Pre-Cut Fabric Exposed: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

[@kaysimperfectgarden.4043]

I'm new to quilting and have really enjoyed searching out the "perfect" fabrics for my project plus adding some favourite remnants I already own. Maybe this is a chore for some people but I like it and my finished item will be so personally individual to me.

[@sharonking8777]

I quilt with recycled clothing fabrics, thrifted yardage, and some new fabric purchased from quilt shops. I wash and sanitize it all. Pre-cuts get you sewing faster but then you wash it when sewn with your fingers crossed that nothing bleeds or shrinks. I HATE to iron my clothes but have no issue ironing fabric after it is washed.🙃

[@Heyu7her3]

Why wouldn't you pre-wash if that's such a problem? It is still possible with being or glueing the edges. Thrifts fabrics sound great (I've used them) but you still have to do A LOT to keep things intact 😮‍💨

[@michellecobb8403]

When I started quilting 6 years ago, I didn't know about precuts. I bought most of my fabric from Joann fabrics, on sale, of course. After finding quilt shops online, I was flabbergasted at the prices! I started to buy some when they were on sale. Oh, the lint from the pinked edges! I now vacuum them before removing the ties or paper holding them together. Jelly rolls seem to be the worst. Another con is that not all are measured the same way, i.e., 10" layer cakes may be 10" in the valley of the pinked edge OR maybe the peaks! It's so annoying. And there's almost always 1 or 2 colors/patterns that are just way out there that just don't go with everything else. The biggest pros for me are the fact that I get many different pieces that coordinate without having to buy all of them separately, resulting in way too much material leftover. And, of course, the time saved cutting is wonderful. I will say that I rarely buy precuts for background fabric. It just seems crazy to spend so much for 2.5" or 5" pieces that I can get for half the price. When I do buy it, it's a layer cake that is easily sub-cut to the 2.5" or 5", on sale. Love your videos!❤

[@CattyWillow]

I do "prewash" my precuts by soaking in a basin of warm water and hanging to dry on a folding rack in the garage or bathtub (jelly rolls, FQ, and layer cakes) or placing on a mesh sweater dryer (5" charms). I do not do this for mini charms. They always shrink and have to be trimmed to a new size, usually 1/2 inch off or more. Jelly rolls usually do not shrink in width, only length (by as much as 2 inches!). I prewash all of my fabrics to get rid of the shrink and also I prefer the texture after washing. I do not shrink the batting so the quilt will still puff up a bit after washing. It is especially important to shrink the binding fabric even if not doing the rest as a shrunken binding is very ugly. The necessity to trim the fabrics gets rid of the pinked edges which I absolutely hate.

[@lyndacottam397]

You tube suggested this video for me to watch. So I’m on binge watch. Thank you Kayla. Love your contents sweetie. Xx

[@davescraftroom]

Hi Kayla ! I use fat quarters pretty often in my craft room although, I like to mix and match from various different collections. You mentioned that the precuts often come in coordinating colors that already look good together, and that's definitely true but... that kind of takes some of the fun out of it for me 😅😆 I enjoy curating my own fabric/color combinations and experimenting. I don't *typically* use things like Jelly Rolls and layer cakes etc for that reason; I can feel a bit constricted by fabric choices made my someone else, and that would be another con for me😜 love your channel !

[@ritademetzer807]

A number of years ago I bought several jelly rolls of a Timeless Treasures batik line. Not one strip was the full 2.5” wide. I don’t think I’ve ever bought any since.

[@ksharpe8137]

I despise the pinked edges. If I do use pre-cuts I will order from Jordan Fabrics when they run a sale. I will only buy the ones that they cut themselves. They are always perfect.

[@kayla_quilts]

The pinked edges are the worst! I'll have to check out Jordan fabrics precuts, I tend not to buy online, but precuts without picked edges is too good to be true!

[@ksharpe8137]

@@kayla_quilts I’ve ordered several from them and I’ve never been disappointed. Matt Jordan hand cuts them himself.

[@cynthiajones1461]

That's true. Completely dependable.

