Experience with Fusible batting

Steph, I haven't had actual experience with fusible batting, partly because I have heard some pretty negative things about it. And I don't know that you could fuse it to the minky.... if I remember correctly minky type fabrics do not like hot irons. I use basting spray, preferably 505 by Spray and Fix. Works a charm and washes out. It temporarily "glues" the layers together, but is easily repostitionable. (Just did 2 smallish quilts today. one is quilted and the binding is almost on... and will be finished by machine too. Other one will get quilted/bound tomorrow, I hope.)

Pati, > Hi there,

Don't iron Minkee. Minkee is polyester, polyester is plastic, it'll melt. Spray basting might be better. Minkee is slippery, so quilting is tricky. I've done straight line or gently curving lines of quilting on Minkee and had no problems.

Denise

Just random thoughts, Steph. Would the heat from fusing batting to minky melt the pile of minky and make it ugly? Would fusing batting to minky make it stiff and defeat the luscious feel of minky? Will quilting on minky get 'lost' because of the fuzzy pile? Did you say you were going to 'try your hand' at machine quilting? Does that mean you haven't tried mq? I've done lots of things that couldn't be done because I didn't know they couldn't but it seems like you've taken on a stiff challenge. You probably better do some testing to see how it goes. Don't mean to sound so cranky, I really don't. If your experiment turns out to be a bummer, I recommend tying the quilt. You can do it with your SM, it's easy and looks nice. OTOH, if you succeed, I might try it myself. Polly

Thank you Ladies! I didn't even know there Was basting spray and I hadn't even thought about harming the minky with an iron! Yikes! It's true - I've never machine quilted before. Well once - a pillow - stitch in the ditch and it was fine but it was just cotton fabric. I've heard that it's really difficult to do with minky. The top came out so nice, maybe it's not the best idea to risk quilting it myself... I could take it to the shop but it's so expensive and I really want to give it to the parents soon!

Tying the quilt might be the way to go. I hadn't thought of doing that with a machine... I think I'll look into doing that - tying it off somehow. I can try machine quilting on my next pure cotton project!

Thanks again for your helpful comments. I'll post the end product :)

Steph

Tying with a sewing machine is usually a bar tack- put your machine into zig-zag mode with a very short stitch length and a narrower width. Just stitch back and forth 6-8 times and move to the next spot. You can also tack pieces of ribbon in each place and tie the ribbon into small bows. Be sure to use a large enough piece of ribbon to make the bow and then trim the ends. Of, if your machine can make some pretty stitches, use those to tack the quilt. I have a chain of hearts. I let my machine make one heart and then move to the next spot. It's a better idea to tack when you are using the Minkee- it can be fussy, but it's sooooo soft! Good luck!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I have used fusible batting a lot, Steph, and I really like it very much. But I have found that I like to use the iron on both sides, and that wouldn't work with Minkee. I agree with the others about the Minkee melting and also Polly's though that the fusible batting would defeat the object of using the so soft Minkee. I mostly make wall hangings; and, for those, fusible is perfect. But, for a baby quilt it would not be great. It takes a few washings to soften; but it never gets really cuddly. I have also used it for a lap quilt, it holds its shape marvellously well! Doesn't drape though.

With Minkee, or a fleece backing or anything like that I think tying would be best.

Another thought, though: a quilt with batting *and* Minkee would be very warm. It is actually quite dangerous for a baby to overheat. Could you perhaps just use a layer of flannel? (Remember to wash the flannel a couple of times in hot water before you do - if you decide to).

Even without batting, you might like to tie. . In message , Steph writes

Amen to all of the above.

Two asides.

Be careful using the term 'fusible batting.' There are quilt bats that can be fused before quilting to avoid the dreaded basting chore. And there's fusible batting that is used to firm up craft project such as purses. Definitely NOT the same product.

Minkee (and such, it's a trademarked term) used as a quilt back can be long-armed. Have to be careful which way to load the stretch. Been done both with and without batting.

joan

Steph, it isn't that you can't machine quilt Minkee, you can, very easily, as long as you remember that it's slippery. I've made quite a few baby blankets with Minkee backing and they came out great. Pin the three layers closely and you'll be fine. Quilt either large motifs or straight lines or wavy grids, and it really enhances the puffyness of the quilt.

I like wavy grids, here's how I do it. Lay the pinned quilt on a table, Draw straight lines all over diagonally, in only one direction, I use a yardstick for this. Move the yardstick over 3 inches and draw another line, then another, etc. I use a chalk marker that just brushes off when through.

Start stitching on one of the middle lines, but gently go off the line to the right, then gently return to the line and veer off to the left, then back through the line and off to the right again, just about a 1/2" to 3/4" to each side of the drawn line, a very gentle wave, and don't bother trying to make the lines match each other, they look better random. After you get to the last line on the first half, go back to center and start over again to finish the second half.

Now you repeat drawing lines with the yardstick , but now on the other diagonal, to form your wavy grids and stitch as above. I've used this quick pattern often with Minkee and it really makes it puff up between grid lines. Just don't make the grid too small, 3" to 4" apart is good.

Use a walking foot if you have one, if not you'll be ok.

Secret to quilting Minkee is pin, pin, pin. and don't try doing intricate motifs, they won't show. My girlfriend once did very large freehand daisy like patterns on each of the front blocks, that looked good too, but she's an experienced free-motion quilter.

Denise