10 Must-Try Minky Fabric Sewing Tips with Shannon Fabrics
Join National Educator, Teresa Coates, for a live broadcast from Red Roxy Quilt Co in Decorah, Iowa! She will share an overview of how to sew with Cuddle® minky plush fabric, including her favorite, tips, tools and techniques to make the microfiber plush, knit fabric work for you.
Instructor
Shannon Fabrics/Teresa Coates
Shannon Fabrics imports and distributes several different types of fabric, including super-soft Cuddle® minky plush fabrics, Embrace® double gauze fabrics, terry cloth and other novelty fabrics. Teresa Coates is a writer, editor and maker. Currently she is the National Educator for Shannon Fabrics and the host of Sew Together Tuesday.
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What is covered in 10 Must-Try Minky Fabric Sewing Tips with Shannon Fabrics?
Join National Educator, Teresa Coates, for a live broadcast from Red Roxy Quilt Co in Decorah, Iowa! She will share an overview of how to sew with Cuddle® minky plush fabric, including her favorite, tips, tools and techniques to make the microfiber plush, knit fabric work for...
How long is the tutorial video?
The tutorial video is 00:42:12.
Is a transcript available?
Yes. A written transcript is available on the tutorial page.
Video Transcript
1. Always mark before you cut. Mark your fabric with a variety of tools: a Sharpie, a water soluble marker, a chalk pencil. Choose something lighter if your fabric has a dark background.
2. Cut it the right way. There are two types of Cuddle: low nap (like Cuddle 3) and high nap (like Luxe Cuddle). You'll want to cut them differently - low nap works fine with a rotary cutter, whereas with the high nap you'll want to use a craft knife or scissors. Cuddle minky is a knit fabric so there's lots of stretch which is why the marking is important.
3. Clean up your mess! Cutting Cuddle makes lots of "Cuddle dust" that will just get into your sewing machine. Brush it off and vacuum the edges. Then use a damp cloth to wipe up your table and mat. Take all the just cut pieces and put them in your dryer for a few minutes to get rid of the dust (lint). Once you get rid of that excess fiber, it won't continue to shed.
4. Always pin well! Cuddle is slippery so you want to parallel pin, and double pin. You want your pins parallel to your seams to keep the fabric laying as flat as possible. Always orient your pins so that the heads are closest to you, not your machine's needle. Teresa also recommends adding a second row of pins - this row can remain in the fabric, holding it steady, while you remove the first row as you sew.
5. Set your stitch length at slightly longer than usual (the default is usually 2.5 and you're going to change it to a 3 or a 3.5). You may also be able to adjust your pressure foot pressure and reduce it just slightly to allow for the thicker nap.
6. Use a 90/14 stretch needle - Teresa prefers those from Schmetz.
7. If you have a walking foot, you'll want to switch to it. This will make the Cuddle easier to feed through your machine.
8. Always use polyester thread because it will hold fast!
9. Teresa loves using basting spray to get everything to lay flat, particularly in the Cuddle strip quilts where you're placing two pieces of fabric together (or adding binding).
10. Wash your project the right way! Cuddle is a high quality fabric. It is completely machine washable and dryable. Use cool water, a low heat dryer and no fabric softeners or dryer sheets. If you accidentally add fabric softener, rewash the blanket with a bit of vinegar. Don't overdry it - dry it for 20 minutes or so then let it air dry. If you want to throw it back in to fluff it up at the end, that will make it super soft and plush.