[@lanaboyer762]

I also love the fabrics from Jordan’s

[@lanaboyer762]

I hate pinked edges which is on almost all Pre-cut fabrics and it sheds everywhere

[@brendabelcher3197]

I love the curated color and patterns in pre-cuts. I hate that they usually don't include enough of either a dark or light to create a balenced composition. THEN, I have to buy more fabric to make it work so I end up cutting alot anyway. Mostly, I just buy yardage.

[@dorothydecesare1607]

Don’t like pre cuts because can’t pre wash. Don’t like someone else dictating to me which fabrics in a given line I will be sewing with. Do love many of the quilts sewn with pre cuts because of the beautiful results! Thanks for sharing your pov! 😊

[@cherylb5351]

I would prefer to buy yardage but shop everywhere I can for precuts in US and NZ because fabric is astronomically priced here in New Zealand.

[@eljay5623]

I don’t care for precuts because 1) i do not buy collections of fabrics. I like to curate my quilt fabrics from individual fabrics, regardless of designer or collection. I’m also not interested in several prints, each in five different colors. 2) i like to prewash my fabric. 3) i don’t like the limitations of use. Buying yardage allows me to cut and use the fabric in a myriad of ways for a myriad of quilt patterns. I don’t even “process” my scraps into precuts for “ease of use” later; again, very limiting for me. We all quilt differently. We all have our preferences. We all have our reasons. They are all valid. These are just my preferences, for my reasons.

[@nancy9478]

All very good reasons. I always prewash. The main thing that bothers me is the expense.

[@nancyjohnson2185]

I love precuts! All set to go, matching and coordinating!

[@poodlegirl55]

Another thing not to like is when you buy a pack that are all from one designer and then look through them and think no way could these go in one quilt. Sometimes the combo is heinous.

[@rebeccafoster-faith6647]

Like the coordinated variety of fabrics but I hate the $$ premium. If i want scrappy, I'll cut into my own scraps

[@SoPatch33]

Love the convenience, the different colors of the same prints. Dislike the pinked edges and the price.

[@nancymathisen9707]

My goal in my quilt piecing is to use unwanted scraps and upcycled fabric that might otherwise be trashed. The amount of beautiful castoffs that I get from members of my guild is overwhelming. I believe there’s creativity and personal expression in assembling a fabric stash without someone else curating it. Precuts are expensive. I buy thread, batting and some backing material but get most fabric for free.

[@annabrahamson4320]

I agree, I have my own stash, more creative. I hate you don't get to choose your colors. I hate everything has to be done their way.

[@annabrahamson4320]

I agree, I have my own stash, more creative. I hate you don't get to choose your colors. I hate everything has to be done their way.

[@annabrahamson4320]

I agree, I have my own stash, more creative. I hate you don't get to choose your colors. I hate everything has to be done their way.

[@annabrahamson4320]

I agree, I have my own stash, more creative. I hate you don't get to choose your colors. I hate everything has to be done their way.

[@jillsearcy7311]

Tell us about your guild. How did you find it? Is it local or online?

[@gailrodgers3079]

I make my own pre-cuts. That way I have them in the size I need for what I work with. I do product reviews for Amazon so I have gotten both 4" and 5" squares and then 8", 9" and 10" squares and fat quarters.I don't care that they come in wonky sizes because fabric is fabric and it was free and I am on a fixed income. I pick up fabric at my thrift store lerftover from quilters and sewist in the area and then donated to the store and sold for super cheap. These before I put them away, I pre-cut into 2.5" squares, 4.5" squares and 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles. I think of them as my 2 x 4 pieces. There is a lot of ways to combine them into an 8" finished block.

[@kerryl4031]

I pre-wash and as I had a few charms and mini charms, I put them in a washing bag and washed them! Obviously they shrunk a little, but I used the charms as 2" squares and I had 2" and 2.5" from the charms - just! I have used them and now in my scrap stash for the few remaining ones. I have only one jelly roll and I didn't like it - didn't wash, and because I chose to make a sail boat I needed to make HSTs. You have to be so accurate and no wiggle room. Mostly I have yardage and fat quarters, a few fat eighths too but have never been tempted to get the small pre-cuts again. I've discovered I love scrap quilts too!

