Yesterday I wrote about how useful a sticky lint roller is when working with Minky fabric. I had never used Minky before but decided to try it for a baby quilt I am making. There is nothing quite as kitteny soft as this fluffy fabric (except maybe a kitten!). It is used for baby items, toys, and plush blankets but from everything I'd read, is a nightmare to work with!
I had a few ideas swirling in my mind for this baby quilt I wanted to create for my soon-to-be great niece, from a scalloped border to ruffles to applique. When I was in the fabric store, I just couldn't resist petting that super soft Minky and my mind was made up. There are textured versions too and I ended up with two smooth fabrics and one dimpled, embossed cut. I think that will be nice for the baby to touch.
I'll share the quilt when I'm finished and the baby has been born. However, I did want to pass on the tips I learned about working with Minky. Some people wrote 'never again' about sewing the synthetic, somewhat slippery fabric so I was a little intimidated going in to the project. Of course, I decided to do some research and learn all I could before starting so I could have a fighting chance at a successful outcome.
Tip #1: Minky is very slippery so pin a lot! Pin before cutting and pin when sewing. Every inch or so for best results.
Tip #2: Use a walking foot for piecing. Keep the Minky on the bottom.
Tip #3: Lower the pressure on the presser foot. I went from a '7' to a '3'.
Tip #4: Lengthen the stitch. I used a 3.5 straight stitch. That being said, test, test, test on a scrap before sewing the actual project. Find the settings that work for you and your machine.
Tip #5: Sew with the nap of the fabric. Just like petting a kitty against its fur...it feels and looks better, and is easier to do, when you go with the grain. It's easy to tell which way - you want a nice, smooth stitching path.
Tip #6: Sew with a larger seam allowance. 1/2" is perfect. Minky tends to curl at the edges and that 1/2" helps tame it.
Tip #7: Make sure to keep a lint roller (or vacuum) around when working with Minky. After cutting you'll want to take the fabric outside and give it a good shake or toss it in the dryer on a NO-HEAT air setting to remove all the flurries. It's messy, but once you've eliminated most of the fluff, the fabric doesn't fray.
Tip #8: Use a rotary cutter to cut Minky. It works well to get straight edges with less mess.
Tip #9: Minky doesn't shrink so you want to make sure to wash any other fabrics you may want to use with it first, such as flannel, to pre-shrink it and avoid any potential problems.
Tip #10: Clean your sewing machine and bobbin area often! It can get extra fluffy in there when sewing with Minky so make sure to brush it out at the very least with every bobbin change.
I watched quite a few videos with tips on sewing with Minky and the tutorial below is the one I liked best. After following all the suggestions I really found that working with Minky is not that bad at all. The only mishap I had was hitting one of the pins that got hidden by the nap of the fur. No damage done to my sewing machine although the pin was bent and I made SURE to change out my machine needle. Even though it looked fine you can never tell if it is slightly bent and sewing with a damaged needle can throw off the timing on the machine - an even bigger expense and problem. I didn't want to take any chances for the sake of a $1 needle!
No need to be intimidated by this wonderfully touchable fabric. I would love to use it as a backing for one of my own quilts sometime. I can't wait for the baby to arrive so I can give her my very girlie Minky quilt.