How can precuts be different sizes?
 

Found some of my 10" layer cake fabrics don't all measure 10"....what??? I'm not one who owns or uses a Go or other die fabric cutting machine, but I imagined factories to have some sort of machine they run the fabric through to get their layer cakes, jelly rolls, etc cut and assembled. Different companies making slightly different sized packs I could understand, but these all came from the same package? What's up with that, or that the normal and I'm just catching on to the down side of using pre-cuts?

I hate that! The whole point of precuts is so you don't have to cut them but if they are all different sizes, you are going to have to trim them.:mad:

That's why I don't buy pre-cuts.

I haven't experienced that yet but I've heard others say they have. The whole point of a pre-cut is .............
Sorry this happened to you :(

Guess it's good that you noticed that the pieces were different sizes before you tried to do something with them.

I so feel your pain, I'm in the process of trying to use up all my precuts because of this very issue, it's just so frustrating!!!! I too spent time from actually sewing having to square up each layer cake. Lessons learned and I only buy yardage or fatquarter bundles now. The jelly rolls are the worst IMHO I really dislike pinked edges.......

There used to be a video showing how precuts are made. It showed all the fabrics stacked then a big blade came down and cut the pieces. It explained a lot. A stack can shift as it is pressed and cut. I like precuts for the variety but I usually make something that uses part of the precut not all of it. But that is hard to do when jelly rolls aren't 2 1/2 inches.

I've found the same thing as you have. Not all precuts measure to the correct/advertised size. Then one has to buy MORE fabric to make the quilt...and usually I've waited long enough to use the precut that it's no longer available in yardage. So on and on it goes. Very frustrating. So my love affair with them is over. Yardage is the way for me!

same here

I don't buy precuts to use as is most of the time. I mostly buy them for paper piecing, cutting other shapes using my Go, for applique and such. I can get the right amount of fabric of each design in a fabric line without buying a big fat quarter tower. I have as many pre cut packages as I do yardage in my stash. You'd be surprised what some will pay for an out of print layer cake, jelly roll or charm pack from a few years ago. I make enough on Ebay selling the older ones to pay for many new packages.

I have one of the very first packages that Moda had in a layer cake.

Thanks for starting this thread. I have the same problem except I started to make something without measuring the little darlings. So here they are now....and now what do I do with them. Ideas are welcome.[ATTACH=CONFIG]578823[/ATTACH]I had sewed 4 strips together, I think for a bargello. I had 4 left over when I discovered that they are all over the board. Some sets are 3/4 of an inch off.

Marcia

wow, where did you buy them? just wondering. i have some from Missouri quilts and haven't looked at them yet.

Just started a new project where the 2 1/2" strips actually measure a little over 2 5/8" Ends up being more work to trim and/or resize to make it go together nicely.
At least they are bigger, not smaller...

Ditto...plus they are more expensive than yardage and more limited in their uses.

You could make a jelly roll race. Nothing has to be super precise. Or something with strings. Look on pinterest for string quilts, lots of interesting ideas.

You can unsew them while you are watching tv or doing something "mindless"

Then soak them in hot water to shrink them and dry them on a drying rack or on towel. Then see what you have.

They are pretty colors.

I've also had fat qtrs of differing sizes, not as a pack but separate purchases.

Fat quarters can vary based on how wide the fabric they are cut from is. Have to be at least 18 x 20, but some are 18 x 22.

I don't buy precuts. For the 2-1/2" strips I would just trim to the smallest size and make a string quilt.

I have been working with scraps and just trimming to the closest size. Not a big deal for me.

I think I bought those on ebay from a private seller. All that info is long gone. Thanks for the jelly roll idea. There was a thread about Snake River where the points didn't match up, but I think they were precisely placed. I need to get this out of my way.

Marcia

Thanks for all the replies. I especially was interested in the "how do they cut them" when a factory makes up the pre-cuts. I'll search for that video. Thought there would be more of a "no error" method that would eliminate such differences.

I love the continuity of fabric line going together nicely in a project. The pre-cut packs eliminate the oopsies of choosing a fabric that just wasn't right with the rest. The downside I've found is those couple of "unfortunate choices" that just don't appeal to me.

