PRECUT FABRIC - 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY

Buying a precut pack seems so practical, whether buying one for a quilt pattern or looking to add a new fabric line to your stash. But are they worth it? Here are 10 things that you need to know.

Please take my PRECUT SURVEY

FREE FAST & EASY STASHBUSTER QUILTS

🛑🛑Recommended Video Series You Should Check Out! 🛑🛑

TIPS & TRICKS FOR BETTER RESULTS
COLOUR YOUR QUILT - The Colour Theory Series

SCRAPBUSTER BLOCKS, QUILTS AND ORGANIZATION

💕My Most Watched Videos:

BUDGET SEWING- TOOLS & HACKS FROM THE DOLLAR STORE

QUILTING - 5 SEWING HACKS WITH MASKING TAPE

My Favourite Tools
Violet Craft Roller violet craft seam roller

You can find me hanging out most days on
Instagram: JustGetItDoneQuilts
Facebook: JustGetItDoneQuilts

Or by snail-mail
Just Get It Done Quilts
3911 Chesswood Dr
North York, ON M3J 2R8

Video Equipment I use:
Editing software - Premier Pro

This video was sponsored by Skillshare

DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for your support!

[JustGetitDoneQuilts]

I definitely learned something while researching Precut fabric. Some facts I knew. Others were total shockers ...like how much extra they cost. I hope you learn something too

[ladyjames]

At the age of 68 and in the middle of a pandemic I have decided to try quilting. The whole thing is a mystery to me but I jumped in and made several Crazy quilt blocks out of discarded clothes. I like it...but when I went to the store to buy actual yardage and coordinate the colors...OMG. After 2 hours I left the store with only a spool of thread lol. Thank you for explaining my options.

[deedeesullivan]

The advantage of precuts, for me, is that I can have cuts of all the different fabrics in the line without having to purchase minimum yardage cuts when I order online. I'm not always able to find the fabric lines I want at local stores. So this can actually save money in the long run and prevent adding excess fabrics to my stash that I don't need. And most of is my least favorite part about making a quilt!

[jlholm]

I know this is an older video, but i just came across it and wow do I appreciate it as someone who is just starting to work of the nerve to start quilting!

[connierogers]

I love Jordan Fabric Stores for their precuts because there are NO pinked edges. I hate pinked edges, they get everywhere and practically shred.

[pattweimer]

Karen, thank you for your reply. Didn't know about that guild, i will look into them. I've been involved in 'running', "shows" with cumulative 83 yrs ., experience. Almost any 'theme' you can imagine. I presently make quilts, hook rugs, knit, garden and never have time to be Bored! A full life at 75. Thanks again. You are a true friend to countless...out there.

[hazeldw]

Coming from garment sewing where the amount of fabric needed is listed on the back of the package along with the size chart, I was accustomed to buying by the yard accordingly. Most of my garment sewing was done with my grandmother who was a stereotypical thrifty Scot. She rarely bought as much fabric as was recommended and always managed to make it work with less, and minimal scraps.
All of these fabric cut options are new to me since I recently started quilting. I find that I don't really like the smaller packs like layer cakes, and jelly rolls although that is what I cut my scraps into. I do like the fat quarters. What a brilliant way to get just a ¼ yard! So far, I prefer to buy them as I need them rather than a full bundle of a product line. My LQS has individual FQs above the shelf with the bolts and has a section in back where other FQs are sorted by color. Cost wise it works out to about an extra dollar or two per yard. But, if you buy 10 you get 2 free which improves the math. Since my LQS is half an hour away, I only go occasionally and plan my shopping list. I just wish my grandmother were here to share this with.

[RachelsantVIDEO]

The positive to buying precuts is that you get a wide variety of prints. The down side is there are always some of those prints or colorways that I just don't like.

[gorks]

As a new to quilting person I find that quilting is so expensive that either you are all in or not. Saving a few dollars comparing yardage to precuts is just dithering. A home made quilt is ALWAYS a LABOR of love & a money pit!

