Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

[HandsomeRyan]

The more I use pre-cuts, the more I love them. I generally buy them from M* because my LQS doesn't carry much of a selection of them.

My problem is this: I am good to buy a pre-cut like a jelly roll, and sometimes I'll even get a matching charm pack to expand my options but I never think to buy yardage. Since most of this is impulse purchasing and not for a specific project I don't ever know exactly what I'll need in yardage for things like backings, borders, and bindings.

What do you do when you buy precuts? Do you buy a set amount of matching yardage? Plan your projects better so you know what you'll need? Go to your LQS and try to find something that coordinates?

[Miss Sheri]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

GREAT QUESTION! I have bought a lot of pre-cuts, all but a couple have been from M*. I even had patterns in mind for them, but didn't even think about matching yardage for borders, binding, backing etc. Some, I had to use a solid color, like black, or white which worked out fine, but others, I have tried to hunt down some yardage, sometimes all over the internet. When I can't find the exact line, I take my pre-cut to the fabric store and find SOMETHING, that will go with it. Now, I am learning to think about the yardage when I buy the pre-cut, live and learn, right?

[MomGram]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

I try to guess whom I will make the quilt. If it's for a child I get two yards this will do borders and binding. If it's going to be for an adult ( that means a queen or king) then I buy three yards. Sometimes I forget to get the yardage and have to go to the quilt shop for something to coordinate, so far I've always found something. So I guess I have no real set plan just go with whatever feels good at the time.

[Hulamoon]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

I haven't bought yardage from M* yet. But on my design wall right now I do want a matching fabric for the back. I was waiting to see how big it was going to get first. It's a baby right now but I'm liking it so much I might turn it in to a lap. So I need to buy charms and yardage.

I do match charms with what's in my shop. Most times you can't even tell they didn't come together if you select carefully. This was when I thought I could make a baby quilt from one pack. Big lesson learned there. lol

[Leah53]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

I occasionally buy a yard of coordinating fabric for a border and binding, it's too expensive to buy it to back quilts with.

[Marty]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

I am the queen of pre-planning. I know the person, the pattern, the size, and the amount of extra fabric I need. I have a basic idea about fabric type (floral or masculine or modern or whatever) and then I shop sales, clearance, DDs to find fabric that will work. I often create my own precuts by cutting yardage. It depends what is cheaper. I basically have no stash and I keep the budget under control by completing one project (sew, quilt, bind, gift the project) before I start a second project. My son or my husband help me to figure out the fabric amounts I need. This works well as long as I make zero mistakes cutting. It sounds limiting but it makes me really stop and think before I hit the purchase button.

[Leah53]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

I am the queen of pre-planning. I know the person, the pattern, the size, and the amount of extra fabric I need. I have a basic idea about fabric type (floral or masculine or modern or whatever) and then I shop sales, clearance, DDs to find fabric that will work. I often create my own precuts by cutting yardage. It depends what is cheaper. I basically have no stash and I keep the budget under control by completing one project (sew, quilt, bind, gift the project) before I start a second project. My son or my husband help me to figure out the fabric amounts I need. This works well as long as I make zero mistakes cutting. It sounds limiting but it makes me really stop and think before I hit the purchase button.

Wish I had your willpower. I have a serious addiction to scrapbook paper and now fabric, I can't help it, I like pretty things. I do use up my charm packs and layer cakes quickly so I don't have them lying around too long.

[Iris Girl]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

I usually buy because I like it. I don't usually have a plan in mind. But I have such a large stash, that 95% of anything I buy will match something in my stash. I like precuts, but then tend not to use them...they are so pretty to look at all tied up with a ribbon and stacked perfectly. LOL

[Kgrammiecaz]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

I did not buy coordinating fabrics in the beginning. Never thought about it. But these last few months I have changed that up a bit and buy between one and three yards so I will have some to go with precuts. I use a lot of snow from Craftsy and the porcelain white from Missouri Star. Then I pick up some fabrics from Joanns with coupons to keep the cost down a bit. I can usually find something to add in

[kelliedi]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

I only buy the pre-cut through M*< and quite frankly it is on a daily deal. I have no plans for these but when i get them something usually comes to mind and if i need yardage i look at the pre-cut and then pick the yardage to go with it....

[Bubby]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

When I buy precuts I normally just buy the precuts and see how that develops. I find I can normally find matching yardage online even a few months later. If I feel I've already spent too much by using pre-cuts I go to my local fabric shop and find a fabric that coordinates well and I will buy that for the border and binding. I can buy quality quilting fabric locally for less than $5 a yard. If I happen to buy the 'orphan' fabric before I make the quilt top I will incorporate some of it in the body of the quilt. My Luna Notte quilt in my album is an example. The toile fabric of the outer border is an orphan fabric that I bought before I had the whole quilt body made. I was able to use a little of it as a frame around a couple of the charm squares and also for the outer border and the binding.

When I buy orphan yardage for borders, binding, etc. I buy 3 or 4 yards. I would buy 4 yards if I need to cut the borders along the length of the fabric. I had to match and piece the toile border to keep the design upright on the ends of the quilt. I don't particularly care to piece my outer borders unless I absolutely have to, but I prefer my binding to be cut WOF because it is more flexible. Barb

[Claire Hallman]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

When I buy a jelly roll or layer cake I usually buy an extra yard of a coordinating fabric. That way I have binding to match. I have pretty much quit buying charm packs since they are not enough to do much with. A layer cake and a jelly roll make a decent sized quilt if you add in some background fabric.

[RiverMomm]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

When I buy pre-cuts (normally jelly rolls), it is almost always a serious impulse buy that I just can't resist. Well, then I have to buy more things to make shipping to Canada worthwhile. Those other things are usually more jelly rolls. At this point, I have spent too much money to afford yardage. When I finally get the jelly rolls in the mail, I have forgotten whatever I had in mind for the MUST HAVE IT jelly roll and put them aside cause I don't want to open them (ooohhh, ahhh, so pretty).

Finally, I will break down, and decide to sew something. I will either order matching fabric (which by that time it is sold out cause its been so long) or I go locally and buy some yardage.

Yep, I have this down to a fine art.

[bkthomas]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

Just today I received my package from MSQC with the DD from the 17th!
Unforgettable charm pack x 2 and 2 yards of the floral w/brown background!
Still no plans per say, but if I need something to go with it I'll probably find something local.

[New York Sue]

Re: Buying yardage with pre-cuts?

If I really, really LOVE a charm pack, I'll pick up 2 yards of coordinating fabric when I can. Though more often than not, I fly by the seat of my pants! I wish more collections were like Kansas Troubles, where from one year to the next, the color line is predictable...