[@leaannebrummett9159]

I prefer the larger precuts, FQ's. I have some of the smaller ones but rarely use them. I love mini charms when buying online. I can buy a mini charm to see the fabrics before spending $$$$

[@kayla_quilts]

That's a great idea, I don't like buying online because things are rarely true to color. I'll just grab mini charms next time!

[@salettebryanbannister9709]

I will buy mini charms for use in my 1inch hexagons. Saves a lot of time and money, especially if they are on sale.

[@jwall6006]

I’ve bought jelly rolls. The biggest problem I see, there is never enough of a fabric I like and too many I don’t like. If I want to bind with them it’s mix and match 😒. I’ve been given 10”, and 5” precuts. Again the same problems. My solutions: don’t buy any precuts. I occasionally buy single fat quarters if I only need a little of it, and I know I only need a little. My second solution, I’ve started only doing fun appliqué quilts. I draw my own art, and bit by bit cut the pieces. There are a lot of great scraps that work great in future scrap quilts, or next quilt I make. This is so much more fun for me. After almost 50 years of sewing, I thought if I had to do 1 more star pattern, or block pattern, I was going to toss my machine out the window.

[@bobbiebrandel3152]

I think you listed them all. I particularly don't like the pinked edges. I measure the piece so I know exactly what the size is plus or minus the pinked edge. I have only been sewing quilt tops for about 3 years and it is challenging to use pinked edge fabric with fabric you have cut yourself. However, I love that there is a variety of prematched fabric in precuts. It is expensive. I find that lately I am more into just cutting the fabric myself, so am buying more bundles and not dealing with the pinked edges. I do shop from a fabric shop that offers some precuts w/o the pinking and I love that, but there is not enough variety of colors on the solids. Also, I am kind of a lazy quilt person, and the less trouble I have matching up fabric the better I like it. Goes faster. Just found you. Enjoying some of your videos this morning. The one where you calculated the actual cost of making a quilt top was my hook to watch more. You nailed it with that one. It is very expensive to make them as gifts. Mine only go to very special people, who value the time I've spent doing something special just for them. I am at the end part of my life, so they are gifts to people who I love and who have made a difference in my life.

[@meacadwell]

You CAN wash precuts. I made a larger lingerie bag out of mesh, with a zipper closure, and put my precuts in there. Drastically reduced problems with shredding and lint. (I wash fabric because of how it's stored in warehouses - either it's sprayed for pests or it's not. If it is I don't want to be touching the chemicals, if it's not I don't want to be bringing insect eggs into my house to infect my other fabric.) I do not like pinked precuts. Each manufacturer cuts their's a little bit differently. One might have jelly rolls with the outside "v" as the 2.5 inches, another one might have the inside "v" as the 2.5 inches, which makes a difference! You have to measure them to find out, which wastes time. I prefer precuts with straight edges so like Matt's Precuts at Jordan's Fabrics (and it doesn't hurt that they sometimes have great sale prices on them.)

[@teenaray8084]

Every, and I mean every, layer cake and charm pack and the 2.5" squares and jellyrolls I have ever purchased has not been the right size (too small by as much as a 1/4" on charms and layer cakes) and the pinked edges are a quilter's nightmare. I keep swearing myself off of them, and then I'll see some that I just have to have. 🙄 I'm not going to buy anymore though, unless they are cut by Matt Jordan of Jordan Fabrics.

[@jenmckitrick]

I like getting a whole fabric collection. There's no "waste" because extras go into my scrap system, which I use a lot. But I find the accuracy varies quite a bit, and then dealing with the pinked edges, I have a hard time piecing accurately. They're fine if you don't need to be super accurate, or you're going to trim down.

