Tashana

I am finishing a bargello throw (about 70"x70") for an elderly lady. Her daughter, a dear friend of mine, wants something for her mother to throw over her legs while she is watching TV or while she is sitting on the front porch in cool evenings. Minky comes to mind as the perfect choice for backing, it is soft and warm and cuddly. I have never worked with minky before and I do not know how it behaves as a quilt backing.
The quilt is made of 90% batik which is not prewashed and 10% cotton which is prewashed. Batting will be either W&N cotton or poly (her daughter will have a choice, but she wants me to have final word since she does not quilt. If I use minky, what batting will be the best? What is the best way to piece minky for backing? Does it stretch while being quilted?
I will quilt it on my DSM since I do not dare practice my LA skills on somebody elses quilt. I baste all my quilts with Elmer's glue. Will it work with minky or should I just do it the oldfashioned way with a needle and thread?
How will the whole quilt behave after being washed? I wash all my quilts as soon as I put binding on them. Some of you may wander why I only prewashed the non-batik fabric. Someone, somewhere once mentioned to me that batik behaves shrinkage wise like it is prewashed. I do not know if that is true, I guess we will see. Any and all advice is highly appreciated. Thank you!

gramajo

I'm playing devil's advocate now, but I think minky is rather slippery and would have a tendency to slide off. Hopefully, someone else will know.

If it is slippery, use flannel as that doesn't slide and, in fact, stays in place quite well. If you use flannel, though, that definitely should be prewashed since it can shrink quite a bit.

You may have to use a ballpoint needle.

hperttula123

I have made a few quilts with minkee and you do have to take your time with it. It will stretch one way alot and the other way not so much. I've done a few smaller quilts that are "birthed". Just sewn around the edges and an opening is left open to flip right side out, and then you sew around it again. I do get some puckers that way. I use a walking foot when doing that. This way works, but I just don't like the end result as much.
I prefer to load it on a longarm. It is so much easier to manage that way. Even if you just do a stipple or meander on it. Minkee is so warm. I like using poly with it. It helps hold in the heat. I don't like being cold

francie yuhas

I often put Minsky on quilt backs. I use basting spray and light weight batting. I don't try to quilt it heavily..enough to hold it together.