toogie

Good morning Quilters, I am working on a baby quilt or blanket. I have either the cotton for backing with regular quilting and batting or Minky to just back the top, no batting.
If I decide to use Minky, do you place right sides of Minky and top together and stitch leaving an opening for turning? How do you keep minky from getting distorted? Do you stitch/quilt through it once it is turned? Or if you have made one with success, please instruct me how you accomplished it. I do have a walking foot, just to let you know. Thank you for all info-Toogie

Iceblossom

I have only used Minky on a long arm, and I had very few problems. Minky stretches, but with all fabrics that stretch, one way is worse than the other, so I set it up across grain on the long arm. I took over the project from a friend of mine, she had started one of two (for twins!) quilts in the other orientation and left it on the machine for a long time and the fabric had stretched badly. I had to take out what my friend had done, but again, once I turned the fabric it was better and still usable.

I have another friend who loves Minky but her quilting machine does not have a deep enough throat to handle more than a baby sized project. Her machine quilter has no problems with Minky and no extra charges for using it.

With both Minky and fleece backings, having tried without batting I prefer a thin batt, or at least a piece of flannel in between. Something for the quilting stitches to bite into.

oksewglad

I agree, Ice..And it gives the quilt a little more body.

craftdiva

i agree with a thin batting as well.
I had trouble the first time with minky. Asked at a quilt shop and the guy who quilted for them was there. So helpful. He said to use a stretch needle, thread like Isacord, and a polyester type batting. Very thin. It was amazing the difference it made. Did a queen size on my domestic with not one issue.

bakermom

I have put Minky and top RS together and turned successfully though I prefer to tie rather than quilt when I do-just personal preference. I have used minky with a light batting and quilted without any trouble. You do have to be careful because of the stretch but if you take your time you will be fine.

toogie

Thanks for your suggestions. I have it finished and posted in Pictures/Little Lamb. It did marvelous. I omitted batting, quilted wrong sides together and bound it with cotton strip.

copycat

Please advise on the type needle you found helpful. Is a Stretch Needle the same as Ball point needle? Thanks!