Variety and coordination of colors and prints -- so it makes it fast and easy to pull a project with a lot of visual interest together quickly.

Often too, the charm packs are from full current lines, which translates to colors and patterns that are very "now" . The resulting quilts tend to appeal to younger and trendier people, something I don't always hit upon instinctively on my own.

RST

Sometimes I have a particular pattern in mind, sometimes for the variety. I like the charm pks. for smaller applique pieces and I have a couple tote patterns that use charm sqs. that are really cute.

i'm a big fan of pre-cuts for a lot of reasons.

For variety - a little bit of a lot of different fabrics. I love to make multi-coloured or 'scrap' quilts, so they suit my personal style.

Then, convenience: it's great that someone else did the cutting for me. I've only very very rarely found mis-cut squares (often, unfortunately, during fabric swaps).

Then, to keep up with colours and trends: not having quilt fabric shops anywhere near me, I enjoy receiving sets of squares or fat quarters and have in the past been a subscriber to the Cotton Club and to some of KQ's medleys of the month. I've just finished making a multi-coloured '10-minute' block quilt which used 210 4" squares that I'd been accumulating since the start of this century... I loved making it. I also make FQ pillowcases regularly.

They're also fun to play with. They're pretty. A lot of dream-power for a not too big investment. There are lots of cool things you can do with them...

Did I mention that I really love pre-cuts???

I haven't bought too many precuts, but have been given quite a few. Most I haven't used yet, as I have too many UFOs to finish first.
One thing I don't like about them (other than what has already been mentioned here) is the pinked edges. I think it sacrifices accuracy in piecing.

I don't. I am to...cheep. I just by a yard knowing that I will use it some place else in another project. It is rare that I buy even a fat quarter, thus my fascination with the fat quarter swap on the board. I don't mind cutting and I guess that I like the adventure of searching out coordinating fabrics. I do see some lovely articles made of jelly rolls, cakes and so on. We are the variety of life.

Me too, I usually buy 5" squares when they are on a really good price, under $8.....love love love 10" squares, and then I will try and get yardage to go with them...have a lot of precut patterns that do up real quick because I'm not spending so much time on cutting!!

I buy yardage never used pre-cuts or charms

Because I love fabric! I buy them because they give me a variety of designs to use in anything I want to make. I can cut just about any piece I want from one 10" square, charm packs are pure delight and same reason as layer cakes; they let me see all the fabrics in a particular line and then if I want or need yardage I know exactly what I want. Layer cakes and charm packs are my favorites. I've made so many wonderful things using these pre-cuts while I have yardage, that I just had to have, that is still laying on my shelves. Oh and to top that, I'm a fabriholic.

I try not to buy them, because they are very expensive. However, I buy them from Connecting Threads where the yardage cost ends up almost the same (you lose a bit on the charms and layer cakes). I buy it for variety, and because the fabric is so pretty.

I don't buy them often, the first time was to make an apron then I bought 2 because they were on sale and I liked them. One of them is sitting beside my machine to make a jelly roll quilt but I haven't gotten to it yet.

Ditto.....ditto......ditto!!!

I joined a "strip" club. We meet monthly and work on various quilt patterns using the jelly rolls. I joined this group so that I consistently finish quilts (I joined in January and have completed 2 lap quilts and 1 crib size). Plus, it is fun to work with the women in the group and see how a pattern made up indifferent fabrics compare.
I didn't buy jelly rolls or precuts before this, I have a difficult time with "scrappy" quilts... Lol, I am definitely out of my comfort zone.

I bought the accuquilt and now can cut strips all I want! My back quit hurting too. I hate to pay the extra for a jelly roll because I don't allways like the combinations.

Variety only. The wonderful convenience of a bundle of candy themed squares for an I-Spy, for example.

I haven't bought precuts yet because I enjoy doing my cutting. Maybe if I tried a bundle I'd chg. my mind but I'm afraid I wouldn't like a lot of the pcs. so they'd be a waste even as stash.

Especially after reading here last wk. about how many precuts aren't cut to size. Hmmmm food for thought.

I purchase them for the variety - a sample of the entire line, plus I have instant corrdinating prints on hand for a quick project.

I only buy them if they are on sale for a very good price. If I don't have enough different scraps for a quilt such as a
spiderweb, I will throw in a charm pack. I was surprised a few weeks ago, when Missouri Star had a charm pack on sale for a very good price. I was only allowed to purchase one pack......never had that happen before.

I don't buy them and I am slowly using my cut strips that I have sitting in tubs.

