Do you know minky or minkee, that super soft fabric often used to make scarves, comforters, and children's clothing? I invite you to discover a bit more about this material... not so easy to sew...

So, let's get started!

What is minky?

Minky or minkee is a fabric made from artificial polyester fibers. It is quite thick and especially very, very soft on its "furry" side. The other side of the minky is hairless and smooth.
The minky is available in many colors.

Some minkies have raised patterns to create a design: dots, lines, stars... In the shop, we offer the classic dotted one.

Advantages of minky

Minky/minkee:

• is very soft and pleasant to the touch
• suitable for sensitive skin (babies, elderly people)
• comes in many colors
  
• keeps warm (suitable for scarves, throws, baby blankets...)
• has a furry side and a smooth side
• is fluid
• has a relatively heavy and draping fall
• easy to care for
• does not need ironing

Points to watch out for

Minky

• is fluid and therefore quite slippery when cutting and sewing
• has hairs and thus creates a lot of dust in the workshop during making
• has a nap direction

Let's move on to sewing tips that directly relate to these points!

Sewing advice

1. As explained above, minky like velvet has a nap direction. So, before cutting, it is important to determine the direction of the nap you want for your project; to place your pieces in the right direction. If you can choose either nap direction (according to your taste), remember that if you want to topstitch, the result will look nicer with the nap facing downwards (towards the floor).

During sewing

1. Due to its fluid and hairy nature, minky "moves" when sewing. I therefore advise you to pin well and pin your pieces a lot! Place a pin every 3-4 cm. Prefer glass-headed pins which are easier to see and find in the mass of hairs. You can also use wonder clips, the small colored clips that hold edges together.

If you are brave, the best is even to baste your seams so they are perfect.

2. Choose a jersey or stretch needle to sew minky as well as quality polyester thread like Gütterman thread.

3. If you have a serger, it will be perfect for sewing minky! If you don't have a serger but a higher-end sewing machine, don't hesitate to use its walking foot. This foot will help feed the minky evenly from top and bottom. If you sew your minky on a sewing machine, choose a zigzag stitch and lengthen the stitch.

4. Do not iron minky; it doesn't like it. However, if you need to iron a cotton lining, set your iron to a low heat.

5. If you need to reinforce a piece to place a snap fastener or an eyelet, place a piece of cotton or grosgrain ribbon.

For which projects?

Minky is perfect for children's items that you want to be very soft and warm: blankets, baby nests, comforters, baby sweaters and harem pants paired with ribbing, coat and jacket body linings... For adults, it is used especially for making scarves, throws...

There you go, you now know a bit more about this special material called minky.