney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 351
Default

I did not have a good experience using it as backing. It slipped something terrible for FMQ. Never again. Good luck. I like the idea of it
vanginney is offline  
Old 12-07-2012, 06:14 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
LoupEsprit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Litchfield Park, AZ
Posts: 401
Default

Both of the two quilts I have made have minky background. I have had zero problems with it!
LoupEsprit is offline  
Old 12-07-2012, 06:17 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
LoupEsprit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Litchfield Park, AZ
Posts: 401
Default

Whoops! Didn't answer your other questions. I didn't use batting. Didn't pre-wash. they were baby quilts, and they were toasty enough on their own. Just quilt well enough (close enough together) that there is no sagging.
LoupEsprit is offline  
Old 12-08-2012, 03:12 AM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
Donna H-M's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 688
Default

I recently made a pieced quilt with minky backing. I had no problems. I researched on internet and found the best advice was to spray baste. I thought it seemed too thin so I used warm & natural batting. It came out great. FM and SID. Did not pre-wash anything. Also sewed binding to the front and hand stitched to the back.

Last edited by Donna H-M; 12-08-2012 at 03:26 AM.
Donna H-M is offline  
Old 12-08-2012, 05:20 AM
  #10  
Super Member
 
wolph33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Wi
Posts: 9,232
Default

We have quilted a minky back with the long arm-no problems-just try nor to stretch it.One of the mustache quilts is going to have a minky back-hoping to do this by Monday.
wolph33 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
DonnaPBradshaw
Main
2
10-16-2016 06:12 AM
DonnaPBradshaw
Main
6
02-09-2016 07:33 PM
MrsSerena
Main
8
01-27-2014 10:20 AM
GingerK
Main
4
06-12-2013 07:08 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


FREE Quilting Newsletter