Plush Patriotic Pillow
I love sewing with Minky! It sews up so nicely, if you know beforehand what to expect! I made a flag bench pillow this week from Minky, and I just love how it came out.
What is Minky?
Michael Miller Fabric’s Minky fabric is a plush fleece 100% Polyester fabric. It has a nap, like corduroy – meaning it feels different if you brush your hand one way vs the other over the surface of the Minky. It also looks different, so you will need to make sure you cut with nap going in the same direction. I love it’s soft and silky texture.
Today I am sharing some tips to make it easier for you to tackle a Minky Project!
First off – Click here to find this free pattern to create your own pillow!
Tips for cutting Minky:
Cut with a rotary cutter if possible. Notice that the same fabric looks slightly darker in one direction - make sure nap is all facing same direction.
After cutting with a rotary cutter, place all of your pieces in a dryer with a damp wash cloth. Tumble on Low for 10 minutes. This will reduce the amount of Minky “crumbs”.
Use a vacuum cleaner or lint roller to clean up the Minky crumbs at the cutting mat or sewing machine.
You might find Minky in the grooves of your cutting mat; you can “erase” it with a plastic eraser - I like the Staedtler brand erasers for this (they don't leave a mess).
Tips for stitching with Minky:
Using the right needle is key - use a 90/14 Stretch needle.
Take the time to use your walking foot for this project; this will ensure that the top layer does not stretch further than the bottom layer. Sew slowly, so that all layers move at the same rate.
Use a ½" seam allowance with a stitch length of 3.5mm or greater.
For Applique, start with a 3mm wide x 3mm long zigzag to applique the edges down. The pile will hide any mistakes in stitching!
I used Thermoweb’s Spray’n Bond to hold appliques in place.
Use long flower head pins to hold layers together. I find that I generally use many pins, as the layers like to slide
If you need to press, use a press cloth on top of the project to prevent melting, with iron set on low. Take care that you don’t flatten the pile.
Care Instructions:
Wash in cool water.
Tumble dry - low to no heat and remove immediately.
I like to use wool dryer balls with a completed project.
Do not use liquid fabric softener.
I hope you find these tips helpful!
-Keep on stitching!
-Kris