[@lizreynolds4554]

I don't like pinked edges. I use some precuts, mostly charm packs, some Jelly rolls, and fat quarters. I usually buy yardage. But, I do love the convenience of precuts. When possible, I buy more than I'll need, I seem to mess up less, with insurance. Lol. Thank you for sharing this with us ❤🎉🦓✂️🪡🧵✨

[@phoozchic]

I only buy FQs because they are not pinked and I gently presoak ALL of my fabric. Charms and all the other pinked edge precuts are, first of all, too thin, they aren’t always square and the coordinated designer packs always include prints that I don’t like and won’t use. The first 2 charm packs I ever bought (several years ago) are a big brand name and still in their original packaging because the fabric is too thin. Thanks for bringing this conversation up!

[@frannicat]

I make fabric wrapped bowls I zigzag stitch together & jelly rolls are fine for that as your goal is to coordinate colors if you do multi-rows of different patterns. Sometimes they fray so I tuck them under as I wrap. It is a very fun project & b/c my machine has embroidery function it seems to tolerate excessive zig zags. LOL.

[@meganmills6545]

I've only bought one jelly roll - every strip was cut off grain. That put me off permanently. And at least 1/4 of the fabrics I didn't like, so there was that. Given the price of it I was very disappointed. Interestingly, mine didn't have pinked edges.

[@Carriequilts]

I like that I can have a quick quilt. I don't always want the scrappy look so I don't always want the variety.

[@kitzimmerman9843]

I have fabric from the 70s thru about 2020. My quilts are often of my design. I don't need any more fabric.

[@brendaryan306]

I like to starch because it helps me be more accurate. The precuts shrink when I do this. Jellyrolls are a lint mess threatening the health of my sewing machine.

[@mommad8999]

I love precuts. I love the variety of fabrics and I hate cutting out of yardage. I’ll keep the precuts.

[@Quiltycrazy]

I have a love/hate relationship with precuts. I do buy them, but I also buy yardage. I don’t like the pinked edges and the accuracy is sometimes off by quite a bit🤷‍♀️

[@ShadowMoonFarms]

I don't buy pre-cuts as I find I really do not like all the fabrics in a collection. And I don't particularly like a scrappy quilt anyway. I would rather buy 1 yard cuts of 4 or 5 fabrics that I actually like in the collection, and make a quilt from that. No quilt shops in my town so Jordan Fabrics is my go to source.

[@dorotheakominos1313]

I like the variety within a precut, but I completely agree with all the negatives. I just finished a charm pack quilt and the amount of dust, was terrible.

[@rhondamoore9842]

What I like about precuts: Already selected matching fabrics for small projects like table runners, etc. What I don’t like: The cost is higher for the convenience, but in some cases I’d still be saving money because there’s less waste.

[@annabrahamson4320]

You can buy what ever length fabric you want, like a real quarter cut that is actually a quarter of a yard and cut it yourself fir way less than the far quarter which is actually half the size.

[@annabrahamson4320]

You can buy what ever length fabric you want, like a real quarter cut that is actually a quarter of a yard and cut it yourself fir way less than the far quarter which is actually half the size.

[@kaymcdonald3969]

I occasionally prewash precuts. Not in a machine, in the sink or a bucket, particularly if they may run, I will treat them with Retayne, rinse, roll in a towel and then press dry. Yes, they shrink. I prefer they shrink before I cut them and put them in a block.

[@tracyburkart2950]

I love precuts. They can be preshrunk by dunking them in a sink full of water. Then roll them in a towel to squeeze them out. Then iron them to dry and remove wrinkles. I love to use 2 charm packs in a patchwork design baby quilt where the charm squares are used as leaders and Enders. That way I am making a quilt while making another quilt. I just sew two squares together as my ender and keep sewing pairs etc until I have 10 rows of 8 squares.

[@carolgoff4317]

What I find most annoying is the selection in precuts. There is usually a main or focus fabric that I just love and there aren't very many of them. Sometimes just two! But the rest of the pack is loaded with supporting fabrics in opposing colors. For example white with blue polka dots and then blue with white polka dots and there are several of those cuts. They do coordinate but I always wish there was more of that yummy main fabric. I don't buy many precuts as that is frustrating to me.

[@kayla_quilts]

I agree! Some lines I want all the fabric and some lines I only want 2 to 3 of them.

