Not Enough Fabric in a Kit
 

For some time I have resisted buying a kit because I worried that there would not be enough fabric. I absolutely cannot get one piece to fit. I've turned it every way I can. No dice. I emailed the place I bought it from. Will they make it good?

I can just go into my stash an try to find something close.

I had this problem with 2 identical kits; shorted the same fabric in both. I called the reputable online store and they didn't have any more of the fabric in stock. They did however direct me to call Robert Kaufman as the quilt kits had come pre made from them and I was told if RK couldn't help me they would find the fabric for me online and ship it to me free of charge. RK came thru without a problem and they actually sent me 2 yards of the fabric.

That is also a fear of mine when buying kits. I have a bad habit of putting the item away for several years so by the time I would figure out there was an issue it would be way too late to do anything about it.

It's happened to me a couple of times. Also with BOMs

I'm so sorry!!! Hopefully you will have a good outcome to this. I actually do a lot of kits and have never had a problem. Clearly lucky. Of course, still have some in the closet, hope my luck holds!

This has happened to me. Only it was a kit that a friend had purchased and paid me to piece the quilt. There were problems with the instructions as they did not match with the picture. I did email the designer and she really didn't seem to care too much. I ended up digging into my stash to complete the quilt.

I had that problem too and was furious since the kit clearly stated the amount of yardage of each fabric included. I was shorted a total of a meter and one piece was not big enough to use at all. The company I bought it from, never bothered to respond to my emails and I have never bought from them again.

One reason I never ever throw away a scrap. Once I needed two pieces and made some "new fabric" out of the scraps. I cannot even see the seams in the top.

In one kit from a garage sale, I was missing one block from a BOM. I made the rest and figured I would have to do scrappy applique at the end. I had an assortment of fabric left so I contacted the Fat Quarter Shop and they sent me the pattern for the old BOM. I used other fabric from the kit and stretched it.

If a border was short, I might try an asymmetrical addition or even find a solid that would work.

NOTE: I never buy full price kits but only on ebay or garage sales/estate sales. So I have no recourse but don't pay much and figure the fabric is what I am buying and the kit feature is extra.

Yes, I for short on a kit also. Luckily a friend had the same one. Makes me a bit shy of buying them. I like extra material my way.

So far I have not been shorted in a kit. But the directions can leave out steps, or be totally confusing. I am finding the same thing with quilt books lately. It seems that the customer is now "the editor". I dislike this very much.

A couple of years before I retired a friend who worked close-by in another office asked if I would install her software package she was putting together for her customers. I told her I knew nothing about her job. She told me that made me perfect for testing it. So I sat there and installed it and she wrote down every question I asked so she could make sure her instructions were clear.

What's really aggravating is that since the invention of spell check the quality of the written word has decreased rather than increased. People are not proofreading like they used to - they expect spell check to catch all their errors.

A few years ago my Daughter bought me a kit for Christmas. I was able to make it and a scrappy quilt with the leftovers. I used my fabrics for the backing. I guess maybe where you buy the kit has something to do with it.

I have had it happen with a kit. It was a directional fabric and they did not allow for it. They made it good.

Keepsakes Quilting has always been good to me. I too, tend to buy kits and put them away for several years. The last one I knew I had made the first block but could not find it. I called and explained what had happened and asked if they had the pattern or any fabric that could work and I would be glad to pay for it. They replied "no problem and sent me a new complete block for replacement at no charge...Then another time (same company) I was shorted a fabric (no way could you cut four 1 1/2" strips from a five inch piece. They immediately sent more fabric with apologies. I would buy from them again just because of their service policy.

I haven't done kits for this reason.

I don't buy too many kits because I like coordinating fabric colors myself but when I have purchased them, I have not encountered any shortages to date.

It's nice to hear from those who have had this problem, that they have had good response from the company or LQS to help them fix it.

I would have to say the quilts have been pretty generous - especially the ones from Connecting Threads. I have bought several from them. I did a log cabin and I found some of the colors kind of blah so I added some from my stash. I have also added borders to kits that did not have them planned by using stash.

I had a kit that advertised 3 different sizes: crib, twin and queen. I was making the twin size, and ran out of the contrasting fabric. If I didn't have enough to make a twin-size quilt, heaven help anyone wanting to make the queen-size quilt! And I wasn't short by just a few inches, either: the pattern called for the inner border to be made with that fabric, which also appeared in each block. I had enough for the sides of the border, but not the top.

Fortunately, I was able to buy a "close-enough" match and am making the entire inner border out of it. But the experience taught me not to trust kits again. (I'm a new quilter, and was overwhelmed by all of the decisions you have to make re color, design, amount of fabric to buy, etc. I thought buying a kit would let me just start, if you know what I mean!)

I also had a problem with a pattern in a quilting magazine, I bought a kit on ebay and the pattern had several pieces short. I contacted the editor and was told to contact the designer. The designer did not test the pattern and was sorry for the error. Well, I was able to use another fabric and cut the correct size piece and it turned out. Mine was just a little different from the sample.

