Question all you quilters
 

Tell me what the difference is in jelly rolls, Charm packs, layer cake? What is the best one to buy? Or just buy fabric and cut the squares of strips yourself. I am new to sewing and I have some fabric, but I want to purchase more and I want the most for your money. What do you usually buy? Please help me out.

cut it yourself it is cheaper

I am not a fan of the pre cuts at all. If you go to modabakeshop.com there are tons of patterns (recipes) and cutting directions and info (weights and measures). I dont think this way of buying fabrics is economical. If you don't have enough squares of a certain fabric you are forced to buy another packet to get that fabric. maybe if you follow only a Moda pattern you will come out even. Dont know. know they are really popular but I just dont get it.

Buying fabric that way gives you pieces of an entire line. It would depend on what you want to make as to what you should buy. I've never purchased any of the precuts, I prefer buying yardage myself. I wouldn't worry about buying fabric in order to build a stash - I would look for a pattern (or design your own) then buy the fabric for that particular project. Your leftovers then go into your stash. It won't take long before your stash is breeding in a dark closet and you have more than you know what to do with!

My question is how many duplicates are in a set of the jelly roll, layer cake, charm pack? And does it matter? Reason for asking is how much to buy of each for an asssortment?

This will give you the info for the Moda layer cakes, charm packs, jelly rolls, etc. and most fabric makers follow this but not all. If you look around online at some of the different fabric sellers, they will usually give you the details on what's in each pack.

http://www.unitednotions.com/equivalent-measures.pdf

Hope this helps. :)

Jodie

Precuts are always going to be more expensive per yard than buying your own. The advantage of precuts, as mentioned, is that you get a group of coordinating fabrics from a single line.

If I wanted to buy precuts, I would first find a book I like such as this one for 10" squares:
http://www.amazon.com/Schnibbles-Tim...dp/1564779866/
Find a pattern you want to make, then shop for layer cakes (or whatever other precut you are looking for) to make that quilt. Typically you need more than one jelly roll or layer cake to make a quilt anyway, so then you know beforehand how many precuts to purchase.

I LOVE Precuts! Yes, they are more expensive, but I really like getting to sew without a lot of cutting beforehand. I also like that you have fabrics from the entire line of fabric, so they are already coordinated. Many LQS owners will not purchase the entire line of fabrics, just a few she likes (or thinks will sell well). Hope we have all given you something to think about.

Linda in Missouri

I am a lover of precuts even though they are more expensive. Today, however, I cut my own layer cake. I am using a pattern that calls for a layer cake. It did not take long to cut the 10" squares and I had a good variety of fabric to use. That is usually not the case and I like the variety of fabrics in pre cut packages. I use jelly rolls, charm packs, and/or layer cakes when I want to make a quick quilt.

Always keep in mind that all cotton of quilt shop grade is best. The local fabric stores are a slightly lesser quality and Walmart is like a third rate quality. It is a satisfying feeling to cut your fabric to prepare for sewing. Any fabric becomes STASH !!!! Hugs

I have never bought pre-cuts. The cost is much more than buying yardage. I also have a June Tailor Shape Cut ruler, so I can make my own 2 1/2 strips very fast using the Shape Cut and it is of fabrics that I like, not the fabric companies. Also, all my fabric has to be washed before I handle them and from what people on this board say, it's difficult to wash pre-cuts.

I think it really depends on how many fabrics in that line. You have to look at the set to really figure it out. Sometimes the set has less pieces because there are less designs in that line. Just depends. I don't buy them alot, but when I fall in love with a set...and it happens to be on sale ...it just follows me home!

jelly rolls are 2 1/2" strips by width of fabric; charms are 5" squares, layer cakes are 10" squares, different collections have a different number of pieces- some have duplicates- 2 of each fabric- some are all different- it's important to check the label. and only you can decide if it is worth it to buy them- some people love using pre-cuts some hate using them- it is a way to get a piece of a whole collection of a particular line- if you make strip quilts jelly rolls can simplify the job- if you like charm quilts- charms are a fun way to go- if you have an extensive stash it is fun to cut up your own 'collections' and put together your pieces in the sizes you will use for a future project...sometimes they are well worth it- sometimes---not so much- if you want a piece of each fabric in a collection- but only a little bit a charm pack is an easy (fairly inexpensive) way to go about it.

I like to prewash my fabrics, and precuts don't always wash well.

I bought a jelly-roll once and made a quilt for my great granddaughter before she was born. I still had to buy extra fabric for borders, backing, etc. There were strips of fabric that I wouldn't have chosen but it all coordinated so it turned out just fine. But, I don't think I'd buy another one.

