Panels! Panels! Panels!
 

I went to the NW Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival in Puyallup, WA on Thursday. I'm sure many Quilting Board members were there. I was amazed at the number of panels and panel quilts shown. I've used many myself. I was in the market for batik fat quarters and found a good selection at only one vendor. I was surprised!

That is surprising that only one vendor had batiks.

I love to use panels for a quilt. so I probably would have been a happy camper looking at the quilts.

Probably 95% of my quilts are panels! I was sharing with an out of town friend, and didn't realize I just don't piece quilts! I love the challenge of finding just the right colors for borders, sometimes I split the panels up and add things to it, etc. Bit piecing bores me... I have a finished quilt top in no time flat and love them all!

Since batiks have been used now in quilts for years, it seems the fabric doesn't hold up. Many are reporting the fabric breaking down. I delegated all my batiks to utility quilts to be used now. I also love panels. I made a baby quilt from a panel and all the guild members had to look twice to see that I did not piece it. It had sashing and cornerstones and a pieced border already on the panel. The new digital panels are beautiful!

There were more vendors with batiks but most were 1/2 yard or more cuts. I wanted fat quarters.

Do you ever prewash panels? Want to make a doll from panel for precious granddaughter with very sensitive skin.

As a maker of Project Linus Quilts I do use many panels. I simply find coordinating fabric to go with the panel and work from there. it's finding the panels reasonably priced that is hard at times. I never pre-wash my panels, but will wash the quilt when complete.

I am making a queen sized quilt for my DD for Christmas using a panel as the center. I am having to make up my own pattern as I go but it is working out really well.

Love panels, especially for baby quilts.