12 reasons why you should try Precuts

Precuts are stored in my closet as pretty little bundles of fabric, waiting for me to sew little things or big quilts out of them. Until then, I look at them lovingly, often pick them up, turn them over and over, carefully consider them and then put them back neatly… Honestly, I don’t love precuts because I’m lazy – I actually quite like the part of cutting yard goods into lots of little pieces of fabric! But when the fabric packages are in front of me, I can take a little shortcut if I want 🙂 ….

What exactly are precuts?

• Precuts are fabrics from a collection cut to a specific size
• Precuts are not sold individually, but as a so-called bundle/fabric package (exception: fat quarters, if you have a nice fabric dealer specializing in patchwork fabrics)
• Depending on the manufacturer, the scope and composition of a bundle/fabric package varies
• Variant 1 (e.g. at Moda Fabrics): Colors and patterns are repeated in different combinations, but are always compatible with each other and from one fabric collection. Each fabric from the collection appears at least once in the Precut Bundle
• Variant 2 (e.g. at Art Gallery Fabrics): the bundle is carefully curated, either as a color palette or as a harmonious pattern combination. The fabrics do not necessarily belong to a collection

Precuts – more freedom, less leftovers

Precuts are a great complement to fabrics by the meter as they allow you to buy an entire collection at once! It’s really nice when you choose projects/patterns that already specify a charm pack, a jelly roll or a layer cake as the material specification. Double effect: The finished quilt, table runner, cushion or placemat is then balanced in terms of color and design and you don’t pile up endless fabrics!

The use of precuts gives a creative freedom due to the variety of a whole collection of often more than 30 different fabrics, which is a lot of fun. Here is one and the same Charm Pack sorted differently:

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Which precuts are actually there?

Surname	size	sales unit
fat quarters	18 x 22 inches	Fat Quarter Bundle = scope depending on the collection
Fat Eight	9 x 22 or 18 x 11 inches	Fat Eighth Bundle = scope depending on the collection
layer cake	10 inch square	Layer Cake = 42 pieces as a fabric package
charming	5 inch square	Charm Pack = 42 pieces as a fabric package
mini charms	2.5 inch square	Mini Charm Pack = 42 pieces as a fabric package
jellyroll	2.5 inch strip x fabric width	40 strips per roll
honey bun	1.5 inch strip x fabric width	40 strips per roll

Precuts, who invented them? It was Moda Fabrics!

During my research I came across that Moda Fabrics was the first company to produce precuts for the end user. In response to my inquiry, Moda wrote to me that initially fat quarters and charm packs were given to fabric dealers as samples so that they could make quilts from them for exhibition purposes – very quickly the customers also wanted these practical pre-cut fabrics and so Precuts were born. Moda then launched the first Charm Packs fairly quickly, followed by Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes.

Note: Moda Fabrics is kind enough to point out that they don’t want to claim the “invention” of Precuts as there is no official proof of it.

12 reasons why you should use precuts for your next patchwork project

1. Variety of fabrics In a precut fabric package, either all the patterns of a collection are available or a designer has chosen a great combination – so you get a lot of creative input
2. Inexpensive You don’t have to buy bulk goods
3. Time-saving You can start right away with measurements based on the instructions
4. Energy- saving Due to my job, I sit at the computer all day and suffer from pain in my hand from time to time – cutting with the rotary cutter increases these symptoms enormously and with precuts I can simply make it more comfortable
5. Promotes a good mood Everyone has their likes or dislikes: some love piecing/patchwork, others love quilting. And if you just don’t like the part of the cut, that’s totally ok – then bring on the precuts
6. Numerous instructions Extra for jelly rolls, layer cakes, charm packs, fat quarters, etc., countless wonderful instructions in all sizes have been designed and written. You can find an example of a typical jelly roll pattern here on the Moda Fabrics website or here at Art Gallery Fabrics..
7. Space- saving Square, practical, good – Precuts can be optimally stowed away and take up very little space
8. Accurate We all try to cut as accurately as possible, but precuts are laser cut and we’re not as accurate as machines
9. Creatively balanced Precuts are put together by designers and are therefore a harmonious and balanced selection of fabrics. Especially when you are often not sure which colors harmonize well, this is an advantage. You are also on the safe side when buying online, because you never know exactly how the colors will turn out with yard goods
10. Freedom Assuming that you buy precuts earmarked for a pattern, you have “worked away” them with the project – so you then enjoy the freedom to devote yourself to new projects and don’t have to look at scraps of fabric for years
11. Clean It may sound banal to some, but anyone who reacts to dust appreciates Precuts, because you bypass the dust generated during cutting
12. Less Leftovers Not all of us like leftover fabrics and that’s totally fine! When processing precuts, there are hardly any leftovers or much less. (You still have a lot of leftovers? Here I show what I do with them)

Incidentally, for a larger quilt, I like to combine it with fabric from the same collection or a single-colored fabric, e.g. B. Moda Bella Solids!

In the shop we have a fine selection of precuts and matching Moda Bella Solids and we are constantly expanding our range.