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-   -   Minky Fabric Made Me Feel Inadequate (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/minky-fabric-made-me-feel-inadequate-t179093.html)

rekrug 02-12-2012 07:59 AM


Originally Posted by EllieGirl (Post 4967420)
I fought the battle with Minky fabric yesterday and lost. I was making a tag blanket for my granddaughter, just 15 x 15. The front was four squares with her name monogrammed in the middle. I pinned the front/back together and started sewing. It was uneven and bunchy so I started trimming, even though it was even when I pinned it. When I finished the blanket the name was no linger centered, clearly an inch off.

By the time I stopped for dinner, I was feeling like I can't do this. My mother taught me to sew years ago, and she was a dressmaker, working from home. I used to sew when my kids were little, but put it aside for years. I've started back in the last year, thinking I was doing pretty well, until last night. What could I have done differently?

I have never worked with Minky, but did read some information about sewing it. The suggestions were to pin, pin, pin, pin and to not try to use a 1/4 seam, rather 1/2 or larger. I love the bumps, but haven't seen any quilts that look polished and squared using Minky. Somehow, the tailored look of a pieced cotton top with Minky on the back doesn't "look" right to me. Maybe flannel top and Minky? That would be snuggily!

KSellers 02-12-2012 06:40 PM

I did minky on the back of baby quilts and didn't have any problems. I do have a mid arm machine, and the top
was pieced in 100% cotton fabrics. I did use batting because I wanted it softer. I think the thing that probably
made yours difficult, is if you sewed 2 pieces of minky together. I think that stretch would be real hard to do well.
What if you sewed the Minky to a stabilizer? I think I will probably not sew Minky to Minky.

Christine27 02-12-2012 07:01 PM

My sis in law and I have each made a Minky blanket, but probably never again. She fought with the first one on the regular machine, using lots of pins and spray basting. I loaded the second one on our longarm frame and put it together, kind of quilt-as-you-go style. I still needed to use the basting spray. Between the stretch and the nap, it was wanting to shift around way too much.

aberi 02-12-2012 07:10 PM

i have used minky often and love the way it turns out.. the easiets way to work with it is to iron on a very thin stabalizer to the back.. otherwise you pin like crazy.. have had great sucess with both methods! the stabalizer works the best ..
don't give up you can do it

kayluvs2quilt 02-12-2012 07:18 PM

The quilt gods must have smiled on me...I have used minkee twice - even bound a child's quilt in minkee and had no problem other than cutting it required a face mask. My quilting is very simple - usually hand stitch around a few motifs (very primitive stitching (looks like a child did it)) LOL....

Ripped on Scotch 02-12-2012 07:24 PM

i spray baste, pin and use a walking foot with minky...I also have the dust buster sitting next to me because that stuff is messy! so I can suck it up as soon as possible?

lalaland 02-12-2012 08:11 PM

I had to laugh when I read the title to your post. The kids in my sewing class did a community service project over the holidays that entailed sewing blankets for kids using minky on one side and some other slippery than an eel fabric on the other side. I was the designated seam ripper goddess while they struggled with bunching and uneven borders. We finally found pinning profusely in sections, starting in the center of the fabric, worked wonders and ended up making 15 presentable blankets for donation. Now one of the girls is making a dress out a very slinky spun polyester and she made the comment that after that minky, this was going to be a piece of cake!!

Silver Needle 02-12-2012 08:18 PM

I made a muff for an elderly woman. Her hands got cold when watching Tv. Used 4 blocks and minky for backing. Used walking foot and it still wasn't fun in this small a project. I, too felt less capable after trying to work with it. So affirming when you know someone else has had same problem.

Chigger Holler Quilter 02-12-2012 08:58 PM

So...wanna' hear my story? I purchased minky baby blanket kit for DGD. I never got around to making it so when DDIL got a sewing machine for Christmas she told me just to leave it with her and she'd make it. OK, no problem! LOL I had never sewn with it before so I really thought I was being nice; until I read this post.
(She did tell me that the fabric stretched a lot and that it's together but not perfect.) She probably hates me! LOL (DDIL is young and hasn't sewn much) I'll have to tell her she's not alone on the Minky fab! :)

Tartan 02-12-2012 09:40 PM

But we get sucked in because it's soooo soft! It is a little tricky (snicker) but if you're determined and don't mind a less than perfect result.....:D


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