I love the time saving feature of pre-cuts and find many ideas that I love to use them for (mostly from Jenny Doan).

That is why I stopped buying them. I have some that my sister gave me, but they are in the scrap box. I no longer trust them to be the size I need.

You would think they would be the same cut, but not so. I just finished a quilt and used a layer cake and charms, had to resize all. I really don't like the pinked edges anyway.

I had the same problem with a Kaffe Fassett layer cake that I bought from a Louisiana vendor at a quilt show. Some of the pieces were as much as 1/2" off and bowed. When I contacted the vendor via email I received no response at all, but when I contacted the manufacturer (Rowan Fabrics) they were exceptionally helpful and replaced the entire layer cake at no charge.

I've had way more trouble with fat qtrs than I ever had with precuts. Some precuts are done by the retailer and not the factory.

I use any strips that are not accurate for STRING quilts. I have many strips I cut that the edges are raveled, so string quilts are a very good way to use them up.

I have found the same to be true with charm packs...I have a quick and easy baby quilt pattern by Doug Leko that is my go to and it uses a charm pack but often they are not all 5" square. I usually end up having to trim them.

Had the same problem with charms. Ended up recutting almost half of a package with my GoBaby so they would all be the same size. But I love precuts because I cannot cut straight - even with a ruler - and to cut yardage on a GoBaby wastes so much fabric AND you get such great variety with those charm packs. Now jelly rolls ARE a pain when they are not cut uniformly - and I have bought them from places where I felt that would not be a problem - but it was!

I did buy some precut squares one time. They were all a little different in size. All precuts are not created equal. I use my go now, no precuts, it is more cost effective for me to make my own cuts. When our LQS was open, theirs were pretty even. Miss them!

I love pre-cuts. I'll have to check carefully to make sure they're all the same size.

Don't knock ALL precuts. Some stores cut their own from oddments of fabric they have on hand. If you buy the name brands, Moda, Kaufman, etc. you should find them all the same size. I bought a pack of fat quarters from a LQS, and when I laid them out to use I found them so crooked I couldn't get a needed 18" piece from them. Then I learned they were cut in the store. I think the store managers give the employees "busy work" so they begrudgingly cut willy nilly.

I buy mostly pre cuts instead of yardage for making blocks. I haven't had a problem with using them. I don't buy store cut or home cut ones. I buy the brand name one so if there is a problem I can get a replacement. Read the label carefully, especially on batik pre cuts. Some will say may be irregularities in cuts.

This is one of the reasons I don't buy precuts, sorry you have this problem.

I've been only disappointed with precuts. We pay a huge amount for having the cutting done for us. Then when the precuts don't measure up, we have to buy yardage anyway. They are difficult to prewash, too, and I'm not fond of taking risks with such a big investment.

Me neither. For some reason I dislike the idea of pre-cuts. To me, cutting precisely is part of the quilting process that I don't want to miss out on. I get so happy when I finish cutting all the pieces for an entire block or entire quilt even. Besides, yards of fabric makes me happy too.

you can continue the strata. then take the shortest measurement and subcut everything to that. then make a quilt by arranging the blocks every other direction across the rows.

I have purchased several cakes and charms because I hand applique and don't need much of the fabric. Until I sat down and figured the cost per yard! I don't purchase them anymore.

I think you are safe when buying ones that are precut by the manufacturer--if a vendor is cutting fabrics into "precuts" you may/may not actually get consistency. Manufacturer pre-cuts will have the manufacturer's label on it with a description.

I once bought a bundle of FQ from a show vendor--they were all short! 17 or 17.5 by 22. I was furious cause of course I didn't even look at the FQ until about 6 months later when getting ready for a mystery quilt.

I have experienced the same unevenness. It is very frustrating when you make your blocks and they don't fit together. I know now and I re cut about and eighth or qtr off before I start and adjust the pattern if possible. I never dreamed they would be uneven and I am careful what I do with precuts now.

I only buy those from Moda. They seem to be pretty consistent. I sew from the outside peak of the pinked edges.