Kits aren't for everyone - many quilters like the thrill of the search, seeking out coordinating fabrics for their projects, shopping their stash along with the shops, making things uniquely their own. Others like to start with a blank canvas and create projects totally from their imaginations. Some like being able to replicate a finished project that they fall in love with. Still others like to start with a foundation and expand on it. There is no wrong or right way to start a project, but if you decide a kit is for you, a few words about quilt kits...
1) Buying kits are a great way to get coordinated colors in your quilt. Do look though, to make sure the maker of your kit has successfully put together fabrics that do work together. Many shops will throw together fabrics from different manufacturers and lines, and often the feel/hand and quality of some of the fabrics aren't the same as others in the kit.
Other shops will put together kits made from the various fabrics within a single manufacturers line, and also will use the same manufacturer's blenders in the kit. Since most fabric manufacturers use a standard dye palette, this ensures that you get matched and coordinated colors and fabrics that go together well.
2) Shops will often buy pre-made kits from the manufacturers and re-sell them. These are coordinated with fabrics from the same lines, but often the manufacturers' kits are cut really closely with no additional inches given for straightening the pattern, or in case you make minor cutting errors. A few manufacturers, esp the often-mentioned CT, are pretty generous with their cuts, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
3) If you want a coordinated backing, or extra fabric for your project, think seriously about buying it when you buy the kit. Most printed fabrics have a short run, popular fabrics sell out quickly, so you are likely not to be able to find those fabrics if you wait at all before constructing the project.
4) If you have an issue with a kit, ALWAYS contact the place who sold it to you. Mistakes in cutting can be made, or patterns can be wrong, and a reputable seller will stand behind the kit. They're also the ones most likely to have replacement or additional fabric on hand.
5) Before you buy a kit, ASK the seller if they've walked through the pattern and checked it for errors. Finding and correcting errors in patterns is part of the kit sellers job, and this should be done in advance before the kit is released for sale.
6) Don't be afraid to discuss, with the person who put the kit together, any changes or customizations you'd like to implement in your version of the project. Often that person can be a great resource to bounce your ideas off of, and can assist you in getting the right fabrics to customize your project.
Kits are a good way to cut down on shopping expense and time, or to source a coordinated set of fabrics that you otherwise would have difficulty finding. Completing the exact project that the kit is designed for isn't a requirement, it's a choice! You might decide to use the fabrics for something completely different and unique and that's totally OK! Have fun with it!
Last edited by QKO; 09-24-2013 at 08:13 AM.