How to Back a Quilt with Minky
Add Extra Warmth and Coziness to a Quilt Made for Snuggling!
Minky, that super cuddly plush fabric, is wonderful for backing lap quilts, throws and baby quilts. It makes a quilt extra warm and cuddly for chilly weather.
It does present some challenges to work with, however. Fortunately, they’re easily overcome.
The following article from Superior Threads covers all the basics of working with this cuddly fabric. Minky goes by many names, depending on brand, but they’re all polyester microfiber plush with a bit of stretch. Minky acts differently than quilting cotton and requires special care when layering and quilting.
Plus, the extra warmth and heft means you may not want to use batting. While you could make an entire quilt from minky, most quilters use it as a backing.
Cluck Cluck Sew offers great insights into using minky for a quilt backing, and for quilting a minky-backed quilt.
The Fat Quarter Shop offers a very nice selection of minky fabric: currently Cuddle Fabric by Shannon Fabrics, Minky from Michael Miller, and Plush from Clothworks Fabrics. You’ll find fun prints, solids and various minky textures.
A few examples of Minky fabrics.
Minky seems a little pricey at first glance, but keep in mind that minky is usually 58/60″ wide. You may only need a yard or two in order to back your project. Once you click the link below, scroll down past the kits and such to get to the individual fabrics.
