Thread: Layer cake vs cutting your own?

I've gotten a couple layer cakes. My problem with them is I don't love every single fabric in the pack. I think the $39 price seems high, but I don't remember what I paid for mine. I think in the future, for me, I'll just pick out the fabrics individually. Usually I get fabric on-line like Ebay and Amazon. Sometimes I get it at quilt shops. Usually the yardage is $11 or so a yard. We don't have Hobby Lobby here otherwise I'd be over there too! I buy a lot of fabric because I love fabric and I'm afraid if I don't get it when I see it, it will be gone.

First rule of thumb, use what you can afford for the projects you want to make. When our Walmart had a fabric section I bought lots of fabric from the discount bin to make clothes for myself and the kids. It was what I could afford that the time.

I made rag quilts with denim on one side about 14 years ago. I approached a local thrift shop and asked them to set aside jeans that they could not sell. I got a huge box a couple months later. They would not give me a price, so I made a $15.00 donation.

Many people make wonderful quilts out of old shirts.

I live in Canada where fabric prices are much higher than in the USA.

I was at my LQS yesterday and bought fabrics ranging in price from $16.00 to $18.50 per metre (about 40 inches). The had a special of 20 % off everything in the store, plus a Valentines Day balloon pop. I got an extra 15% off with the balloon pop, so a total discount of 35%. I bought 8 metres of fabric.

The Batik specialty LQS charges closer to $20.00 per metre, but each month has a colourway that is 25% off, bringing the cost down to $15.00/m

However precuts are pretty much the same price in Canada as the USA, although I have never seen prices that match the Missouri Star Daily Deal.

I have bought and used precuts, especially when I love a line, or as I am somewhat colour challenged, it is great to have all co-ordinating from the start.

However I am making my son a red, white and black quilt. I bought yardage, even though the pattern Jungle Fever, calls for precuts. I wanted lots and lots of variety in the prints I am using. I just cut my own 10 inch squares for this project.

For this project I wanted to use the best quality of fabric I could afford. I shopped for over a year, trying my best to shop sale bins at the LQS. This is his graduation quilt, so I am happy to spend a bit extra on it.

I buy fabric at my LQS, and quilt shows. Our local fabric chain store Fabricland, has quilting fabrics, but they are coarser than the LQS fabrics. Interestingly there is a LQS in the Fabricland and they sell quality brand name quilt fabrics.

I will be in Seattle next month and hope to be able to check out a quilt store, but as I will be traveling with my non sewing friend, I am not sure that I will have a chance.

I buy layer cakes and other pre cuts to have all the fabric co ornate without buying a lot different fabric to cut. And most important to me, all the pre cuts fit perfectly on my Go dies. $35 is about the average price for good quality. Connecting Threads has great prices on the 10 inch cuts but the amount of squares in one stack can be different from each line. I bought some precuts from Ebay but they were not at all accurate. Okay for using the die but not for accurate piecing.

As others have said, you're paying for the 'luxury' of having a coordinated package of fabric. Here is a site I use quite a bit:

http://greenfairyquilts.com/

They often have sales and don't charge shipping in the US.

Jane

Originally Posted by jclinganrey

As others have said, you're paying for the 'luxury' of having a coordinated package of fabric. Here is a site I use quite a bit:

http://greenfairyquilts.com/


They often have sales and don't charge shipping in the US.

Jane

Wow, thanks for the info! Just spent almost $100 for some charm packs and a couple of notions. Guess I'd better get finished with current project so I can be ready when this order comes!

I usually use yardage and cut my own. I have bought pre cuts in the past if I want lots of variety in one fabric line. I figured yardage out, 40 pieces of 1/3 yd. so I can get just a 10 inch sq of each fabric=13yds of fabric, not ever LQS will carry all 40 different print in a single line. Then what do I do with all the left overs? My stash is already to big and my scraps are overflowing. LOL Add to the $40 layer cake another 2-3 yards background fabric and I still pay less for the top than buying yardage. I am trying to use down my stash right now so right now I am making lots of Pre cuts from my large scras as go.