MAMs

So I attempted my first quilting on a minky back (used at LA) and just tell myself that every first attempt is just a learning experience. I spent a lot of time adjusting the tension. I wonder if I ever will get tension issues mastered. Anyways, the minky was a hot pink with white polka dots (very cute) so I used a matching thread. My cotton top had a white background so I used a white thread and just wanted a small meandering pattern. I was getting frustrated because I kept seeing pink popping up on top so I kept adjusting and adjusting. Finally I gave in and thought to use white bobbin thread because minky really hids the thread anyways. Guess what, the pink was the minky coming up and not the thread. So was my tension still too tight or is that just how it goes with minky?

Another question, I heard on one blog that if the bobbin thread is coming to the top then the top tension needs to be tightened but the lady at the shop told me the reverse. She said if the bobbin thread is coming up then the top tension is too tight and needs to be loosen. There are so many experts on this board, so which one is it.

As soon as I have a quilt that I am proud of the quilting, I will post a picture.

Tartan

I would go with the lady at the shop since she knows the machine better.

kareno

I believe that the lady from the shop is correct. If the bottom was to tight it would pull on the top thread and vice versa.

feline fanatic

Regarding tension, here is an easy to understand and remember diagram http://www.superiorthreads.com/educa...-tension-works

The lady at the shop was right, if you are seeing bobbin thread on the top that means your top tension is pulling the thread up to the top so it is too tight (Or your bobbin thread is too loose)

Regarding the Minkee, I had that SAME issue happen to me. I tried and tried to fix it but never could and opted for a different backing all together. In my quilt I was using polyester batting and cotton thread. After much research I never did get a difinitive answer. I got responses like, it is the nature of the beast that minkee will just do that sometimes, cotton doesn't play nice with minkee don't use cotton thread to batting needs to be denser. I tried switching needles going both larger and smaller and it made no difference and it looked horrible. So I ripped and got a new backing.

I am curious what kind of batting and thread were you using?

sahm4605

I have used minkie before in many quilts and stuff and the only problem that i have is the stretch. but then again i spray starch the top to the minkie. seems to help with some of the stretch. maybe a smaller needle would work better. smaller hole less chance of pulling stuff back threw.

btiny36

I loved quilting with minky on my la...All i did was make sure i used the same weight in bobbin and top thread. I believe I used 40wt poly thread and loosened my bobbin thread to where the thread would just roll off, there was no way you could dangle the bobbin by the thread...I don't recall even touching my top thread at all...It quilted like butter and no show of minky on top.

MAMs

I used cotton thread 50wt (Madera) and the same type on top and in the bobbin. My batting was 100% cotton warm and natural.

JustAbitCrazy

I quilted one quilt on a longarm with a minky backing, and didn't have any problems with tension or minky fur coming through to the top. My quilt top was all cotton, my thread was 40 wt cotton in both top and bobbin, and my batting was cotton. You do have to watch the stretch in the minky. I mounted it with a side which does not stretch so much across the top (and then bottom, too, of course). The stretchier sides were to the right and left side as I faced the quilt, and they do tend to roll under the way knits do.

feline fanatic

OK so we have the common denominator of cotton thread. But then Justabitcrazy posted she quilted with cotton and had no problems with the fur migrating to the top. So maybe it is one of these luck of the draw things that it can happen at any time.

I know one thing, once bitten by that nasty beast of the minkee fur coming up to the top, I don't think I will ever take on a minkee backing again.

MAMs

I love how minky feels as the backing so I don't want to give up. Thinking I will continue to practice more with cotton top and backing and then try another minky. Maybe I will go with JustAbitCrazy and try 40wt thread instead of 50wt.