Panels for quilting?
 

Do many of you use panels and if you do and you are giving them for gifts, do you tell
the recipients that is what it is, LOL?
I've purchased a few panels and want to try this form of quilting.

I've used panels several times. I don't specifically tell the recipient that's what it is, I don't see that it really matters. Sometimes I add a border but sometimes I just use the panel as is. There are so many really cute panels available.

a panel is just printed fabric. Maybe I don't understand the question. I think people could tell if you pieced it or not. Is that what you mean?

I have done several quilts with panels i give them to linus

I don't really think anyone notices once it's all quilted, and can't see why they would ask. A gift is a gift, right? Yes, I've used a few already and the recipients are thrilled to receive them. I don't think they're tacky, etc, and many are absolutely gorgeous. I look at them as a huge time saver if needed!

I love panels. I use them mostly in baby quilts....its all fabric and I see no reason to explain it.

I've used a panel for a baby quilt and just did the yarn tie to hold everything together. No, I didn't tell her it was a panel. Why? The quilt was made with love for a new child. I couldn't care less if it's from a panel or a million +1 pieces if the love and thought is there, it shows. To me anything hand made by someone is more precious than anything store bought, why? Because that person did something special for me, I am important to them.

When I give away a quilt, I only tell the name of the pattern, if any. I see it as the same as telling them how much it cost to make it. Although sometimes I would like to tell them, thinking maybe they would not wash it to death.

Why would there be an issue? The end result is what counts. I find that panels can actually be harder to use than making blocks, since they're often not straight. The pictures can be perfect for a baby quilt, or a wildlife quilt, or...

Early on in my quilting life, I didn't particularly see the need or like panels. Then I started seeing some that really were quite beautiful....reproductions of paintings, a ship, eagles, and just lately some reproduction circus posters......They can be beautiful when teamed with some blocks and borders or used as part of a backing. I agree with Dunster, they are not all that easy to work with and it can really stretch your creativity and quilting skills.

i agree with Dunster...I just bought a flannel one and it's way wonky. Almost not worth the trouble to fix it, I ordered it online...and paid full price. I have seen them done really cute I'm still going to cut the individual blocks and use it that way. Quilting can be super simple or really complex in the end you created it! Panels are good practice pieces for FMQ just outline everything!!

The Stonehenge panels by Northcott are stunning. Some creative quilting on them really makes them look pieced.

I have used panels & given the quilts away. I do a lot of detailing on them & they're just as special as the pieced ones. All the recipients were thrilled with them.

I LOVE to use panels! I handquilt them and make them into wall hangings. I get loads of compliments on them and I wouldn't think twice about gifting them.

My sister and I just made a Noahs Ark baby quilt made from a panel.The babys name is Noah.It turned out real nice.Mailed it to Momma today!We quilted around all the animals,the boat,the rainbows,etc.It was fun.

A couple of years ago my daughter picked out a panel for me to make a quilt for my grandson. It was a nice looking panel. This happened to be my first full size quit so what started out as a twin quilt (I had no pattern beyond the panel) ended up being full to queen size. The panel was wonky and because I had little previous quilting experience I didn't think to scale down the split rail block I decided to use. When it was finished they both loved it. My long arm quilter said it wasn't "too" wonky. I'm sure she was being kind :)

As a handquilter I love panels. They make great small quilts and are totally portable. I always have at least one in progress to work on when I go to Bee etc. I often take one along to work on when I travel. Only a true quilter can usually tell that they are not pieced and or appliqued from scratch.

I used a panel to make a lap quilt for someone. It was fabric with a football team's logo on it. I kinda felt guilty about it, so I made a three-color, diagonal, striped border. It was a pain to match at the corners, but that made me feel better.

Tate