Does Minkee have to be quilted?
 

I'm not really sure it's minkee (neighbor bought it), but it is velvety (deep pile) on one side and smooth knit on the other. Not like any fleece I've ever seen. I'm using it for backing, and birthing the quilt. Does it really need to be quilted or tied? Can I just close the seam and top stitch around the sides?

I know there are several people more experienced than I who will know the answer to this, and I thank you for your help.

I've never used Minky. I donated mine because I was afraid of it leaving too many dust bunnies in my sewing machine. But I bet you have to quilt or tie it. It's heavier than cotton and seems like it would sag.

The quilting is needed to keep the top where it belongs, centered over the back. If you don't quilt or tie it, the top and bottom will shift and eventually the piecing on the top will come apart from the stress on the seams.

I was afraid of that, but the logic had not yet registered in my brain. I was really hoping to finish this today, but I guess that won't happen. The top is D9P. Will 7 1/2" inch SID be close enough?

Are you using any batting? If so, that will determine how close to quilt it. I like to quilt fairly densely, so I'm not the one to ask about how close is close enough, sorry.

I'm not using any batting. This is a lounge quilt for a 6 yo boy in Phoenix, so it will be snugly without being too warm. I just want to quilt enough for stability ("If you don't quilt or tie it, the top and bottom will shift and eventually the piecing on the top will come apart").

My sewing class does a community service project using minkee on one side and a soft slippery I don't know what it is fabric on the other side to make quilts for abused children. The fabric is given to us by the gal that heads up the project. She has made a LOT of these quilts and we do them her way and an alternative way. Her way is sew the two plies together (no batting), inside out, leaving an opening, turn, close up the opening and then sew a 2" border all around it. The border keeps it from shifting. If the border shows signs of making the quilt wonky then we use an alternative method. We measure the width of the blanket, divide by 3, and sew 2 lines down the length of the blanket. So if the width is 45", divided by 3 = 15" so we sew a line down the length 15" in from the right and 15" in from the left. This keeps the blanket from shifting as well.

I have just sewn diaginal lines thru minkee for quilting. Depending on size of quilt, the lines could be from 2 to 4 inches apart. This would be a fast alternative. You can get by without any quilting, but the front and back of the quilt would pull apart in the middle.