? concerning using minky for backing
 

I have 2 silly questions about using Minky for backing. I am using 2&1/2" cotton squares (can't believe I am doing this) for the front and I want to use Minky for the backing. I am not using a batting. Does it need to be quilted, there will be no batting to bunch up? Should I use a little bigger seam (3/8th maybe) to prevent any seams from fraying, without batting and quilting I worry about the seams raveling more and having more stress on them. I want the quilt to be washable and well loved. It will be a lap quilt about 50" x 60" or a little larger (depending on how much fabric I have).

If you don't want to quilt it, I think that you are going to at least want to tie it. The minkee and the top are going to constantly be shifting.

yes, it still needs to be quilted- to hold the 2 layers together- otherwise when it is laundered it will become all wonky- out of shape. I would not increase my seam width on the cotton squares. they should be just fine when layered with the minky.

Maybe sew-quilt 1" around the borders and tie the rest

Thanks. I knew I would find answers here. This is my first non-rag quilt and first time using minky, so thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

I sewed Minky once to make some simple billow cover to hold egg crate foam for a friend who is permanently in a wheelchair. I worked for hours and the fabric kept shifting on me constantly. I would NEVER want to touch the stuff again. If you want to back the quilt and you are going to use a DSM, I would stitch from the back and keep the Minky right side up otherwise it will shift on you. Good Luck !!

You can also lightly spray the minky and cotton pieced top together to minimize the shifting. I use minky for backing on the LA, sometimes using batting and sometimes not.

Thanks for the info. Have you ever used fleece? That is my second choice.

I did a baby quilt this fall with a pieced top and minkee back. One thing I did before quilting was use 505 basting spray and then a few safety pins before I started quilting. Turned out beautifully and according to the Mom and baby I gave it to says it washes like a dream, but dry on cool.

Thanks for the input. If it has to be dried on cool it may not be what I am looking for. I want something with no special washing instructions. Maybe I should be asking if it is a lot of trouble to take care of.

I did a small baby quilt 36" x 36", 2" white border, 2" squares thirties reproduction fabrics, scrap of thermore batting (memory's not working so well this morning so I think that's what the thin polyester batting is called!) Minkee back. Quilt was tied at corners of two inch block after it was turned inside out so I didn't have to do any binding. Quilt is frequently washed, thrown in dryer with large loads of other whites and it's holding up just fine, seems to be getting more soft and cuddly each time.

I recently quilted a quilt with Minky backing on my longarm. Since it was my first time, I researched it on several longarm forums and the majority of the longarmmers said to use batting with Minky. They indicated that you get much better results. I did use batting and it was no trouble at all to quilt. I think maybe the thin cotton batting stabilized the minky.

Thanks, it is good to know it is washing and drying well. I wonder if this dry cool and iron warm (100% cotton) is partly about energy efficiency and not about the fabric.

Minky also sheds a lot during the sewing, so remember to clean and oil your machine before and after sewing. I've notice that it also shifts, might want to use a dual feed pressure foot.

I use Elmer's glue to sandwich all my quilts. This really eliminates the stretching/shifting of the minkee. Once quilted, I wash and dry it. The Elmer's goes away and the quilt is nice and soft!

You asked about fleece as well. I LOVE putting fleece on the back of my quilts. Fleece and minkee both seem to "absorb" the stitches so they are not so obvious on the back. Fleece launders real well too.

I just got my minky-backed quilt back from the LAQ and she'd recommended using W&N batting as the outcome would be better, plus the minky wouldn't shift when LAQ'ing. The quilt came out beautiful and the weight and feel are just right.

I just quilted a 60" x 90" quilt with minky backing with no problem. I sprayed it with quilting basting spray and safety pinned it and did 2 styles of free motion quilting, it came out great. I also washed it and dried it with normal settings.

Whenever I use Minkee I iron on a light interfacing to the back. This help with stretching, and shifting. It does take a little time to iron on the interfacing, but I feel it is well worth it.

I made my mil a lap quilt backed with Minkee for her birthday last year. I did not use batting, stitched it right sides together then turned it out and stitched about 1/2 inch in from the edge.

I had applique flowers on the top and sewed vintage buttons to the centre of the flowers anchoring the whole quilt together.

I've made several lap quilts using minky. The ones I've made used 10" blocks of minky with a solid piece of cotton fabric for the reverse side. Whenever I find a beautiful piece of fabric that needs to be kept whole, this kind of quilt works out great. Other than the disgusting fuzz everywhere, just be sure that you don't stitch the stretchy sides of the blocks together. When I cut the minky blocks, I put a safety pin on the two stretchy sides. When piecing together, I know that I can't have my safety pins matching up.

I didn't use any batting at all and merely did a SITD quilting to hold the two layers together. Add binding and your done.

i did a baby quilt with flannel on top an minkie as backing with no batting had to use spray adhesive to hold in place.

I made one with a minkee backing, flannel front with batting for new granddaughter who lives in Chicago. I glue basted all layers and did simple diagonal line quilting. It gets washed and dried all the time, with no special attention. DD loves it because it washes great, DGD loves it because it is so soft and cuddly.