Shannon Fabrics Cuddle 3 Extra Wide — 88"/90" Solid Minky
Cuddle 3 Extra Wide is the definitive choice for minky/cuddle quilt backs in a production longarm studio. At 88"/90" wide, a single piece covers the full width of a queen quilt back without any seams — just like a 108" cotton wideback, but in the soft, plush Cuddle 3 minky construction that makes every quilt extraordinarily cozy. The full Shannon range is mapped in the Cuddle minky overview; the standard width lives in the Cuddle 3 standard guide and the cotton equivalent in the 108" wideback guide.
Why Extra Wide Matters for Longarm
Standard 58"/60" minky requires a centre seam to back a queen quilt — and a minky seam is notoriously prone to puckering and tension issues on a longarm. Extra Wide eliminates that problem entirely. The 88"/90" format loads just like a cotton wideback, runs through the longarm without seam issues, and produces a flawless, seam-free cuddle back that's the hallmark of professional longarm finishing.
Available Colours
Over 100 solid colours spanning every palette: whites and creams (Snow, Ivory, Rosewater), neutrals (Silver, Brown, Ink, Alloy), pastels (Baby Blue, Baby Pink, Bluebell, Sunshine), vivids (Scarlet, Fuchsia, Royal, Mandarin, Teal, Viola), and deep tones (Navy, Evergreen, Basil, Black). Every colour is consistent run to run — essential for studios that order repeatedly.
Cuddle 3 Construction
3mm pile polyester — the Shannon Fabrics standard. Soft, uniform, machine washable, hypoallergenic, and colourfast. The pile is consistent from selvedge to selvedge and yard to yard, which matters enormously for production longarm work where backing consistency determines quilt quality.
Shop All Cuddle 3 Extra Wide Colours
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I load Extra Wide cuddle on a longarm?
Stretch across the frame, pile down, and floated or eased rather than stretched taut — over-tensioned minky puckers when it relaxes off the frame. Pair a slightly longer stitch and an open design; the pile swallows dense quilting anyway.
What batting goes between cotton and cuddle?
Often none for throws — the pile provides loft and warmth alone. For bed quilts, a light 80/20 or poly batting adds structure without weight; skip high-loft, which fights the pile.
How much yardage does a cuddle back need?
Quilt length plus 10–12" divided by 36, same rule as cotton wideback — about 3 yards for a queen. The 88/90" width covers quilts to roughly 82" wide seam-free; wider than that, plan a deliberate off-centre seam.
