4.27.2011

Minky - to use or not to use -

What is your opinion of Minky fabric?
I'd love to hear.
Do you love it?
Do you hate it?
Have you ever used it?
I'll be back later with my opinions, pros & cons.

Thanks for visiting our quilting blog!
Have you checked out our patterns recently?
 For more fun updates sign up for Piece N Quilts newsletter.
Leave a comment, we'd love to hear from you.
~Natalia
{Connect with us}
youtubei

47 comments:

  1. I love Minky. I use it in almost all baby quilts to some degree, softies, and even in other quilts when I need texture.

    Downside...it is hard on your cutter and hard on your sewing needles. I have to clean my feed dog area several times when I use it in any quantity and change my needle as well. I always have to cut at least a 1/2" extra to get a 1/4 inch seam.

    Upside...it is so soft! LOL Also available in a lot more colors and patterns than in previous years.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the look, HATE to work with it. I've never used it in a quilt, only as a backer to a baby blanket. It was such a PITA to work with that I avoid it at all costs. To me, the frustration that comes with it isn't worth the all the agony of working with it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the feel but only use when someone else is doing the quilting!

    ReplyDelete
  4. LOVE the way it feels. HATE to use it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love minky, but its frustrating. I would recommend pinning EXTREMELY well, and if a walking foot helps to keep materials from sliding around, then use that. (I have one, but have never used it before, and I'm always wanting to get something done, and dont wanna mess with changing the foot and experimenting)! :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have a love / hate relationship with minky. I use it for baby blanket backings and people seem to love the super-silky-soft hand it has. But holy moly, does it shed like crazy, it's hard to square up, and it can get all woogily-woogily when you sew it. PLUS it's WAY expensive!!! So I'm starting to wonder if it's really worth the pain and cost.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I absolutely adore MINKY!! My thought is why bother making a quilt if you are NOT going to back it with MINKY! I love to snuggle under a minky quilt. The only downside and I mean only is that the MINKY does add a lot of weight to the quilt--so like for my elderly MIL I thought best not use it as she might get trapped under her quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love minky to add a little texture. Don't like how hard it is to get straight and how expensive it can be.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I say ditto to ginger. My own feelings exactly!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm about to back not 1 but 2 baby quilts with it, so this is very interesting timing! Instead of quilting the minkee I sent a pieced top/batting/muslin sandwich off to my quilter and the now washed minkee and quilted tops are in the dryer right now. I will be using the minkee as a backing and just hand tacking it down here and there so they don't separate.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love it, love to back quilts with it as long as it's straight line quilting....no real problems with it, it's just slow going :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love it for quilt backing. My kids do too. It is expensive. I have quite few scraps gathering up and was thinking about actually trying it in some quilt blocks. I haven't had problems quilting it, but I only machine quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  13. If you are using small pieces of it, interface it, it will eliminate the stretch. I don't mind working with it, but you have to pin, pin, pin!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I've had limited experience with it but am just about to back an adorable baby quilt with it. Reliable sources tell me not to pin but to use 505 Spray. I'll keep ya posted!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I bought a bunch recently, but am sort of intimidated. My mom uses it all of the time, but she warned me it is not easy to work with. Hopefully soon I will get over my fear and test it. I LOVE the feel of it and I bought a ridiculous amount of colors and textures so I will have to force myself to like it :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I've only used it once to back a quilt and I liked it. I was nervous using it but didn't have any problems. Sure made for a soft and snugly baby quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I absolutely love minkee...I have used it for backings and piecing on the quilt top. I have machine quilted it with no problem and one of the big perks is you don't have to use batting with it when you use it as a backing!!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I LOVE minky! I've only used it on a baby blanket tho. I want to try it in different ways but just haven't gotten to that point. I can't wait to hear what you think about it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have never used Minky on the top of a quilt, nor have I backed any of my own quilts with it.
    However, I'm a longarmer and of course I have quilted quilts with Minky backs. It's okay as long as the customer knows NOT to cut the selvage edges off (it's funny how with regular quilting cottons, it's a must to tear off selvages, but with Minky, it's a big no no!) to avoid stretch (if selvages are already cut off, I will sometimes quilt it as is, and sometimes interface it), and I lengthen my stitch length if I'm stitching in regulated to help the machine glide over it better.
    But. I don't think I will ever use it on one of my own. :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love it too! I have backed several baby quilts with it.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Minky. Can't live with it, can't live without it.

