Marlin Cuddle 3 Extra Wide is a 90-inch-wide minky plush fabric from Shannon Fabrics in a rich marlin blue — the same smooth, irresistibly soft 100% polyester Cuddle 3 quilters love, just wider. It is best for seamless quilt backings, oversized throw blankets, and cozy home decor that you want to finish in one piece, with no piecing down the middle.
What Is Marlin Cuddle 3 Extra Wide Minky?
Cuddle 3 is Shannon Fabrics' classic solid minky: a smooth 100% polyester plush with a soft, velvety feel. The Extra Wide version comes 90 inches wide instead of a standard narrower minky cut, so a single length covers the back of most throw, twin, and double quilts — and many larger quilts — without a seam. That extra width is the whole point: fewer joins, less wrestling at the machine, and a back that feels as good as the front looks.
Marlin is a beautiful blue with real depth — a color that sits happily in a nautical or coastal room, a nursery, or a living room that needs a calm pop of color. Because it is a solid, it lets a busy quilt top stay the star while the back adds pure comfort. It is sold by the yard at Linda's, and suits a wide range of projects, from home decor to clothing and accessories.
How to Use It
Cutting: Minky has a nap, so decide which direction you want the pile to run — usually downward on a blanket — and cut every piece with the nap going the same way, or the surface will catch the light differently. Mark on the smooth back side, cut in single layers with a rotary cutter and a fresh blade, and expect a little plush fluff at the cut edges; a quick shake outside keeps it off your cutting table.
Sewing: Minky likes to travel under the presser foot, so pin or clip generously — every couple of inches — or use a walking foot, and lengthen your stitch slightly. Let the machine feed the fabric rather than pulling or stretching it. Keep the iron low or finger-press seams: high heat can crush the pile. For a quilt back, smooth the 90-inch width flat and baste thoroughly before quilting.
Pairing: Marlin blue pairs beautifully with crisp white, soft grey, and nautical red-and-white prints, and makes a soothing partner for baby and children's quilts. Use it as the back for a printed cotton top, or pair a Cuddle front with a smooth cotton back for one plush side and one crisp side — one plush layer plus one smooth layer is much easier to control than two plush layers in the same seam.
A Project to Try
Seamless-Back Marlin Throw: A generous couch throw with a printed cotton face and a plush marlin blue back — no piecing required.
- Cut one piece of Marlin Cuddle 3 Extra Wide about 60 x 72 inches for the back, and one piece of coordinating quilting cotton the same size for the front.
- Lay the two pieces right sides together, matching the direction of the minky's nap, and pin or clip all the way around.
- Stitch around all four sides, leaving an opening of about 8 inches on one side for turning.
- Turn the throw right side out through the opening, push the corners out gently, and fold the opening edges in.
- Topstitch close to the edge all the way around to close the opening, then add a few lines of simple quilting or ties to hold the layers together.
The finished throw is big enough to share on the couch, and the marlin blue back is the side everyone will reach for first.
Care and Handling
Care is simple, just as Shannon Fabrics lists it: machine wash cold and tumble dry low. That routine keeps the plush soft and the blue rich. Avoid high heat when pressing or drying, since polyester pile does not like it. Store finished pieces loosely folded or rolled so the pile stays springy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How wide is Marlin Cuddle 3 Extra Wide?
It is 90 inches wide, which is what makes one-piece, seamless quilt backs possible for most quilts without piecing narrower cuts together.
Does minky fray?
No — Cuddle minky is a plush knit-style fabric, so cut edges do not unravel like woven cotton. It does shed a little pile fluff when first cut, which settles after handling.
How much do I need for a throw blanket?
For a throw about 60 x 72 inches, order 2 yards: the 90-inch width covers the 60-inch side with room to trim, and 2 yards gives you the 72-inch length.
Shop the Marlin Cuddle 3 Extra Wide Solid Minky Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
