Quick Tips for Sewing With Minky

Many people are hesitant to sew with minky because they are afraid it is difficult to work with.  While minky projects can offer a new challenge to sewers, a few simple tips can make take the fear and difficulty out of the experience.

• Minky is stable parallel to the selvage and stretches perpendicular to the selvage (along the width).  

• Before you start a project, make sure to note the nap on the minky and cut pieces accordingly if you want the nap to lay a particular way.

• Minky, like fleece, will not shrink with washing.  However, make sure to pre-wash all other fabrics you may be using in your project since they may.

• When cutting minky, be prepared for a cloud of fuzz!  Try cutting pieces with a rotary cutter then taking them outside to shake them off, putting them in the dryer on the air dry cycle (NO heat), or keep a vacuum handy to cut back on some of the mess.  

• Test, test, and test your stitch length, width and tension on a scrap piece before you start your project.  Did we mention that you should test?

• Pins are your friends.  Pin every 1” to 1.5” to ensure the minky stays in place.  It may be time consuming, but you’ll thank yourself.

• Use a walking foot to help with slipping.

• To further prevent slipping, you can hand baste the layers before machine stitching.

• If you are working with one layer of minky and one layer of another fabric, stitch with the minky layer down and let the feed dogs guide the fabric.

• Give a generous seam allowance (about 1/2”) as minky tends to curl.

• DO NOT iron minky directly.  Instead, place minky face down on a towel and press gently on low heat or steam it.  Ironing and high heat will ruin the nap and any embossing in the fabric.

• Don’t forget to clean your machine’s throat plate, feed dogs and bobbin case often.  All that fuzz can get messy and clog the works.

• If you are making a quilt, use only a low-loft polyester or pre-washed cotton batting.  Even better – skip the batting altogether and save yourself the extra work.  The minky is fluffy and offers a great deal of warmth.

Those are just a few tips.  If you are an experienced Minky Master and have anything else to add, please feel free to leave your own tips and tricks in the comments section.  Don’t forget to post pictures of your minky masterpieces on the gallery, too!