I'm sure there are patterns for quilts specifically using those cuts but I like to design my own.... it just seems to take me longer to figure a way to get all the pieces to work in a quilt I want.... and there's always the cost involved. I'm retired so I do try to save a $$ as much as I can.

But, if you don't like to cut your own fabric, or money is no object and you like using patterns and not designing your own.... it might be a good choice. Try it.... then decide whether you'll buy them a second time. We all have our own likes and dislikes.

I have not purchased many precuts. So far I usually cut them myself.

Connecting Threads does not charge extra for precuts. Most of their fabric is under $7 a yard so their precuts are very reasonable.

I buy fabrics in large cuts and just cut whatever sizes I need.

Pre-cuts aren't all that much more than yardage. And of course a store somewhere is bound to have some on sale. And just because you're using pre-cuts doesn't mean you can't design your own pattern.

There are also people that have problems cutting and pre-cuts give them a head start.

I purchased pre-cuts and none of them have measured to what they're suppose to be. Can't blame it on Walmart since they have some. I just buy yardage and cut myself. If you have the rulers you need, then do it yourself. When you think about it some of the pre-cuts can get pretty pricey. I try to buy yardage on sale and at estate sales.

As a new quilter (long time garment sewer), I love precuts. I especially like the YouTube Videos put our by Missouri Star and their Daily Deals http://www.missouriquiltco.com/shop/dailydeal They tell you how many different prints are in each package and how many (not always which ones) will be repeated.

I made a quick, but pretty quilt for my mil for her birthday using a Jelly Roll.

I made a easy table runner using charms.

Precuts are great for new quilters who do not have a lot of rulers and special tools.

They are also good for people like me who are not the best at coordinating fabrics.

I am currently making a simple dress for my niece using a jelly roll and coordinating yardage. I found the pattern on the Moda Bake Shop.

For well established quilters with lots of rulers, tools, patterns and colour experience they are probably not practical, but they are great for me.

I think you have to try to find out if you like precuts. Ask for them as gifts and try to keep in one range to begin with. The same as all fabrics some are better than others I used a batik which was cheap to buy, the lengths were not straight , measurements varied and fabric was of a poor quality. You get what you pay for.
You would require a large stash to put 21 different fabrics in a jelly roll.
Look at some of the precut videos in msqc in utube and make a decision as these show the variety in a pack.

I see a lot of how pre-cuts are more expensive, that really depends on where you live so be sure to check out your own costs. A metre here is $19...ajelly roll usually has 40 2.5 inch stripes so that would be over two metres. $40 for a jelly roll is actually cheaper and you get the entire line of one fabric line.

I buy charm squares mostly just because it's a convenient size.

I agree with many of the comments you've already gotten. I'm not a big fan of pre-cuts. I like to pre-wash my fabric and as someone else mentioned, pre-cuts are not washer friendly. They are also generally, but not always, more expensive. I did, however, buy a charm pack to add to yardage for a quilt a bit ago. The pattern called for varied 5 inch squares cut however. Since I needed a variety it was worth it to me in that instance plus cut down on doing alot of pre-cutting.

Jelly rolls are 2 1/2 inch strips that are the width of the fabric. A charm is a 5 by 5 square, and a layer cake is a 10 by 10 square. I buy them all, plus I buy yardage. It depends on what you want to make. Charm pack quilts or charms, whether you cut them yourself or not, are usually good beginner quilts to make. You can use the 2 1/2 inch strips for sashing also. The 10 by 10s can be cut into four 5 by 5s. The strips can be sewn together to make pot holders and table runners and place mats and quilts also, either uncut or cut.

I would suggest you start slow and make an easy quilt first. There's lots of them that have free patterns on the internet.

I have bought pre-cuts but mostly when they are the Daily Deal with Missouri Star Quilt Company. It is a good deal and if you buy with it so is the $5 shipping fee. Of course the little more effort on their part is a bonus. I also use those in some of the tutorials they make. I like getting the entire fabric line also. Better than trying to buy a 1/4 yard and making 5" blocks of each pattern.

I've been very happy with the batik jelly rolls from Walmart. Did not get any others from them because I did not care for the non batik ones they had.

Have also gotten holiday and seasonal FQ from Walmart but again did not care for the other selections they had except for a black/white set.

And cheapie me only gets them when they go on clearance!

I am another who loves pre-cuts. I buy pre-cuts and yardage for sashing and borders from the fabric line of the pre-cut. I am a happy camper. I've been quilting since 1992. It sure beats buying tons of fabric and cutting 2 1/2" strips from each bolt! I also use regular fabric all the time. It just depends on what I want to do. But I like pre-cuts.

