Pre cut surprise

Hi everyone....

I guess I've said it enough that everyone has heard it.....but......I love precuts.... and especially jelly rolls. Earlier this week I began working on a new quilt using Rural Jardin jelly roll. I was very careful to cut ...... and to stitch using the scant quarter inch. This pattern begins with strip sets which are subcut into 2 1/2" strips before being joined to the contrasting fabric. My problems began when I started building the blocks using the strip sets. Some... not all... of the seams just didn't fit properly. I was so upset with myself for my obvious mistake in cutting and or sewing. I just put the entire project away until this afternoon. I started to work on it again and I realized my problem was consistently with the blocks containing red strips. I measured again and realized the two of the red print strips from the jelly roll were not exactly 2 1/2 inches wide... they were just a little wider and they caused all of my problems.

I haven't ever measured the width of jelly roll strips... I didn't know I needed to.
Have you had any issues like these?

Hugs
Mia

I wouldn't think you would need to measure them first either. After all, if they say you are getting 2 1/2" strips, then they should all measure that. I don't know where the Rural Jardin would have come from but sometimes if maybe you get a jelly roll from Joann's or its an off line, then maybe they aren't too careful in cutting.

Hugs,

This was a Moda Jelly Roll.... that's why I was so surprised.
It took time but I fixed it and now it needs to be quilted...
huggggs

That also surprises me Mia, Moda are generally very accurate (even if I don't like the edges). I have seen some that have been too narrow and required the entire jelly roll to be re-trimmed to a narrower size. This was a cheap brand and the lady who owned it cussed some and promised never to buy from that (chain) store again. ;)

On the bright side, at least they were wider and could be trimmed, which is way better than too narrow.

That's so strange!!! I'm sure it's a machine that cuts these things so it seems like there would be no room for error when the strips are cut. Oh well, good to know. I'll pay closer attention to the products as I use them. What a headache, right?

I agree, that is strange..you would think they would be cut perfect..but like man sometimes machines have there days too! I guess i will be looking at my pre- cuts a little closer now! Thanks for the info! :)

I read on another site where someone purhcased a jellyroll by northcut and several of the strips were not cut properly. She first contacted the store where it was purchased to see if they would replace the set and after being very persistant was ble to get a replacement. The store should take it back and contact the manufactor,so this can be corrected(it's call quality control). I hope this will help....................Sassyg

It's funny that you should mention it, but I just opened a Moda jelly roll last night that I had ordered several weeks ago and noticed that a few of the strips were cut crooked. Fortunately, it was only 2 strips out of the whole roll, but I was very disappointed.

Teresa

Oh my, I thought it was me!!! I too experienced a jelly roll with strips of different 2.5" sizes.

Wow, I guess we have to be more diligent and watch our stuff when we buy it. How disappointing is
That? So sorry for your problems. And of course you can't open it in the store and check it out if it's a jelly roll. I did get a charm pack once that was off like that. I just can't remember where I got it or who made it. I will be more vigilant. Thanks for the warning.

I actually had this happen to me yesterday with Moda precut 5" charm packs! There is one square which consistantly was a little "under" 5"...so frustrating!

Thanks for the info.... I would have never thought that any of the precuts would be off ! Isn't that the point of getting precuts since they are supposed to be accurately cut ?

Kelley

Thank you all for your encouragement.....
and thanks Sassy ...... you're right, but by the time I identified the problem the jelly roll was in little bitty squares.
I will surely check before cutting from now on ... however, I think I made a best friend in this........ the good ol' seam ripper came to the rescue. Have a great monday ...
hugggs
Mia

wow so glad this was brought up. I was going to ask a couple weeks ago and didn't. the last two jellyrolls I got from moda had crooked strips. I couldn't believe it.

Patrice it really is frustrating...... and very surprising also. I expected better quality control from Moda. Wonder if any of the MSQS ladies have had this problem.
Hugs again
Mia

I'm in the middle of making a quilt top using two layer cakes and the squares are all larger than 10". I think they make them a little larger to make sure you're definitely getting the amount of fabric you should. I trimmed each square down before I used it which was really time consuming but got rid of all the pinked edges which I hate sewing with anyway!

Wow, I am shocked! The whole point of buying precuts is so you don't have to go through measuring and cutting. If you have to still go through this step then, what is the point of buying precuts? Curious to know if the ladies at MSQC have come across it too! hmmm

P.S. Thank goodness for seam rippers :)

Thanks Jan........ as I read the comments from the other lovely QDs (my new abbreviation.... quilting divas ... I love it) I realized this isn't the isolated incident I thought it was and I wonder if other projects that were just a tiny bit off as they were pieced was caused by the same issue with Jelly Rolls and or Charm Packs. Makes me go ..... HMMMMMMMMMMM?

Hugs
Mia

I am really surprised at this. I have had a nightmare with Fabric freedom and John Louden jelly rolls but so far I have been so happy with Moda. With the problems I have had I have vowed only to use Moda but I shall be more vigilant.

I made something with my first pre-cut and had no width issues, but some strips were longer/shorter than the others. It didn't matter if I sewed them in opposite directions or all the same. I had some that stuck out. Not so bad as the different width issue though.

I agree with Jill. I don't like the pinked edges. They fuzzed up my machine faster than either flannel or fleece! Hmm. I like the pre-cuts because you get a sample of the whole line, but some of the drawbacks are adding up. I just have to double check accuracy before proceeding with a project. I should know this from other quilting projects, but I was looking for a sweet short cut to the finished project.
Thanks for the heads up!

This is an unfortunate situation. So far, I haven't had any trouble but I really haven't worked that much with my precuts yet. Am wondering if I'm going to have the same problems with some of mine.

In regard to your comment Linboose, the main reason I buy the precuts is for the variety of designer fabric prints included in the line and their color coordination . That's the only reason I've bought them. For me it's more economical to buy yardage and cut it myself. There are so many rulers and cutting tools available to make the job of cutting fabric so easy.

I have only ever used 1 jelly roll and it was just one from Hobby Lobby. One of the strips in my roll was a little larger too. I didn't realize this until I put my nine patch blocks together. My squares don't line up perfectly on just the squares with that particular fabric. All the rest line up perfectly. I checked my seams and they were right on, so it has to be the strip. I wonder if you called Moda if they would send you a coupon or a free jelly roll or something. Some companies will do that. I know someone who called Pepsi because she got an empty can in her 12 pack and she gets free pepsi in the mail all the time now.

That's a very good idea.... Poppy ......

wow Mia, I thank you so much, I would never of checked it myself and now I shall. I am crazy for cutting exactly and have been known to re cut several times ( it is the A type personality in me)