I can't tell you how excited I was to hear that Shannon Fabrics was releasing a short pile minky line. They've chosen to market it to quilters specifically, but I have a feeling it's going to be perfect for us plush crafters and doll makers as well... so let's take an in depth look at this new fabric and see what's up!
First Impressions
The obvious first thing you notice about this fabric is that it's not as wide as Cuddle 3 - since it's designed for quilting, they've chosen to make it 44" wide to match the standard width of quilting cotton. This should only be a problem for plushies if you're making something very large, but it's worth keeping in mind that you get less fabric per yard than Cuddle 3.
The 1.5mm pile is super soft and buttery. I expect high quality minky from Shannon Fabrics, and they don't disappoint with this line. It does feel slightly thinner than Cuddle 3, which will make it easier to work with at smaller scales.
Cuddle 3 (top) vs Quilting Cuddle (bottom)
One thing Shannon Fabrics boasts for this line is the low stretch - it's supposed to be used in the same capacity as cotton, after all. I can tell it's not as stretchy as Cuddle 3, but it's still a knit and still has the mechanical stretch/give that you expect of a knit. This will be a benefit for plushies as it means it will still be easy to turn and not pucker around curves.
Working with the fabric
I had a feeling this fabric would be really nice for smaller more intricate pieces, so I chose to make a tiny deer to test out my theory.
I started with the tiny blossoms covering the deer. This part was done in the hoop, and I had no problems embroidering on this fabric. As with any minky or fleece, I recommend using a water-soluble tearaway topper to hold the pile down for embroidery.
I was worried about turning these tiny little flowers given the low stretch, but they actually turned quite easily! Points for quilting cuddle.
Next I embroidered the eyes and spots, and appliqued the hooves using my embroidery machine. I normally have to pick the pile out of the satin stitch on the hooves when I make these deer, but the 1.5mm pile isn't long enough to get caught in the stitching so I was able to skip that step entirely!
Once the embroidery is done, I can test how the fabric actually sews. Admittedly, I just didn't have a stretch needle on hand so I used a universal needle and standard zig-zag foot. I can't say a stretch needle would have made anything better - it sewed perfectly fine with what I had on hand. This fabric has the same "sliding" problem that all minky tends to have, so a walking foot will give you more control over it if you have one.
I don't think the difference in stretch between Cuddle 3 and Quilting Cuddle is particularly noticeable while sewing. It wasn't until I got to stuffing the deer that I really felt it at all. I like the way it has enough give to round out a bit when stuffed, but it still holds shapes really well. This is a fabric you can use for those intricate projects with lots of darts and small sections that you don't want puffing out when stuffed!
Final thoughts
Quilting Cuddle made be designed for quilting, but I think we have a sleeper hit for plush and art dolls here! My only gripe with this line is that it's not available in the full Shannon Fabrics color selection- in particular, we're missing a good peachy tone for light skinned dolls. But this is a new line, and hopefully in time we see the color selection expand.
