How to Make a Minky Quilt Part 1 - The Top

Minky quilts have their challenges but nothing that is too hard to handle.  This starts a series of posts on how I make a minky quilt. I quilt on a home machine with a walking foot and these blankets are made to be machine washed & dried for daily use. 
The following thoughts & tips are my own - but as in all things, you must do what is right for you.

Basically the bottom line for any quilt is to have a nice flat quilt top before you start assembly of your quilt sandwich. 
This includes the front and the back.

What I do: 
* Pre-wash fat quarters or fabric yardage  
* Do not wash pre-cuts
* Use lots of canned spray starch
* Iron, iron & iron
* Press seams open
* Trim all loose threads - front & back
* Use a #12 needle for regular quilting cotton and a
  #10 needle for batiks 
* Stitch length is 1.5  in a scant 1/4" seam

Cautions: 
* Using steam to iron and starch will shrink your unwashed fabric.  Use your judgement on this point if you need every inch for a specific pattern or design.  Ironing at every stage is still necessary.
* If you stitch in the ditch - do not press seams open. 

All posts are linked at the top of the blog under 'How To Make a Minky Quilt" - or scroll down to read Part 2 - The Table.