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| pin basting "Chocolate Dance" |
I had 2 brilliant ideas that turned out to lack brilliance:
1) try minke for a cuddly backing, and
2) don't use a batting to make it a light weight cuddle quilt having only 2 layers (quilt top and minke back).
My ideas seemed so brilliant when I thought of them at the time, but no... they turned out to be dumb ideas!
By the time I decided I hated the whole thing, I had done too much quilting to take it all out. So I just kept going and hoped for the best!I have decided that I hate minke and will never use it again. I put a strip of masking tape beside the cutting mat to attempt to corral the minke debris when I trimmed to the quilt, but it didn't help much... brown bits of fluff are everywhere.
Never again!
Minke works well when you bag a quilt top and do minimum quilting.
ReplyDeleteIt is best used for a quick usable quilt that will be thrown around, used and left on the floor. Not a special piece of quilting.
It is great for kids quilts on a short term basis as it is quick to whip up a finished project. Don't lose heart. The recipient will love how soft and cuddly it is.
I don't know what minke is? But I feel you pain!
ReplyDeleteMinke is either a love it or hate it product. I don't use it.
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain! I was trying to free motion quilt on Sunday.... arrgghh with the tension issues. I should try it again today and see if it will cooperate.... I only have 2 rows left.
ReplyDeleteI have heard horror stories about Minke... and others that love it. I tried it once. Never again.
I feel your pain, minky is awful.
ReplyDeleteI would have dumped it in the trash can! Something that I do when cutting fabric and trimming to help ick up the scraps and things like you experienced with the mink. I cut left over batting into 3 or 4 inch squares and always have a stack on the cutting table - it works great to pick up those pesky things.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I have seen you have a problem with anything - so it must have really been frustrating! I have learned the hard way that once something appears to go South, I am headed to the trash can!
Hugs
You are right...UGH
ReplyDeleteThe only way I can do anything like this is with spray basting and minimum quilting, like a wide wiggle stitch...
I wonder if it is a quality of minkee. I had one that was great, but all the others I've used are hard to work with.
ReplyDeleteI am sure the child will love it.
I had to shrug my shoulders when you first said you were going to use Minke. Several ladies in my quilt group love it. We make quilts for a children's hospital and for that it might be okay. Little quilts only 42x50 or so. Anyway the first time I went to buy some I decided there was no way I would bring it home. My husband is allergic to most dust and allergens so my sewing room is very close to the rest of the house. I just don't like the feel of it and have to agree with you that I could no longer try to quilt with it. Those who like it love it. The rest of us just do our own thing. But you really have to try different products.
ReplyDeleteNot fun at all! Minke feels so wonderful, but it does sound tricky to work with. I made a quilt with a fleece back and no batting and had similar issues. The batting helps to stop those backings from stretching during quilting. I think the stretch is what throws the tension out of whack. And now I worry that the tread will rip if I tug on the quilt too hard and it keeps stretching. Sigh. I think you deserve some real chocolate to compensate! :)
ReplyDeleteI've never used Minkee to back a quilt--too afraid--lol! I used to work at a quilt shop and dreaded having to cut Minkee for customers. It's so messy and we would not only have to clean the cutting area, but also ourselves. I do have a blanket that I purchased at Costco that I plan to use for a backing, but I may rethink that!
ReplyDeleteI too sewed with Minke once. Never again! I feel your PAIN!
ReplyDeleteI've heard a lot more negatives about minkee than positives, although some love to use it I've never tried and don't think I will. Maybe you should take a break from it, although I think I might never go back to it if it was so difficult to work with. And then you'd have to do clean up all over again.
ReplyDeleteMy experience, at least with a long arm, is that you need to make sure the selvages of the minky are on the SIDES of the quilt. If it runs the other way, it stretches way too much.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, lesson learnt and as you say, never again.but the suggestion to bag out a quilt with minky may work perhaps. Never used it myself, although I did use a fleece blanket as the backing on my SELVEDGE quilt. That worked surprisingly well.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for laughing at your post. We've all been there at some point. And, now you know you hate minkie. I do too. And, if I ever think using it is a good idea, I'll re-read your post. Enjoy moving on to your next project and I hope that winds up being more satisfying for you. :)
ReplyDeleteOuch! Sounds like it was a decidedly un-fun experience. I've never tried using minky in a quilt (and probably never will). With this quilt finished, you can move on to another project :)
ReplyDeleteIt sure must have been bad to get this reaction from you. And the mess of little bits!! I have never used it but feel a quilt should have 3 layers, a traditionalist I guess!!! I have enough trouble doing free motion without added trouble!! haha
ReplyDeleteI have heard too many Minkee horror stories like yours--I will never try to use it on a quilt, for sure! Sorry you had such a bad experience.
ReplyDeleteAt least you stuck it out and finished it out.
ReplyDeleteI had the same experience with minke, except I used batting too. It didn't help much and I hated the quilting process. I have decided minke isn't for me. I know others love it and working with it is easy for them. I don't know how they manage it.
ReplyDeleteI've never used it, but appreciate your sharing your experience. Thank you. Life is too short not to enjoy and to learn from our experiences and to share with each other. :o)
ReplyDeleteI love to use Minkee on baby quilts. The key is to spray baste the minkee to the batting. I've not used it without batting before. Spray baste keeps the minkee from moving at all, and my tension has always been fine.
ReplyDelete