Shannon Fabrics Blog

Modern Baby Quilts with Cuddle® Minky Fabric

Written by Emily Tindall | Jan 15, 2021 8:13:29 PM

Emily here from Homemade Emily Jane, and I’m thrilled to share with you my newest quilt pattern designs!

See Related: The Cutest Baby-Sized Quilts You'll Ever See (Sewing Tutorials by Homemade Emily Jane)

The first new modern quilt pattern is a single-block quilt that includes three sizes. I personally used Shannon Fabrics Cuddle® minky plush fabric to back my two baby-size Paradigm quilts and absolutely love how they turned out!

You can find my paradigm quilt pattern, here.

The second is my new Sprightly Floral Baby Girl Quilt Pattern, and it's a modern block-based pattern spin off of the Paradigm pattern. The Sprightly pattern features traditionally pieced quilt blocks that come together to make a more modern geometric design. You can read more about it, here

Editor's note: Don't miss our giveaway with Emily, running from Sunday January 17 through 11:59 pm ET on Tuesday January 19! One lucky winner will win their choice of a 2-yard Cuddle® Cut — be sure to head over to Homemade Emily Jane's Instagram and Shannon Fabrics' Instagram for all the details.

About the Paradigm Quilt Pattern

The Paradigm quilt pattern is unique in that it is block-based, but features just one large quilt block! The design in the pattern is scaled down for a pillow or wall hanging quilt size, and scaled up so you can make this same design as a baby or throw size quilt.

Using a single block turns some traditional shapes into a modern geometric design, and is a great way to feature large scale prints or showcase some unique quilting designs that you really want to shine.

About the Sprightly Floral Baby Girl Quilt Pattern

As mentioned above, this is a modern block-based pattern spin off of the Paradigm pattern, and it features traditionally pieced quilt blocks that come together to make a more modern geometric design.

I backed this baby size floral quilt with Cuddle® Dimple fabric in Papaya by Shannon Fabrics.

Quilting with Cuddle® Fabric

Speaking of quilting, let’s discuss the quilting on my baby quilts when I use Cuddle® fabric as the backing!

The quilting on both of these baby quilts was done on my home machine using a walking foot. I basted the quilts with spray adhesive (and always add a few pins just for good measure) and then got to work on the quilting. The coral (Cuddle® 3 Papaya) quilt is quilted using straight lines that are each 1” apart, and the blue/green (Cuddle® 3 Saltwater) modern baby boy quilt is quilted using a more unique design - but still using a walking foot!!

I get asked often, “do you use batting when backing a quilt with Cuddle®,” and the answer is yes! I love to use a thin, low-loft batting in addition to the Cuddle® fabric! 

When it comes to successfully using Cuddle® as a quilt back, my “Number 1” tip is always to recommend spray basting. I personally used Odif 505 spray adhesive to baste the quilt sandwich on most of my quilts, and find that it dramatically reduces the risk of stretching or puckering while quilting. If you want more comprehensive tips for using minky as a quilt back, take a look at this article

Thanks so much, Emily!

If you have any questions about Cuddle® minky plush fabrics or any of our Cuddle® Kits, feel free to contact our friendly, no-pressure customer service team at 866-624-5252.

Ready to start creating with Cuddle® minky fabric? Use our store locator to find a selection of Cuddle® minky fabric online or near you.