I know I can't be the only one . . .
 

I love cheater fabrics. I think they are so much fun. I just got 66" of a cute cheater fabric that I'm going to use to make a lap quilt just for me (and my cats). It won't take long but it will look like it took forever to cut and sew all those little blocks together.

I love cheater fabrics and panels, I use them all the time. I use them if I'm making a quilt for a grandchild, who knows how long they will use it or how long it will last. I also use them if I'm making a lap quilt for charity, myself and my husband. We use them outside on chilly spring and fall nights. I also have made a lot of them for the RV, handy to have for sitting around the fire and for lending them to friends. I also make small lap quilts for my cat, I put those on my recliner for him to sit on when I'm not in it. I make a lot of those to spread around on thing I don't him sitting on, like my sewing chair!

I took a class in Houston this year - read the supply list and discovered I needed 9 finished blocks. Yikes!! Dug around and found cheater blocks - they made up nicely, now I also have a quilt that I can practice quilting on. The only issue I have is they usually aren't square so additional fabric needs to be sewn on then the piece can be cut to size and be square. But in many cases it works.

There is no "cheating in quilting....everything is allowed!!:thumbup:
So, I call these "efficiency" panels.:D

After all, you made a very efficient decision for your class at Houston, right? :)

Jan in VA

I don't them cheaters. They are fabric and all is fair in quilt making. Not all quilts have to be pieced and hours spent on them. A quicky quilt is needed sometimes.

I saw a Dear Jane cheater panel that I wish I would have bought. That's the only way I'll get a Dear Jane.

i hate the word CHEATER!!! i've used many panals over the years- spend just as much time- sometimes more time finding ways to use them creatively- consider them a large printed fabric and seriously do not understand why some people consider it 'cheating' when i may put 100 hours into a quilt that has a panal included...where did i cheat??????
why is it necessary to use negativity in association with creativity?

I don't think anyone needs to worry about the word 'cheater'. It is simply an old description like any other ... feed sacks, for instance. It doesn't mean you are cheating in any way. Best wishes with your lap quilt Irishgal, sounds great. Will look forward to seeing it when you finish.

I'm not referring to panels. I'm referring to fabric that looks like it was pieced but it's printed to look like it was pieced. I call those cheater fabrics. I don't consider panels cheater fabrics because those are usually a picture of some sort to enhance the quilt and not printed to look like it was pieced. And I do consider it cheating because I'm not doing the piecing, but it doesn't bother me.

I have not used one yet, but sure have thought about it.