I have a Long Arm question about using Minkie--- Help
 

Hi. I'm making a quilt for my son and he wants minkie on the back. I've been told to put the stretchy minkie going across the long arm but it's not wide enough for this quilt. The flimsy is 65" and the minkie is 59". So, should I make a seam going up and down the quilt? (I've been told that's a no-no) Or should I turn the minkie with the stretchy going up and down and then the seam would be going across rather than up and down. Help. I'm pretty new to LA work and this is my first quilt with minkie and this problem.

I had a similar situation and I had the seam going vertical to the roller bar--I made the seam a little bigger--maybe 1/2" and pressed very flat and since only had about 3 rolls to the quilt (lap quilt) it worked ok. It might work to have the stretch attached to the roller bars if you don't keep the backing very taunt. I have 4 lap quilts for Christmas, all with a minky type backing, that I had planned on having to piece the minky for the width and had bought enough to allow me to cut it in blocks and piece a strip to make sure to have the seam horizontal. Somehow I got lucky and all were wider than the 59" the clerk told me--except the one that was a narrower quilt! Good luck!

The one time I had a quilt with a Minky backing I heavily thread basted it to the top so it wouldn't shift at all, then I basted an 8" wide strip of muslin to all 4 sides of the quilt and loaded it on my long arm with the muslin pinned to my leaders. No shifting or stretching issues at all and it quilted up beautifully.

Cari

What a great idea Cari...I’m sure it took more time but sounds like your process was worth the effort.

I have only used minky on two crib size quilts so a single WOF was plenty and I quilted them on my DSM. Good luck Jean.

Can you turn the quilt top sideways so it fits the backing?
Live backed many quilts with Minky- it is a family favorite. I longarm quilt. I’ve never had a problem ( or even thought about) direction of stretch. I’m careful to simply smooth- not stretch my backing. Minky quilts beautifully.

It was a baby quilt. I did it this way because the Minky was barely bigger than the quilt top and I didn't know what else to do. It was more work but it worked so it was worth the effort.

Cari

Well, it's done! I turned the minkie with the stretchy going up and down and was careful to not tighten it too much. It turned out great. Maybe I can get a picture tomorrow. Thanks, everyone.