Precuts
 

Let's all admit that some of us love these and others avoid them at any cost. I do enjoy using them because all colors coordinate and for the most part they are fast and easy to use especially if no cutting is involved. My question evolves around when you do have to cut them. Do you cut off all the tiny pinked edges as Donna Jordan does, measure to the outside of the points or measure to the valleys? I recently cut some and found out that that part of them didn't measure up correctly and therefore was unable to use them in my Double Delight quilt. I've taken those and cut them smaller for string quilts so they will be used and not wasted. Where do you cut yours?

I've read to start at the tips and also to start at the valleys so who knows?
I really don't like those pinked edges at all but I know why they pink them. Whenever I've used them I start from the tips.
I have some precuts but enjoy working with fq bundles a lot more.

When I first started, I bought tons of precuts and soon found out that many were not cut very accurately so I stopped buying them. Now as I work my way through the hoard, I measure each piece before I start a project, some I have to measure from the peaks to get the entire amount, others from the valley some are no where close to what they say. I do try to cut off the peaks when possible, not a fan. All I know is the amount of effort to measure each piece is annoying to me, especially Jelly Rolls! I now stick with FQ bundles for precuts, and I yardage specifically for a pattern.

I'm not a prolific quilter. I would say I'm an advanced beginner. I don't use many precuts.

The last quilt I made with pre-cut 5X5s had pinked edges. When I was about 1/2 finished, I realized that I hadn't made a decision on which to use - the hip, or the valley. I was so far into the quilt, that I didn't start over. Needless to say, I'm not enamored with pre-cuts.

However, I still have 2 matching charm packs, and 2 matching strips that I will use somehow. Recently, I bought a Ten-Square from MSQ, but I intend to use it in a strip quilt.

(Daily checking the "Daily Deal" is the source of most of my precuts. Maybe I should remove the "Daily Deal" from by bookmarks menu.)

bkay

I have to wash everything because of the chemicals on the fabrics so the pre-cuts have to really call my name before I buy them. But with the help of the salad spinner and an iron it works. (Fat Quarters can go in the little laundry bags.). Then I measure them with a square ruler to get the true size of the item. The FQs can be measured on the cutting mat & rulers without problem. The pinked edges are a waste to me - they do it because it cuts down on the fraying of the fabric, but a royal pain. Since I have the Accuquilt system quite ofter the pre-cuts get run thru a die and not staying the full size. The jelly rolls that are pinked I have also run thru the 2 inch strip die to get rid of the edges.

If I'm using a layer cake I consider it as a 9.5" square and
charm squares 4.5" square and go from there. Easier than
dealing with peak and valleys. I starch all my pre-cuts so
I know they will shrink in width. If a pattern calls for 10"
squares then I buy a fat quarter bundle. For jelly rolls,
I starch and then deal with it as I go depending on the
pattern. But I've never trimmed a jelly roll. I adjust my
stitch width (sometimes twice) or trim later if needed.

I generally don't measure as the peaks/valleys are pretty slight. That said, when I do use pre-cuts with the pinking edges, I will use either all seams from the peaks, or all seams from the valleys and don't switch within the same quilt.

Love them, I use them in a pattern that can be trimmed down in the end. I sew then cut, working from the valleys not the peaks. They are rarely perfect. I like getting the full line to use in a quilt. But I do watch out for how many neutrals they have. I like to use a solid neutral instead of patterns.

I starch and iron all pre cuts. Get all the wonky out before cutting. I ignore the pinks, never bothered me. I usually use pre cuts using my Go so the exact size makes no difference. I have a lot of solid jelly rolls for sashings, narrow borders, and bindings. I always buy solid jelly rolls when MS has a sale on them for at least 40% off.

I get it. I used to buy precuts often too, but eventually I realized that my personal preference is to NOT be matchy-matchy, I like scrappy or controlled scrappy better. So I've been slowly using them up and not buying more.

This is me. For instance, right now I'm making a quilt with a bazillion half-square triangles. I sewed jelly roll strips to more strips, cut them into hsts, press and trim. No problem with the pinked edges.