I admit I am lazy but sometimes it's just appealing. I hardly ever use them....love having them in my stash, looking at them but there are times when I need to make a quick gift....the pre-cuts work out well.

I don't buy them. I cut my own from my yardage. Yes it takes more time but cost me less $ and I'm more accurate in my cutting

You get a lot of different fabrics without buying a lot of different fabrics.

I buy them because I love the way the new lines are coordinated. I'm pretty good at choosing coordinating fabrics, but some of the lines have patterns or colors I would never choose but they just WORK! I guess that's why they are fabric designers and we're not!

Right! Also because they're pretty. And it's an easy way to get a variety of fabric designs that all coordinate.

Same here.

I buy them if I want to make a specific pattern I have seen on some of the tutorials AND because I hate standing and cutting...kills my back.

I very recently developed a liking for Jelly Rolls. The trigger was my desire to try the Lasagne (Race for the 1600) quilt and I figured that a recut would give me more time and better variety. I since bought more because I can get an entire fabric line in one roll and can do a quick scrappy quilt in no time flat. I guess the short answer is convenience and variety.

I have been given some precuts and used them. They were ok...I would not buy any except FQ's I am also a prewasher and I like to pick my own colors. I have enough scraps so do not need a bunch more... LOL

I buy them because I can't resist the variety---and because I'm addicted to anything quilting related.

I love getting the collection. I also only buy them when they are on sale, or there is free shipping. I love having them on hand if I need to make something quick. There are so many free patterns for precuts now.

i've bought them once because I was in a hurry to get a project up and running. It was a braid quilt and didn't want to do all the matchy/matchy, either. My husband bought me a grouping of fat quarters and when I opened the package, there were several that were truly ugly. Never again. I'll spend for on the bolt, thanks.

I like the idea too of having the collection and putting it with yardage you can make lots of cute things. There are many patterns that use the pre cuts and you have everything except the yardage already cut out. Good way to go.

I like pr-cuts and include them in my fabric purchases for such times as the need arises. I purchase most of mine from the MOSQC as there pre-cuts are from reputable fabric houses.
My guild is having a monthly swap project and we swap 5inch squares and draw for fat quarters, so pre-cuts are much easier to grab and go!!!!

Charm packs are my current somewhat-guilty pleasure. I love having a coordinated package of pre-cut fabric. It gives me just a little taste of the entire fabric line without a major financial investment, and takes up very little real estate in my overgrown, out-of-control stash. Have really enjoyed making the charm quilts too. Love to see all the colors come together and it's almost instant gratification for me when I have a nice lap size quilt pieced in an afternoon.

I love, love charm packs and jelly rolls..........I like them because of the fabric selection, you get a little bit of everything and it would cost a mint and years to find a store that carried the entire line. Will continue to get the charm packs......in fact just received 12 in the mail yesterday......what can I say!

Yep, next to hating binding, cutting is first!

Don't buy them. The only ones I bought were not cut right and I could have cut my own faster than making them right! They wern't cheap either, bought in a Quilt shop but they were precut and packaged. I did like having so many great colors together but there were a couple that I didn't care for. Guess thats the disadvantage of buying pre packaged.

OK, Please don't horse whip me. I am only half way through reading this thread. But I have to say that I purchase precuts I know that it's said not to prewash precuts but I do. I prewash everything. I put them in a bucket and use as hot water as I can. This may take a little more time but I don't care.If I love the whole line of something I will purchase charm packs, jelly rolls and sometimes yardage of that line. There are so many things that you can do with them. To each his own. I don't mind cutting since I use the June Tailor rulers. Sometimes the yaradge is more than I want to spend, this way I can get a little bit of what I love. I do have to say that I usually only purchase when they are on sale or I have a coupon. Hope I am still allowed on this board. Happy 4th everyone. BrendaK

I buy them because they're so CUTE, they're FUN, save TIME, AND MOSTLY because I just like to have a sample of ALL the fabrics in a collection ... you won't find whole collections in many LQS. You get a big variety of prints for less $ than buying by the piece or FQs.
I buy mostly Moda and a few other major makers. I rarely prewash anymore, after 25 yrs of quilting - I've never had a problem.
My 20-something DD and niece have both fallen in love with quilting BECAUSE of precuts. Doubt they would have had the enthusiasm to quilt IF they had to cut everything out first. Now that they've been quilting for several yrs, they are cutting and quilting like pros ! They are out-producing me !

Guilty as charged. They're just so pretty. And you get a piece of all of a collection. And there are so many neat patterns for them. I actually kinda like cutting (I go in spurts... I'll cut a bunch of stuff up & then nothing for a while) but I'm also all for having it done by somebody else.