Problem quilt!
 

For such a simple quilt, I can’t believe the trouble I’ve had and most of it is me. It’s a scrappy Halloween quilt and the squares are snowballs with sashing. Since I didn’t have Halloween material in my stash, I bought charms. How many times have I read on this board about precuts not being cut exactly right. Did I think about that???? Oh no, not me! After I get the four corners on all the squares and pressed & trimmed, they didn’t look quite right so I measured. None of them were 5” square and these were name brand fabrics. So I found the smallest and trimmed them all of 4 ¾”. So I cut my sashing 4 ¾” – there are cornerstones between. Had all my sashing pieces cut and added the cornerstones to the bottom sashing pieces. I’m putting the sashing on the right side of the blocks first. I used my first stack and got the next stack. They were too short. I check the sashing with the cornerstones and they were too short too. I swear I measured them and they were 4 ½”. So I cut all new pieces. Luckily, I over ordered this material. So I go to sew the first sashing on the same block and it’s too short. I measure it and its right. I check the block and it was 5” square. Probably the only one I didn’t trim. Checked what I thought were too short of pieces and they are the correct length – 4 ¾”. Talk about a lot of wasted effort. Oh well, hopefully the rest of it will be easy now.

How frustrating!

Sounds like my quilting efforts lately. Here's hoping things improve for you ​soon!!

I HATE days like that.....always makes me feel like i have a gremlin sitting on my shoulder. :mad: Here's hoping that it goes smoothly from here on out. Don't forget to share a picture when you're done !!

I have heard this story so many times over the years that I *never* buy pre-cuts. :rolleyes:

Sorry this frustration happened to you.

I have learned to only buy Moda pre cuts. I've never had a problem with different sizes in a Moda pack. Knock on wood.

She said "brand name" - - - - -

Sorry you are having such issues with your quilt -- I feel your pain! I'm just finishing a quilt using pre-cuts -- this is a package I won at a quilt shop -- I had the same issues -- the layer cake pieces weren't all the same size so it created issues. So glad I didn't buy it!

One of the package of charms was moda - that was why I was so shocked.

I have never used precuts and now I know I NEVER WILL

There are a lot of brand name pre cuts. She didn't say which one. I had a size issue with Hoffman Bali Pops and don't mind saying it. Hoffman even agreed they had a problem with the cutting and have since improved.

I only buy precuts from Missouri Star Quilt Company (thanks Jenny!), and they have always been the correct size. But can see where others might be off just a little at times. Takes just a few seconds to put one down on your cutting mat to see the correct size. Sorry you have had so much trouble. :-(

I had the same problem with Hoffman bali strips a year ago, some were 2.5 some were 2.25 and a few 2 l/8th ..all in the same roll of strips! And of course, I sewed all the strips and started to cut and sew four patches....big mistake.
Then I found that I couldn't finish the quilt since I had cut the two patch/four patch squares....I contacted Hoffman.
They not only sent me more jelly rolls that were perfect, they sent me fabric for my backing 8.4 yards of their beautiful batiks....they also informed me that they no longer use "hand cut"..even though it was electric cutters, it was the person cutting.... Hoffman now uses only laser cutting of the precuts. With that said, it ruined my quilt vacation since I didn't have the fabric to continue my piecing and I was out of town where there are no quilt shops.
What a disappointment all the way around. I ignore precut specials...and wonder if they are discounted because they are the hand cut rather than laser cut.

I feel for you. And, that is exactly why I strip piece the sashing most of the time or cut a bit longer and trim. It really saves on the fustration and unsewing.
peace

I feel your pain, sometimes in quilting we take one step forward and 3 or 4 back. As tempted as I've been to buy precuts, your problem is one that I'd like to avoid. I sure wish that the manufacturers would standardize their cutting machines so that 5"is really 5" all across the board.

I feel your pain. I have encountered this problem the one time I bought a jelly roll -- if they were the same size at one time they weren't by the time I got them. I got some charms as a gift, not sure what I will do with them. I don't want the frustration so I will probably give them away -- but not to church since I will probably wind up working with them anyway.

I bought 2 layer cakes from MSQC and had to trim both packs down to 9 3/4, I was surprised but glad I checked them before sewing.