I'm definitely not cheap when it comes to my quilting but I do find good sales and stock up on precuts. Precuts save me time. And the happy feeling I get when I see a baskets and shelves full of jelly rolls, Bali Pops, layer cakes and charm squares in my sewing room is worth the price to me.

I have used jelly rolls and charm packs. I like the variety of fabrics you get in the pack. I haven't used a layer cake yet, but just bought a book that uses them. Can't wait to get a layer cake and start. It will have to wait, though as I don't have the extra money right now. As far as jelly rolls, if you want to make your own, it's easy. Even making charms and layer cakes is easy. So it's up to you. If you want to try it, jump in and buy something that really excites you.

So far the only precuts I've bought have been Hoffman Bali packs, which I LOVE (no duplicates, 40 different coordinating batik strips per pack), and I've also picked up some 5" charms and 2-1/2 strips from Connecting Threads when they were on clearance - I practically stole those.

I buy the Hoffman Bali packs from Beverlys.com; they're almost always on sale for $29.99. Not exactly cheap, but for a nice sampling of gorgeous & good quality batiks it's something I spoil myself with every now and then. In the store (Beverly's is local to me) they're $39.99, so it's worth buying them online.

I have bought a jelly roll and there werre NO duplicates. A big advantage of getting any precut is that you get a big variety of colors/patterns. pattern I had called for 40 2 1/4". Just the thought choosing 40 cordinating fabrics gave me a headach (besides the fact that I would spend $$ for fabric I didn not need). So I ordered jelly roll and was very pleased with the fabric selection that I got. I never would have picked some of the patters/colors on my own let alone ever found them. They are well worth it depending on if you want to make a scrappy top using them.

I am now going to buy ONLY 1yd of fabric. This is based on a recent experience of wanting to make a certain pattern and only having 1/2 of 2 fabrics that I want to use and really needing 3/4yds. Now I have to go out and find similiar fabric. I am not a big fan if fat quarters and this is why. Fortunately there is a shop hop in my area so I guess that I will have to go on it looking for the fabric I need!

Yes it is cheaper if you have the fabric you want to use. But if you go out to by 40 Fat Quarters @2.50/each =$100 and you can buy jelly roll with 40 strips for about $40. No left overs but also much cheaper! You can always add strips or squares from you statsh to your precuts if you need more blocks/strips.

I do love them all. Jelly rolls are 2 1/2 strips of a particular line of fabric or a roll of blue fabric for instance. Charm squares are 5 inch pieces of fabric from a line and layer cakes are 10 inch pieces of fabric from a line. I have used them all and I absolutely love them. Eleanor Burns might design 35 fabrics in a special line and they will have one piece of each fabric, sometimes 2 of a few and sometimes all might be different. I just made my DGS a quilt using Benartex Bali Dark layer cakes and there is no way I could have cut the 10 inch squares from all those fabrics. But I bought them in a layer cake and got them all. Same goes with charm squares, you get 40 different fabrics and mix them with a background, sashing and cornerstones and you can make a beautiful quilt. I think it depends on your quilting style if you like them or not. I have had tremendous luck in making some beautiful quilts with precuts.

I've never bought precuts, although I have had some precuts gifted to me. Here are two of my reasons for not purchasing them, 1-expense, 2-the batik jelly rolls that I received as a gift, I had to trim them down because they weren't straight. A lot of people buy the precuts, but I simply wouldn't, you pay dearly for them cutting the fabric.

Jodie gives an excellent reference.

http://www.unitednotions.com/equivalent-measures.pdf

I frequently feel a bit wooly headed when around folks tossing off terms (like jelly rolls and sweetbox), causing me to stop and think about what they are trying to tell me. Although I prefer to buy yardage and cut my own, precuts have their place. Sometimes it's fun to make a little project from a pre-matched bundle (for example, Quilt-in-a-day's Buckeye Beauty wall hanging using 5" layer cake bundles). Just note: when buying a bundle pay attention to how many are included. I have found this varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and store to store.

Precuts are nice to have, especially for those who have arthritis and no longer can use a rotary cutter without pain. AccuQuiltGo is a neat and easy way to make your own precuts.

I like precuts for the variety they offer but they are more expensive when you figure the cost per yard. An exception to this is Connecting Threads. Their precuts are the same price per yard as their yardage. Probably my favorite way to get the variety of a line is to purchase fat quarter or fat eighth bundles.