Sew Together Tuesday: Busting Common Minky Myths & Misconceptions with Shannon Fabrics
Off the road and into a new studio in the heartland, Teresa Coates and co-host Hawke Hamilton will give a sneak peek at the new space and then bust some of the biggest myths and misconceptions they've heard from quilters and sewists. If you've been curious about using minky, this is the show for you--we'll set the record straight and get you ready with the right information to make your sewing with Cuddle® successful.
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.
Shop this tutorial
Common Questions
What is covered in Sew Together Tuesday: Busting Common Minky Myths & Misconceptions with Shannon Fabrics?
Off the road and into a new studio in the heartland, Teresa Coates and co-host Hawke Hamilton will give a sneak peek at the new space and then bust some of the biggest myths and misconceptions they've heard from quilters and sewists. If you've been curious about using minky, t...
How long is the tutorial video?
The tutorial video is 01:01:55.
Is a transcript available?
Yes. A written transcript is available on the tutorial page.
Video Transcript
1. What is the difference between Cuddle and minky at other stores? Cuddle is a kind of minky. Minky is a type of 100% polyester, plush fabric, but there is a varying degree of quality. Cuddle is a high quality minky fabric. Cuddle only stretches in one direction and has a thicker, denser pile.
2. "I hear that it's really hard to work with and stretches all over." It does stretch in one direction. That is important when you're working on certain projects - for instance in garments, you may need to vary sizing based on the stretch. The best way to deal with stretch in the fabric is to pin securely, using Teresa's double pinning method.
3. Can you use an iron on Cuddle? Teresa's top tips: protect your cutting mat. You can use an iron, but you want to use a lower temperature and avoid steam. Treat it like you would another polyester fabric, or like a plush fabric like velvet. The main reason you might want to use an iron would be if you're doing applique with the Cuddle and applying fusible interfacing to the backing.
4. Is it possible to use Cuddle on the back of a quilt? YES! Shannon Fabrics has tutorials on how to do it. It makes a lovely, snuggly backing to a baby blanket or a lap quilt.
5. "It's polyester, so it doesn't ever shrink or bleed like cotton, right?" Polyester does tend to hold it's color well over time, but it can bleed a bit, particularly in the darker and redder fabrics. Teresa recommends that you pre-wash your fabric in cool or warm water, not hot. Cuddle doesn't shrink because it's polyester. However, don't forget to pre-wash fabrics that do shrink (like flannel or cotton) if you're going to use them together in a project.
6. Does minky make a mess forever? No. When initially cut, minky will shed along the cut line into what Teresa calls "Cuddle dust". However, once you clean up from the initial cut it won't fray or shed further.
7. Can you take out your stitches? Yes. It's a little more time consuming, but you can remove your stitches if you make a mistake. Just be sure to use your seam ripper to unpick individual stitches and don't pull or stretch the fabric to tear the seam apart. Also, you'll want to set your stitches closer to 3.0 due to the pile.
8. Can you make more than baby blankets or strip quilts with Cuddle? It's great for baby stuff (stuffed animals are super soft and cuddly) but there are so many other things. You can back quilts with Cuddle, or make pillows, applique fun details, scarves and other apparel (think about that bathrobe!), and so much more.
