To Batt or Not to Batt, That Is The Question
 

Working on another baby quilt. I have always added batting to any quilt, but am thinking about not putting any in this quilt. It is backed with white Minkee and has the Minkee Border on the front. The middle is a decorator fabric I fell in love with, but I am afraid it will be heavy with batting. But maybe it will look just too flat without any. What do you all think?

Love the fabric - I think it is fine to not put batting

I wonder the same thing. I have a quilt I am debating on using batting with. I am afraid the quilt will be too limp without batting. I will await the advise of the seasoned quilters.

I thought Minkee almost always substituted for batting, especially for a baby. I vote no batting.

Well, I will tell you my experience, although I didn't use minkee, so that might make a difference. I made an adorable pieced flannel top, used fleece for the back, and no batting. When I quilted it, it distorted the top so bad, it looked awful, it was so bad I never finished it. I thought it was the fleece but a friend told me if I had used batting it would have been fine.
So I don't know, but it was very frustrating. Hopefully minkee won't do that. Good luck - it's very cute!

I believe "summer" quilts used a flannel as the batting layer, might be enough to give it some body without too much weight

I made a baby quilt for my grandson and only used fleece with no batting. But I tied it and did not quilt it! Made one for a grandaughter that I quilted. I am not very talented when it comes to quilting so it did not turn out as nice but it worked. I have never used minkee. But I am thinking you probably don't need batting. Just baste it closely or maybe consider tying it.

you might want to add batting around the animals to make them more 3-D

UPDATE to BATT or NO BATT...
 

After reading the first 4 or 5 answers to question about batting or no batting I decided to go with the NO BATTING. Unfortunately, I should have gone the other way. I expected the Minkee to strech so I pinned a whole lot, even basted (which I never do) and I still ended up with a mess. I am not going to post a picture of this, it is just too distressing, but I am going to take it completely and start over because this fabric was all so expensive. BTW I had it almost finished before I decided I had a disaster on my hands. Also, I ignored just about my only rule...always start quilting in the middle and work out.

When I use a thick, soft back (minki?) I don't add any batting. It simply is not necessary. One of my DGD's first quilts was made this way. She laid out the design she wanted and sewed it on to the fleece backing. Worked great!

i think the minkee is 'puffy' enough that it won't look flat.

I did a quilt for my grandson without batting - they live in California and his mother said she loved that it didn't have batting, it was the perfect weight. The front was pieced, the back was minkee.

Just cute as can be, great job and thank you for sharing. no batting
Have a Blessed day
Ellen

Love the fabric . The minkee is enough without the batting. I think you are right.

I use a lot of fleece mainly on the backs of denim quilts. I never use batting with the fleece, but I do, always, use basting spray. It keeps the fleece from shifting when you quilt it. Never used the minkee yet, but seems like it would be, more or less, just like the fleece. Basting spray is my best friend as I use very little pinning with it. Holds all the layers together perfectly for me.

This is what I do also with all backings. I have made several quilts with fleece and a pieced top - no shifting. Minkee with a pieced top - no shifting. Flannel with a pieced top - no shifting. With fleece and minkee no batting.

Makes me wonder if it was the foot you were using. I use a quilting/walking foot. Also have automatic pressure/tension on my machine.

I think it needs a light batting. I think when it's quilted it will be sunken in the middle and too flat all over.

One thing to consider when not using batting... Is the color of the backing going to give you the effect you want on the front. I almost made a terrible mistake by not using batting. I'm glad I realized it soon enough. The mango colored Minky backing would have darkened the light cream color in my quilt top and the seams would have shown - not what I would have wanted. You could always just use white flannel in a situation where batting would be too thick.

I've done it with batting and quilted...it's very warm. Also, minkee without batting...I love it. I just did the birthing method on it. I like the result that way also.

When you quilt a quilt with minkee, quilt with the minkee down. (on the bottom of stack)

I would use at least a thin batting. I have never used minkee. I see where you posted that you were goning to take out the quilting and start over. I too always start in the center and also always quilt next to quilting. This way just turns out best for me.

Oh boy! I thought I had this all figured out. I want to make 4 small/lap quilts for my adult kids for Christmas. I got Minkee at least 2 years ago for it and never got them made. Well, I scoured the QB for info about sewing with Minky and got fabric for the fronts.....various panels with different themes and decided not to use batting. I figured that I needed to do some kind of quilting to hold the 2 layers together and got it that you sew with the Minkee on the bottom and with a walking foot. I wasn't going to try much fm quilting (too new to it), just more or less in the ditch of the seams. center panel and side panels, and maybe try some simple designs in the large panels to hold it together.

AlienQuilter, when you say Minkee with pieced top, no shifting.....did you do any quilting on it? These will be about 55x60, unless I decide to make them narrower, maybe 48x60. What to do???

I don't think you need batting. the decorator fabric will give it some weight aned the minkee some fluff

me too........

I just made a minkee rag quilt - both sides the same, I used warm and natural batting so glad I did...I like my throws, quilts ect...to have a little thickness to them.

I made a minkie backed quilt for my grandson......flannel front, I used a warm and natural batt..... it is heavy, but they keep their house so cold..... he loves it! As much as any 2 year old can!

I didn't use batting on a quilt that I backed with flannel because I thought it would be too heavy. I do not like the results. The quilt is too flat and the quilting is not defined. Minkee might be different, but I think if it was me, I would use a thin batting just based on my previous experience.

I always like to put batting in mine. But, it is fine not to.