[dlaity]

4:15ish I love that you included those of us with dexi issues and disabilities. Gotta love an inclusive space. Thank you!

[nicolab]

One thing that didn't come up on a survey is that if you live in an area with only very tiny quilt shops (like Ireland) the shops never buy the entire range as yardage because they just can't afford to carry huge amounts of stock for their relatively low turnover. So precuts are really the only way to get a bit of every fabric in a range. If I love a particular range then I will often buy yardage of the one that I like the most (or the one that is available) plus either a layer cake or a jelly roll in the same range. I'll use the yardage for a nice wide border and the precut for the body of the quilt.

[marygem]

A good lint roller is a necessity to liberally use on the edges of precuts, especially jelly rolls before opening.

[villagesteader]

I’m one of those people who doesn’t like to cut the fabric. I stink at it, and waste a ton of fabric. However we all need to reach out of our comfort zones...so I forced myself to buy yardage and cut it for a 86”x 109” log cabin quilt. The moral of the story is that I learned that I can use a rotary cutter, but I have to PAY ATTENTION and not let my mind wander. That’s when the blade wanders.
This is the first time pieces actually fit together without a lot of “fudging”!
Also I got my quilting mojo back after watching your crumb quilt videos. I was overthinking everything! So I made one and forced myself to just put it together without thinking and it’s gorgeous!

[MaureenDesigns]

It wasn't in the survey - I buy precuts because I want ALL the prints without having to buy 20 yards of fabric. I am willing to pay the premium to get the variety!

[nancythompson]

I tended to stock pile precuts, jelly rolls, layer cakes etc. The downside is by the time I get around to using them the fabric collection has been discontinued making it difficult to buy border fabric to match. This has happened several times where I'm spending a lot of time with online searches . The moral of the story for me now is to have an idea what pattern I would choose for the precut & buy some coordinating fabric!

[louisemorash]

This confirms what I committed to doing as started my quilting hobby- always have a specific project in mind vs just buying fabric. This is tough because there are some incredible fabrics out there. But I really don't want to become a fabric store!

[thecamdenstitch]

Great vlog, thanks! One consideration you didn't mention is when you're not buying for a specific project (as I don't) but buying something to go in the stash just because you love it. When I began quilting I didn't really understand what I needed and so bought metres of fabric (I'm in the UK), three-quarters of which then sits unused. So although I paid a cheaper price per square inch, I actually paid 75% MORE because I didn't need it all. So for someone like me, who likes to stash build then pick out coordinates later, fat quarters are the way to go, either as yardage or in packs. Thanks again for a great vlog with some really useful points! Jay 😊😃

[urbanhomesteadingchannel]

I recently made my grandson a quilt out of jelly rolls. Neither the sales associate at Joann's fabrics nor I thought to check how many strips were in the jelly roll I purchased. When comparing the jelly roll to yardage there was such a slight cost difference that I bought the jelly roll. I ended up buying 4 rolls to have enough strips (3 trips to the store). Definitely check all information on your precuts.

[FlickiChicki]

I love precuts, but I’m used to sewing with pinked edges, thanks Grandma for that.

[colleen]

VERY helpful video, thank you. Personally I never buy 'pre-cuts', jellyrolls or layer cakes, only fat quarters or fabric directly off the bolt. I've heard too many sorry stories about how layer cakes are badly cut and the fabric is not what the buyer thought it was going to be :(. I also like to be in control of pattern repeats. And great advice about reading pattern requirements 'first'! Oh how many times I've cut up beautiful fabric, strictly in accordance with cutting instructions, only to find I had many more (strips) than was actually required. Not wanting to discredit any P & Q business in particular, but I've recently cut fabric (some quite expensive!) for a "LB" pattern in strict accordance with cutting instructions, only to find I have about a metre's worth of strips left over! I guess I'll eventually use the strips for another project, (or maybe the quilt backing) but was such a waste of good fabric I could have used for another project. Over here (Australia) some quilting fabrics are now up to $32-35/mtre, so an averaged size quilt can end up costing quite a lot.