How many of you have used Minkie for backing? I have never used anything but cotton or cotton flannel. There is a stretch to the fabric. Is it better to have the stretch verticle OR horizontal? Does anyone have tips for quilting with it?

Thanks so much for you help in advance :thumbup:

I'm wrestling with Minkie right now! I'm using a vertical design Minkie for the backing of a quilt...no batting. Was advised the Minkie would be enough to make the quilt warm. It's lovely. I stitched in the ditch (remember now, I'm a new quilter) and I used a walking foot but still the Minkie had a mind of it's own because of the groove. I took it to the shop yesterday and the quilt person told me Minkie stretches, use a lot of pins to hold it to the quilt top, and try using a longer stitch so the machine foot can get over the fabric bumps more easily. I'll try that today. I was ready to pick it all out and hand quilt, but I try using a longer stitch.

I have used fleece and Minkee for backing with batting & as batting/backing for charity quilts. I got some fleece at a fabric outlet for $1.99 a yard so couldn't pass it up. This is what I learned but others may have totally different ideas and methods than I did.
1st. Decide if you are using the Minkee with batting , as the batting or as the backing/batting or just how you are going to use it.
1st. lay out the backing (if this is cotton tape, clip or however you normally connect to table top) If Minkee, fleece or whatever just lay it out on a flat surface, straighten it out with no bubbles, pleats or whatever. DO NOT TAPE IT, STRETCH IT, CLIP IT OR FASTEN IT DOWN.
2nd. Lay the next layer on top whether it is the batting or if it is the quilt top. When the top is placed on top start the pinning. No need to use hundreds of pins just enough to keep layers together. As you quilt on your sewing machine flatten and make sure the layers are without tucks and quilt away. Binding: some in my guild cut regular cotton and apply like for any quilt while others just fold over the fleece or Minkee (if used as backing) from the back to the front and sew it down. This is a quick process and makes a light in weight but warm quilt. Kids love them. Hope this makes sense--I am NO teacher more of a let me show you person. Good Luck, Sue

...another tip, Minkie creates fuzz. Clean your sewing machine of accumulated fuzz more often than usual.

Instead of SID or other traditional quilting, I used decorative stitches done individually to do my quilting. On one I did the simple circular stitch that looks like a grommet and did several all over the top, if you have a duck pattern or flower pattern that can be stitched individually, you could use that as well. Leaves the quilt very loose but still connects the front and back.

when Minkee first came out I cut out an article on how to work with it. Here's a recap. I have sewed a lot of Minkee scarves and I have found using your walking foot really works the best.

*It doesn't shrink so you don't have to prewash it, but be sure and prewash the other fabric you are using with it.

*Minky is a napped fabric so when cutting out a pattern, place all pattern pieces with the nap running down the garment. To determine the nap, run your hand along the fabric length - it feels smooth with the nap. Napped fabrics appear to ave a different shade when the naps are placed in different directions.

*it doesn't ravel so similiar to sewing fleece

*it is prone to shredding at the cut edges for zipzag, pink or serge he seams to finish them and minimize shreding.

*Use a size 80/12 universal needled, Minky produces a lot of lint so clean the fibers from the bobbin case and feed dogs regularly while sewing

*It tends to be slippery when sewing layers together, pin closely to keep the edges from curling and to minimize fabric creeping.

*When joining a Minky straight-grain edge to a stretchy crosswise edge, place the stretchy edge on the bottom as it feeds through the machine. When joining Minky to woven fabric, place the Minky as the lower layer as it's fed through the machine. The feed dogs will help ease in the fabric's fullness.

*Press Minky with care. Set the iron on the synthetic setting and don't use steam. Press lightly on the wrong side in the direction of the nap to avoid crushing. If you must press from the right side, use a press cloth.

I made a baby quilt last year with both batting and Minkee. Big mistake. I should have left out the batting. Quilting the Minkee was horrible.
Since then, I have used fleece repeatedly without batting and it has quilted just right. I have done all kinds of quilting plus some decorative stitching with no problem. See my blog for further info.

judee

I asked this question once and someone suggested basting spray (the one that doesn't gum up your needle).

I've never used minkee but have done several charity quilts using polar fleece. I just laid the fleece on the table clip it to the table without stretching and pinned the top to it. It sewed like a hot knife through butter. Took no time at all to quilt but this was a child's quilt approx. 40" x 50".
I love making these blankies for the little ones as they're soft to be comforting,lovely and warm and light enough for a toddler to carry.

My first and only quilt I used minkie. I layed out my minkie on my carpet, sprayed my batting and got DH to help me hold it above the minkie then let it down evenly and spread it carefully to make smooth. I then sprayed on top of the batting and layed my top down over that the same way. I used matching thread and tacked it every 4 inches.