i have a small pile of minkee and flannel goodies finished, at last! i believe many of the fabrics from this pile are at least 5 years old, probably alot longer…. and so alot of washing, trimming frayed ends, and pressing flannel fabric has taken place, with a good deal of reassessing, too!
i had to do some reorganizing of the ‘minkee stash’ in order to find some of the fabrics i knew i had {and found others i had forgotten i had}, and like many other things we start… well, it leads to other things! while i know it’s popular to do all that “clean out” in january after the holidays, it felt right for me to do it now, so i can relax, plan and enjoy my own holiday sewing, too. when i can’t find {quickly} things i know i have, or buy/remake things i already had, it’s time to take matters into hand and re-think about how i have things put together in the studio.
one thing is for sure. it’s always good to take stock of what you have. and i am glad i did, because it motivated me to use {and enjoy} what i have, but more importantly, to share the excess of things i likely won’t use, and pass them on, or donate. that’s always a good thing.
and as long as you’re making a mess… make it a good one, and then clean it all up at once!
and… i do have some tips for sewing minkee. look for those at the end of this post.
i not only made blankets, but with the scraps, i made matching little burping cloths too. {they are in the far right pile in the photo below}
i also used up some soft, luxurious cotton velvet in a rich, dark brown. i think this material is beautiful, and while the photo doesn’t show the rich color of the matching birdie flannel… it was real pretty, and great for a boy, too.
and one of my favorite edge treatments, a scalloped effect occurs using my bernina #10 edge-stitch foot, and a simple hem stitch function. just click on those links to see more tutorials and how-to’s on this lovely foot, or use the search button on my blog ~ search bernina #10}. i love teaching this class, too… and then i finished it with a serpentine stitch instead of a straight stitch trim.
the stringy yarn seen below on the edge of this flannel blanket? it was a pain to sew! it kept getting caught, and well… lots of thread fraying, etc… although i do love the look… not sure i will try it again!
sometimes i round the edges of my blankets… sometimes i do not! {aren’t these little monkeys so cute? i wasn’t that thrilled with them, but one of my girlfriends thought they were adorable, so i took her advice, and i am glad i did buy it!
and new fabric, purchased for a baby gift, the ever-popular dr. suess; this is cat-in-the-hat minkee with a matching cotton for the other side, and finished with a white chenille yarn on the edge. soft and cuddly, that’s for sure.
hello little monkeys…!
more of that birdie print, only this time with a dark green minkee. love this combo, too, and this time i added a double topstitch on the edge, which is a nice finish, too.
and nice little cotton patchwork leftover pieces… stitched together, right sides together, and that’s it. simple, and practical use for those leftover blocks, they make handy burping or “anything” cloths for a mom or dad {and baby!}
TIPS:
~ i like to sew with the minkee fabric on the bottom when i am sewing two layers together
~ a walking foot or a dual feed foot is absolutely essential for sewing with a stretchy fabric, and especially one with a thick pile such as minkee
~ i like to use a basting spray, which helps to keep the minkee from shifting so badly when sewing
~ i also pin “lengthwise ~ that is to say, parallel along the raw edge, and pull them out as i am sewing
~ some people like to use a narrow, sticky, water-soluble tape along the raw edges… {but i haven’t tried that yet}
~ a ballpoint needle is helpful
~ a zig zag stitch, lengthened to 3.0 to 3.5 is sometimes a good alternative stitch for stitching stretch fabrics
~ sew more slowly! this is probably the one thing i have found that helps the most! it really helps to be able to manage the layers, and keep the shifting of fabric to a minimum, as you sew with raw edges together
~ increase your stitch length when topstitching. it looks so much more professional, and … beautiful!
soli deo gloria~
xo
leslie
Comments 7
You have such fun stitches with your Bernina – it's great to have an opportunity to use them. And just think about all the space you've freed up in your storage area!
Wow, I love them! Thank you so much for sharing.
Good morning Leslie!
Thank you so much for your amazing blog. I am always thrilled to get a post from you. I save you email for dessert after I finish plowing through my emails!!!
You have such a heart for Christ and for sewing! And you are a wealth of information and motivation! Thank you for all you do!!
Your sista in Christ!
These are adorable…thanks for the tips too!! The different edging is so unique and just makes or adds the right touch!!
great tips! I'm always up for reorganizing as it is indeed frustrating to rebuy what is hidden. Luv the combos and the edging!
Thanks for the tips. I love minkee, but have never tried sewing with it. Knits and minkee scare me. I bought the ball point needle and am waiting on a sale for the knit and minkee I have my eye on. 😉
These are so lovely Leslie! I'm in baby mode right now with a new grandbaby to be coming in April 🙂 These will go on my have-to-make list! Thanks for all the wonderful tips!