[@jeandryja6992]

I hate pinked edges always have to measure to see if 2.5” is sewing with the peak or the valley!!

[@katherinecollins9636]

I like my own fabric combinations rather than a designer's collection of matchy-matchy fabrics. I find that jelly rolls are not cut accurately.

[@sharonsundae]

I have used precuts a lot but now am more interested in yardage. I felt that sometimes there would be only one or two of the prettiest or "main" prints in the line and several of what I would call boring, for me it is solids, and even worse was to get two or three all white solids. Sometimes the plaids would be off-center, I know sometimes that happens, but there were some precuts that half of the fabric I didn't care for....and they are expensive.

[@lynnb.8514]

I won't buy pre-cuts smaller than a Fat Quarter. Reason being that I like to pre-wash my fabrics first to 1) remove any excess dyes and sizing from the fabric and 2) to shrink it so I don't have to worry about fabrics shrinking later in a finished quilt and risk popping seams. If you try and wash pre-cuts the fabrics will shrink and then won't be the right size I need for block making. If I buy a Fat Quarter or larger pieces I can wash and shrink fabric and then cut my fabric to the sizes I need. Not to mention that the cost of pre-cuts are un-reasonable.

[@robertacomstock3655]

I worked at a fabric store when I learned of fat quarters. You mean this doesn't mean a little more than a quarter yard of fabric, like a baker's dozen? I mostly make and repair clothing, so I resent getting less versatile sized pieces without discount remnant pricing. Have yet to finish a full size quilt, so I haven't come to appreciate paying for the labor savings. Thanks for defining jelly roll. I didn't know that one yet.

[@showmegalusa4521]

Precuts are rarely cut on the grain which results in a wonky bolt and quilt. My issue is most bolts of fabric are not rolled on the grain. As a result there are bias edges. I know a lot of people do not like the fabric to be torn. When the fabric is torn it only tears on the grain. When I buy fabric at shops who cut I always get extra so I can tear the edges. BTW I learned about tearing on the grain in the 1960s. It has always served me well.

[@gailrodgers3079]

Still remember watching Eleanor Burns and her TV shows where she is happily tearing strips and through them behind her back for making a log cabin quilt.

[@anncantlin9710]

I like to choice my own colors.and the price is to high

[@colletteseders2874]

I never buy those small pre-cuts. I have allergies, and so I must wash every fabric before I can sew with it. I was given a jelly roll about 14 years ago. I did use it, and bought some coordinating fabrics, but I got a rash from the chemicals used in the production process. It is not possible to wash small cuts, such as jelly rolls, charm packs, or layer cakes. I do buy FQs. Before I use then, they get run through my serger, and washed.

[@kayla_quilts]

I never even considered allergies, do you have issues with certain fabric manufacturers that bother you more than others?

[@M-hc9xm]

I did not have a good experience with the accuracy of the cuts on the one jelly roll i bought years ago. I really like scrap quilts, and it seems contrary to the origins of scrap quilting to buy the fabric as a predefined group.

[@Bunefoo401]

For quilting, I would rarely use pre cut, but for slow stitching, I actually like the precuts. I just got through washing and ironing some I got from Temu & Amazon 4” … NOT for nice quilts, but works great for slow stitching projects for the price. I can’t always justify $16 for the charm packs of designer fabrics, but that would be my choice. As for quilting projects, you DO get what you pay for.

[@marilynnjefferson8525]

I suppose my first experience soured me on precuts. Bought my first layer cake from a major brand. Too many weren’t square and weren’t 10 inches.

[@arvettadelashmit9337]

I hate the fact that they are always too expensive for my budget.

[@BeckyMortonWeeks]

I have the exact same reasons as you in what I like and dislike about precuts.

[@kimschmidgall1622]

Where would you buy fabric for a quilt?❤❤

[@kayla_quilts]

I love supporting my local quilt shops, so I tend to shop local. I prefer using Quilt Shop Quailty fabric when making heirlooms, but there is a time and place for cheaper fabric from big box stores too. If online shopping I try to support small businesses, but I only purchase from ones that have good reviews.

