Sewing with Minky

Minky fabric adds so many new possibilities to your sewing projects.  Find out all about how to use it to take your latest creations to the next level and the best tips & tricks for sewing with this incredible fabric.

What Is Minky?  Minky (aka cuddle) fabric is a versatile plush low pile polyester that features two-way stretch with a velvety napped finish.  Soft, warm & cuddly like fleece, but much trimmer and with a fluid-like hand.  

What Can You Make With Minky?  Since Minky washes incredibly well and does not pill or fray, the project possibilities are endless.  Quilts, blankets, pillowcases, tree skirts, stockings, table toppers, soft toys, scarves, lounge wear and more! 

Plush quilt made with Christ Is Born Nativity Panel & Star Navy Minky Fabrics

Infinity scarf made with Born Is The King Stained Glass Multi Minky Fabric

It also comes in a generous 58-60 inch width, so much more fabric per yard!

Plush quilt using Born Is The King Panel and Stained Glass Red & Green Minky Fabrics

How do you wash it? Wash in cool water. Tumble dry with low or no heat.  Minky dries fairly quickly, so no need to overdry.  Minky does not shrink.  Do not use liquid fabric softener, which could coat and degrade the fabric over time - you want to keep that cuddly soft finish!

How do you cut it?  Minky is a low pile fabric so it has a nap (direction the pile lays).  Check the nap BEFORE you cut each piece to be sure it is going in the right direction.  Minky is easy to cut with a rotary cutter or shears.

Handy tip: Since it is a plush fabric, Minky gives off some fluff when cut.  Have a vacuum attachment or sticky roller on standby to grab loose bits to make clean-up easy.  A quick shake outside or a few minutes in low or no heat in the dryer with a damp washcloth can get rid of any clinging to the fabric too.

What kind of needle? Use a ball point or stretch needle is best for sewing Minky since it is a fabric with stretch.  A stitch length of 3.5mm is ideal.  Regular 40wt sewing thread works great.

Long flat head pins are best for keeping long amounts of fabric together for larger projects and are also easy to see when pinning on the right side of the fabric.

Use a walking foot.  It provides even pressure to feed multiple fabric layers at the same speed, so they won't shift or stretch while you stitch.  Just like with quilting cotton, it's best match grain and stretch of your fabric pieces. Stitch stretchy sides together and non-stretchy sides together.

Can you sew Minky and quilting cotton together?  Yes!  As one has stretch & the other doesn't, these tips are key to successfully stitching:

- Always pre wash cotton since it does shrink (Minky does not)

- Use a 1/2 inch seam allowance, stretch needle and walking foot

- Pin frequently

- Keep the grain lines the same direction for both fabrics whenever possible

- Sew with cotton on top, Minky on bottom

Can you iron it?  Minky is wonderful because it doesn't wrinkle easily, but if you must iron it, you can use low heat and a press cloth.

Can you quilt it?  Absolutely!  Recommended stitches for top stitching or applique include straight, blanket, zig-zag and satin stitches.  When quilting with batting between the layers, or doing applique, it's very handy to use basting spray to hold fabrics in place to make stitching easier.

We currently have a number of new release Christmas designs in Minky, like Born Is The King and Christ Is Born, with more popular prints coming soon.

And stay tuned for several easy-sew project tutorials using Minky too!