7 things you need to know about working with Minky

Minky is a wonderful fabric that is soft and luxurious.  It can be made into many beautiful things.  It also required special care and attention.  Here are 7 tips to keep in mind when working with this fabric:

7 Things you need to know about working with Minky:

 1. Most minky is 1 sided.

Unlike it’s cousin polar fleece, Minky has distinctive right and wrong side. Minky should be lined with another material (like charmeuse satin) for comfort and to make it aesthetically pleasing.

2. It sheds like crazy.

When working with minky you’re going to want to keep the lint roller handy.  All that plush goodness sheds where you cut it.  After cutting I recommend taking the pieces outside and giving it a good shake.  You may also want to wear an apron while sewing with it to spare yourself the cleanup.

3. You need to pin Minky (a lot)

Some sewists like to brag about how they don’t have to use pins.  With this material you need to use pins.  It slides under the needle,  so for straight seams and limited heartache, pin it….. a lot!  Using pins will also force you to sew slower which can help limit issues.

4. You need a Jersey ball point needle.

Minky has a stretch to it, it’s also slick, by using a ball point needle your stitches will stay even on the fabric.  If you forgo the next thing you should know (# 5) please, please use a ball point needle in your sewing machine to make your project successful.

5. You want a walking foot.

If you plan on doing a lot of sewing with minky fabric, a walking foot is worth the investment.  A walking foot is a special foot apparatus that makes it so the cloth has feed dogs feeding it on the top as well as beneath.   It makes it so the fabric can’t slide under the needle, and helps keep stitches even.  It gives also allows you to sew through thick sections of fabric with little difficulty.  It basically gives your machine super powers! It’s  a good tool for a sewist to have in her toolkit.  The downside to a walking foot is that it can’t handle turns, so you either have to sew a few stitches and manually turn the fabric yourself at gradual increments, or forgo the walking foot altogether for a curvy piece.

6. Watch the washing temperature.

One of the awesome things about cuddle fabric is that it has that wonderful texture and doesn’t need to be dry cleaned.  This is one of the reasons why so many moms love this fabric for baby blankets and items.  However you should never wash it hot as it can cause some of the fibers to melt resulting in losing its softness.   The same goes for drying the fabric, be sure to dry at a lower temperature for the fabric to keep its amazing texture. Also don’t use fabric softener on minky fabric as it can gum up the fibers and make it less soft.

7. It’s not just for babies.

While there are many wonderful patterns for babies out there this wonderful fabric isn’t just for them!  Treat yourself to some cuddle fleece goodness like this candy stripe scrunch scarf pattern, child cape or bow infinity wrap!

You can see all my minky projects here.

Working With Different Fabrics:

• Coral Fleece Vs. Polar Fleece what is the difference?
• What is the Anatomy of Fabric?
• How to Sew with Faux Fur
• Which Fleece is Which?  Your Quick Start Guide to Fleece

More How to Sew Lessons:

• How to get started sewing with a sewing machine
• How to Unpick a Seam
• How to Make a Button Hole
• What are the parts to a Sewing Machine?
• What is a Straight Stitch and How to Sew it
• What is a Basting Stitch?
• How to read a Sewing Pattern
• How to Make a Rolled Hem or a Baby Hem
• What to Look for a in a Good Sewing Machine
• What are the must have sewing tools?
• Traditional Sewing Pattern VS Digital
• How to Choose a Sewing Machine
• 5 Easy Ways to Save Money on Crafts and Fabric
• You can see all the How to Sew Lessons Here