Anytime I have ever purchased a kit of any kind, no matter the craft, I've been shorted. 3 was my limit. No more kits for me. I still look at them but check with my LQS or fabric store to see if they have the same material on hand just in case I would run short. it seems like the kits have always been like "Let's throw these scraps together and sell it as a kit". let's face it also, these kits are pricey.

I've had no problem with the kits from Connecting Threads. I've never been shorted and usually wind up with quite a few scraps.

I buy kits all the time and have always had extra fabric. I have two drawers full of all the extra fabric from all the kits I buy. I usually buy from Fat Quarter Shop, Keepsake Quilting, Fons and Porter, The Quilting Bee, and other reputable places. I also buy kits from the quilting magazines. I've very careful where I buy my kits. Maybe that's why I always have more than enough. It's sad that some places don't give you enough. It gives kits a bad name and that's too bad because I have such nice experiences with them.

I too have been shorted when buying a kit. I called the company & 4 weeks later got an email. They didn't make things right so I don't order from them any more. It's the only way to get their attention. I had to go to one of the local quilt shops to finish getting material. Thank goodness we have many great quilt shops in the area.

This seems to be a common problem. I have had to contact the seller and have not been successful in getting more. I finally used a piece from my stash for one kit and just left out the too short piece. It was cut so crooked I couldn't even square it. Bottom line I won't buy BOM at all and rarely kits.

I bought a Christmas kit after Christmas 2011, still in it's package, as I am waiting to improve my quilting skills, I love this quilt and would hate to mess up!! Months later I heard from a long armer that her experience this LQS had a tendency to short their kits, Holy Buckets!! Just hoped and prayed that would not be the case for me. So while at the Fons and Porter warehouse sale last all, I found matching fabric, needless to say I bought the last two yds, not knowing if I will need it or not...my butt is covered.
FYI: the Fons and Porter Warehouse sale is wonderful.:thumbup:
I hope to get the Christmas kit done this year. I have 2 Christmas quilts on my to do list.

I've also had BAD luck with kits therefore won't purchase them in the future. I like buying my own fabric and also purchasing "extra" so I don't have that same problem again. Nothing like spending $$$ for a kit and not have enough to finish the quilt.

Kits don't allow for any errors in cutting you must cut just as they show in their pattern. Most times you will never find the same fabric if you are short. If they are pre cut patterns ,it might work???

YIKES, I guess I was lucky with the Crayon Quilt. It was my first kit and was nervous without knowing why!! I guess I will stick to the more known brands in the future, if I do try another kit.

My problem is that this is an applique kit. The fabric is just not cut wide enough. It is 4 1/2 inches wide, and the piece of the otter's stomach is 4 3/4 inches. I am currently in contact with the store I bought it from. Waiting to hear what they can do for me.

If you have to, you could piece that piece. If you fold the piece in half and cut one in each direction (plus 1/4" seam allowance) it would work. (unless there are other pieces that need to be cut from the same fabric)

I've got a block of the month kit from Keepsake Quilting. I had so much extra, I've made a strip quilt with the smaller scraps and I still have a LOT of larger pieces left that I need to use up. KQ is a really good on-line place to buy.

There is no reason they should refuse to help you. Kits should always include a little easing room, no one can cut with perfect accuracy , do hope they can help you. X Letty

It's nice to know which places/designers are GOOD to buy kits from, and I'm happy that their names have been mentioned. I think we should be putting the names of the places that are BAD in our comments, so we all know the places/designers to NOT buy from! The QB is pretty well-known. Who knows, maybe these comments will have a positive effect, and the BADDIES will clean up their acts.

I haven't bought kits, because over the years I've been on the QB, I've read just enough negative comments about them to scare me off. The only reason I would ever buy one is on sale if I like the fabrics - and I probably wouldn't use the pattern!

I guess I was lucky - I have only purchased two kits. One from Connecting Threads and the other from Keepsake Quilting. Both were more than generous - my only beef was that the one from Keepsake had plaid FQs in it and some of plaid in the FQs were - as my kids would have said - kady whoumpus (not cut on the straight of the plaid) but still enough fabric to cut the pieces square!

You are very fortunate. I also bought a kit from Keepsakes Quilting, and one of the fabrics they sent me was very different from the picture. In order to get the proper "value", they stated to use the wrong side of that fabric. It looked awful that way. I emailed them, and called them, to see if they had a fabric that was closer to the one in the picture, and they said "no, that was all we have." They said I could return the kit if I wished, but I had already cut out many of the pieces, and I was on a deadline, so I ended up using the fabric they sent, but used the right side of the fabric. It changed the look of the finished quilt, since the fabric had a darker look to it, and thus changed the value, but I figured that was better than using the wrong side of the fabric. I had mentally decided that I would never order from them again. Any comments? Should I reconsider?

I have bought kits and medleys from Keepsake Quilting on several occasions and have always been very happy with my purchases, both in quality and quantity. I've even had enough left over on two occasions to make a small baby quilt as well, and I really appreciated it. I can fully recommend them.

I had it happen once and the shop did right by me.

I got an email from the lady who runs Creative Quilt Kits, and she found some of the fabric in her shop. It's nice to know that she is doing right by me, but I am now "gun shy" about ever buying a kit again, from anyplace.

I have only bought kits from the LQS and they have always had adequate fabric