[@franpatzcraig6713]

You hit all my pros and cons. When I buy a precut it's mostly for the variety. The biggest con for me is the waste, so I choose my pattern carefully.

[@franpatzcraig6713]

I should add that my local quilt store usually will cut a fat quarter off the bolt, so I prefer to get my variety that way.

[@hlsco]

All patterns base their fabric cuts on width of fabric. This makes trying to use precuts frustrating. If I'm shopping and suddenly see a fabric that I know I will use, my personal minimum cut is a third of a meter. (13x42).

[@user-pb54]

Missouri Star Quilt Company have loads of patterns for precuts, mostly with little or no waste. They’re all available as digital downloads as well as printed patterns.

[@sandrafoster2211]

I'm a pre-wash fabric quilt maker for a number of reasons. These reasons out way not washing fabrics. Because pre cut can not be washed I do not use them

[@kayla_quilts]

What do you love or hate about precut fabric?

[@sherriwolters5306]

The cost factor, but the pinked edge is annoying, 8d rather buy half yard cuts

[@samanthasteele2528]

Where did you get that tshirt? I need it!

[@kayla_quilts]

I designed it, I'll add the clickable link into the description for the video 🥰

[@paulaneary7877]

I don't like that they are so expensive. I understand the convenience, but I have a budget and I don't always like all the fabrics they chose so it is not worth it to me.

[@VicLynn5522]

Yes, you can prewash pre cuts or any size fabric scraps. Just throw them in a laundry bag to wash. No problem. Works for lace too.

[@sewingSue]

I use a salad spinner to wash and rinse 10" squares, then drip dry from a laundry hanger.

[@kayla_quilts]

That's good to know, Thanks! I typically won't buy batiks or reds in precuts because I could just picture the mess if pre-washed.

[@justme-tz2yj]

I just bought my first precut fabric and am not happy with it. Love the main squares but only about two of them in the pack. The rest are the same designs with just the color being changed. I won't be doing that again.

[@DebbieAllred3]

The only precuts that I buy are fat quarters. I am a pre-washer, and I machine wash fat quarters by placing them in a lingerie bag. It works for me.

[@lyndakling901]

I don’t like the pinked edges….the charm packs are difficult to cut into 4 squares too make 2.5” squares..they come up too small…..

[@bonniec.4497]

Do not like the crease in the jelly roll strips. Some creases are stubborn and almost impossible to get out even with starch. Do not care for the pinked edges on pre-cuts.

[@kayla_quilts]

Those jelly roll creases are the worst!

[@tracyburkart2950]

Try spraying those creases with water and let them sit for 15 minutes before ironing. The water relaxes the fibers enough to iron out.

[@rebeccamulkern1051]

Actually, I find the opposite, pre cuts are not very accurately cut, it’s a nightmare, I get mostly moda layer cakes for the variety but they are usually wonkily cut, some are just short of ten inches, and if they are let’s say a gingham pattern, then the wonkiness in how they cut them is super obvious, also the pinked edges are something that takes time to get used to, especially when you are combining them with neatly cut background fabric from a fabric bought by the meter. The worst for me are the jelly roles as they shed a ton of fluff from the edges, not ideal for the sewing machine, and if you combine different companies, for example moda and kona then you find their sizes don’t match very well in regards to the 2.5 inch .

[@annlange7519]

I love pre-cuts…esp laser-cut, but…I really wish they would pay more attention to make the designs straight! The designs often come out wonky, & aren’t nice & straight!

[@kayla_quilts]

I agree, the print should be straight!

[@robertacomstock3655]

If you want each motif centered, you _will_ be investing more $.

[@leannearagon8832]

O9

[@DeniseFiegel]

Hard to hear you. Need a better mic

[@kayla_quilts]

Thank you, and I'm sorry, I left my good mic at home and am making do with what I have right now while traveling for work. I'll see if I can do anything to make the next video's audio better

[@JRJonesOD]

For a video with the tag, why I hate them, I expected you to say that you hate them--and in the video you say you like them. If I were subscribed to your channel, I would unsubscribe.

[@kayla_quilts]

Thanks for watching, have a great day!