    HATE: (1) cutting it - the shedding is incredible. (2) sewing on it - it requires a pin about every 3/4 inch in order to sew straight, and good luck squaring it up! (3) I purchased a VERY EXPENSIVE piece of minky dot (the kind with the raised dots on it) and thought I'd be really crafty and stabilize it with an iron-on stabilizer - which worked, and it was really easy to sew, until I realized that ironing the minky pressed the dots flat......

    Love: (1) How it feels (2) How it looks. (3) How many new varieties and textures and colors are availble.

    My longarm quilter doesn't hate it, though, so it'll stay in my quilts for now! :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oooooo, Minky, so soft and lovely. I've used it two and both times as backs for baby quilts. The more they are washed, the softer!


    Pam

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love minky! And people love receiving it. Even though it is a little harder to work with, it is worth it. I have quilted baby quilts with just a little more difficulty than others and my longarm quilter says she doesn't mind it at all and just finished another quilt perfectly for me today!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sewing on minky is tough, but I LOVE the finished product!! It's totally worth it!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love it. I use the 505 spray, and a walking foot, and the only issue is the mess it leaves behind when cutting it. But hey, doesn't quilting leave messes of their own? I mean I have clipped thread everywhere, and the floor is littered with the little ears I trimmed off, then there is all the crumbs from squaring up blocks and such. A very small price to pay for something so heavenly!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I have a bunch of minky - enough to do a couple full size quilt backs - and I am *afraid* to use it! It's SOOO stretchy!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I like the look but I don't like that it is polyester- it doesn't feel breathable to me. If I need a soft fabric I usually look to chenille.

    ReplyDelete
  28. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I would love some tips on how to work with it. I worked only once with it, and found it hard. I do like the feel of it on a baby blanket. Tips please!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Love it! Definitely give yourself a 1/2 inch seam allowance. It does leave bits everywhere, so have a tape roller thingy ready. I find if I put the minky as the bottom layer when sewing it seems to do alright. I love to pair it with flannel--yum!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Looks like many others have the same problems I do with Minky. I love it and hate it. I find it slippery when sewing with it. I didn't have any problems until I tried to use it as a backing, then I got frustrated.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Love the way it feels for a baby quilt. Hate sewing it. It slips all over the place, even when you pin it diligently.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Wouldn't use it if I got paid to! I have several fellow Guild members who have no problem with it however.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Love it!! I use it to back my baby blankets and have made about 10. This is the only material I ha e ever used for backing and am self taught, so I may not know truly how hard this may be to sew with. A walking foot works wonders on it, as does going slow. It sheds like crazy, but that's easy to clean up. My only complaint is that it is very hard to keep straight when sewing and you have to go very slow with it.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Good question! I have been wondering too. I have some Minky charm squares I have been afraid to use. Now back to read the comments.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I love it, but it is kind of a pain to work with. It feels so nice though, and I never get more compliments on a baby gift than when I use it.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Minky is definitely in a love/hate relationship with me. I love the look and feel but hate working with it. The fuzzies everywhere and stretching drive me crazy.

    ReplyDelete
  38. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Oh, it feels so soft, but it's a pain in the pa-toot to work with, and it leaves fluff all over everything! But . . . babies love it, so I'll still work with it. Working with it right now, in fact.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I have only used it once to back a quilt and didn't have any problems with it at all. I stuck to straight line quilting on my Bernina and it turned out lovely. I will use it again and again!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I love it but HATE to sew with it!Too much stretching, seems I can never get it right

    ReplyDelete
  42. I love Minky! I have never had any issues with it either. I just use straight line stitches and it turns out great!...and so cuddley:)

    ReplyDelete
  43. I did some Minky charm squares with regular cotton and I totally hate the sewing. I love the feel and I will keep using it for backing but never with piecing.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I just don't think you can beat the softness and snuggle factor of good Minky fabric. It can be a pain to work with but I think its worth it. I used it as a border for both my boys special mama made blankets and we all love them around here. They are the go to movie quilts.

    ReplyDelete
  45. I love Minky. I use it to back most of my quilts. It is so soft and SOO warm. If it is staying in CA then I dont even put batting in it. The key with minky is to use your walking foot and to go SUPER slow. For my edges I use about a 1/2" seam allowance. It is not too difficult to put binding on either. It looks like you are getting LOTS of mixed feedback...

    ReplyDelete
  46. I love the feel and look of Minky. Hate the price. I find it is somewhat difficult to work with and have only used it as backing on crib/lap sized quilts. Spray basting helps a ton, but I pin as well. You can't expect it to act like cotton ~ it's a poly knit!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting our blog! We love to hear your comments!