Callie_Grace Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I have a customer who is interested in me quilting a top with minky as the backing. I have never quilted with minky, but I believe I could do it as I have seen some of you that have done this before. I know I need to remember not to tighten the backing as much to reduce stretching. However the customer is thinking she does not want to use batting. What do you think of this? My first instinct is that you would not have the stitch definition and would look more like a blanket. I am also concerned about tension issues. What are your thoughts on this issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oma Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I've done it a couple of times and I would use at least a thin batting. It gives better structure. Also, important to remember which way to put the stretch and don't pull the quilt too tight each time you roll it. It turns out beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I always use a thin batting. My go to is Hobbs 80/20. I made a whole bunch in the last year with minkee both sides or just the back with a cotton pieced top. I personally would put in batting. If it is a cotton quilt top I still use Hobbs 80/20. But any batt would work. You wont get any definition to it. It would look just as a pieced top stitched to a minkee back. I don't think she would be happy. In the end. Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merryjo2003 Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 Yep! What Oma said! I've quilted a lot of minky backed quilts. It will quilt fine without a batt, however, they just don't have any body. They're kinda limp and floppy. I like using a thin batt will them. I like how they feel when they're done much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkl Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I like working with minkee even though the fluff sticks to the walls! I recently completed a quilt with minkee backing for a customer. It was surprisingly easy to work with. I used a very light poly batting that gave the stitches nice definition. I also attached the binding front and back by DSM. My customer was very pleased with the result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zora Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I first saw quilt with Minkee backing at a quilt shop that specialized in using Minkee. They told me you need to use batting, because otherwise, the quilt becomes "back heavy"...with the backing being the most prominent part of the quilt. I wouldn't recommend quilting without batting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie_Grace Posted February 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 Thanks for the help. Oma you mentioned that it is "important to remember which way to put the stretch and don't pull the quilt too tight each time you roll it." Could you explain the best way to load the minkee with the stretch factor? I would like to mention this to the customer so the back will come in correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpkinpatchquilter Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I could be wrong but I think Oma is talking about cross grain versus straight grain. Even with cotton fabric usually one of the two is stretchier. I have some minky here and I just went and tugged on it - the cross grain (selvedge to selvedge) was stretchier. I would guess you'd want the side that stretches least to be where you attach the clamps to. Maybe seam it on the selvedge ends if she has to? Look forward to seeing how it goes for you!! OH, also wanted to mention Karen McTavish was talking lots lately about quilting Minky. She doesn't have a lot of videos up, but on her YouTube she's got some photos of her quilting victorian feathers on minky. She showed some pictures on her FB fanpage too. For what it's worth. Thanks for the help. Oma you mentioned that it is "important to remember which way to put the stretch and don't pull the quilt too tight each time you roll it." Could you explain the best way to load the minkee with the stretch factor? I would like to mention this to the customer so the back will come in correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oma Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I should have mentioned where I put the stretch...duh! Minky definitely has a stretch direction. It's very easy and forgiving and looks great. Now I can't remember exactly...residual radiation fog I'm blaming it on. AARRGGHHHH!!! I have these days where it seems hard to think. It makes sense to put the stretch on the sides. Non-stretchy going vertical on the bars so that it can't be over stretched. Then be careful not to pull it when you attach your side clamps. I've done both a loose design and a fairly tight design and they both worked great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheagatzi Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I love quilting with minky - even though I don't have my longarm (yet) I have quilted minkee on my Juki many times with great results. I agree - a thin batting gives it body and a quilt like feel as opposed to a floopy blanket. - FEAR NOT THE MINKEE! So many quilters i know do not want to attempt the minkee! Just pin pin pin (if on a dsm) and then pin a bit more :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I always load the salvages on the leader and am very careful not to roll too tight and to stretch the sides too hard. I have almost always used a thin batting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwing Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I quilted one of my own quilts early on thinking I wouldn't need any batting with the heavier minky back. It looked good until I took it off the frame. Like earlier posts mentioned, it was floppy, and the seam allowance was highly visible due to the color contrast of the blue minky and white background quilt top. I ended up ripping out all of the quiting, and requilting with Hobbs 80/20 for batting. Now it is the quilt that the family fights over each night. I have also done baby quilts that are just two layers of minky quilted together and bound. Since they are on the small side ~60" x 60", they seem to be just fine with no batting. Like Heidi, I load with the salvages on the leaders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathyh Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I haven't used kinky but want to. Is minky woven, or is it a knitted fabric? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 Please read to the end ---I just finished one with a Minkee-type backer that had a very high nap--at least a half inch. I attached selvedges to the leaders, used no batting (per her wishes) and pin basted it all before I attached the clamps. Pinning it first allows you to see that everything is loose and flat before you start. Then attach your side clamps right on top of a pin, catching all layers, not just the backer. That way the clamps can't pull and distort the stretchy fabric underneath. Now that I got you all set up for a glowing report of a fabulous job--BAH! While the pin-basting helped, the top fabric shifted terribly as I quilted and even with carefully placed swirlies, there was bunched fabric between designs. So--never again will I allow a customer to offer Minkee for a backer without insisting on there be a thin batting as well. The high nap on the back showed some pretty quilting but the stitching caught a lot of the nap, which would look better if it could be pulled out from under the stitches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 Yep!! Got to use some batting!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie H Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 I havent done minky without batting but have used it a lot with batting. While it is easier to work with with the selvages pinned to the leaders, it isn't terribly hard to work with if you can't pin that way. Just don't pull the backing taut. Let it be loose. Sometimes on directional pantos you don't have a choice in which direction to load the backing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpkinpatchquilter Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Oooh so glad I stopped to read this post hey!! Hmmm...I can't wait to see how yours turns out and hear what works! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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