Fabric Packs--Charm, Layer Cakes, Strips, etc.
 

I love buying charm packs, layer cakes, strips, mini charm packs, etc. but I don't buy the patterns that manufacturers suggest to use with them. I'm a Fabric Fanatic!
So my question comes from how do you put the fabrics together? Do you stitch them together just as they come from the pack or do you spread them all out, mix them up & then put them together.
If you use multiple packs do you take them in order, then the next pack in order also, etc.
I'm guessing everyone will do something different, but I usually pull out the pack & then get bogged down trying to decide how to use it. One day I'm all for sewing it together just as it comes, next day I look at it & think no-- I'll do all the same patterns together-- next day I want all the same colors together. So I end up putting it back in my stash & doing some other project!
I doubt there is any right or wrong way, just what a person wants, but I am curious what others do.
And do the manufacturers patterns usually tell you how to sew the pack pieces together or not.

TIA for any input here.

Lots of patterns at Missouri Star: http://quiltingtutorials.com/

I usually cut the pre cuts to different sizes I need for the quilt pattern and the charm squares are perfect for paper piecing. I use jelly rolls and honeybuns for long cabin and string quilts. Layer cakes are like mini fat quarters and are for larger size shapes. I use the turnovers for pinwheels. I use my Go and the pre cuts fit on the dies just right so they are just grab, cut and start sewing.

Thanks Alienquilter for the web site, I love Judy's tuts & she answered a my question at least for one of her projects, she chooses the pieces randomly.
Thanks again

So Bella Boo, do you randomly choose the pieces of each pack when sewing together , or do you just select them in order they are stacked or rolled ?

i usually dont buy precuts. i have recently and only cherry picked out of the pack. still have a bunch of the square left. not sure what to do yet.

http://www.modabakeshop.com/ This site has wonderful patterns also for all the pre cuts!

I love precuts!! I am also addicted to strip quilts. My LQS has a strip club every month and if I love the pattern I buy it. Then once I find a fabric that I can vision in the quilt I match them up. Charm packs I usually do a disappearing nine patch.

I love pre-cuts & use a lot of them in my quilts. For me it depends on what pattern I am using as to how I decide the order of the colors. If they are really bright like a rainbow, I tend to keep them in the same order they were packaged.
It helps that I have a design wall, so I can arrange, or re-arrange them until I feel it looks right to me.

Just don't be afraid to choose one way or another & press on :)

I have a small stack of squares, from Moda. The Fresh Air line. They are two inches. I do NOT know what to do with them! I got some of that size from craigslist for $1 and I was so tickled. I took one set and pulled squares by color, and made them go diagonally down. It isn't very big (still just a top) but I had a group to use as a part of the backing, also.

Lots of different colorways in the fresh air. Plum, Orange, deep red, green and brown. I pull it out and think, make half square triangles. And then I think, no -- add one color and do triangles that way. Don't wanna do the diagonal thing again, and there isn't a lot of each (mostly) colored piece. Most of the colors are in all of the pieces, you know how lines are - but not all the same. The arkansas star seemed like an option, but the squares aren't quite big enough!

I cannot tell you how many times I have gotten that thing out, and then put it back!