How to Speed Up Your Quilting Process
You Can Quilt Faster with Precuts
Sometimes quilters just need to get a quilt finished fast. Maybe to celebrate a special occasion or add a festive touch during your favorite holidays. You’ll see how I can quilt faster and more efficiently by prepping my fabrics ahead of time while not breaking the bank! See how you can quilt faster with precuts, too!
Here are my timesaving quilting tips for quick ways to finish quilts FAST! From clever cutting techniques to speedy sewing strategies, you’ll see how to make the most of your fabrics and get your quilt finished in no time. My strategy begins with precuts. That’s because they reduce if not eliminate cutting fabrics for each quilt. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced quilter, these tips will help you finish a quilt in a flash and get back to doing what you love even better – creating more beautiful quilts!
Precut quilting is popular, convenient, faster, and all for good reason. It’s a game-changer for quilters who want to save time and simplify their projects. With precuts, you can dive right into the fun part of quilting – the sewing, the creating, the enjoying – without spending hours cutting and preparing your fabric before each quilt.
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This video tutorial will step you through a fun quilt design that uses 10-inch squares, though you can substitute any size square to utilize the fabric you have on hand. The simple construction makes this a quick quilt and the multiple fabrics used create a gorgeous scrappy look.
Precut Fabrics Saves Time
Buying precuts is a personal choice each quilter makes and is generally about saving time or money. Quilters who avoid precuts are often deterred by the higher price. But there is a choice that will work for everyone! Simply create your own stash of precuts. If you tend to buy yardage, or even fat quarters, these fabrics can easily be turned into precuts. Even better, when it comes time to quilt you have a great assortment of fabrics to choose from.
My favorite quilts are scrappy and filled with lots of fabrics. When I begin a quilt, it can take a day or more just to cut the fabrics I’ll need. But if I use that day to cut lots of precut sizes from multiple fabrics then my choices increase. Chances are I’ll have a greater variety of precut fabrics to choose from for all my quilts. As I acquire more fabrics, I just add to my precut stash and am always ready to begin a new quilt.
Precut Fabrics Saves Money
My secret to quilting is to have lots of fabric options. But buying all that yardage is expensive. My secret to buying fabric is to buy a seasonal fat quarter bundle that I love, Then over a bit of time I’ll also find some yardage that will complement my chosen fabric collection. As I find those additional fabrics, I’ll buy a 1/2 -1 yard piece. This is enough to use in a current project, and also add to my precut stash. This way my fabric goes further and my precut collection also grows without spending more money every time I want to make a quilt. It’s a real win for me.
Use Your Fabrics Effectively
Precuts Can Be An Effective Tool
One of the biggest challenges quilters face when working with precuts is learning how to effectively use them without wasting time, money, or fabrics. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of pieces and not know where to start. Since I generally choose to use either 5” or 10” squares for a quilt, grouping precuts together by size is very effective. This keeps my fabric storage organized and tidy, leading to improved productivity. Being able to just sit and begin to sew is so satisfying, plus it gets me finished quicker.
One thing to consider is something that kept me from using lots of my own fabrics. Buying a pretty bundle of fabric is fun and it looks beautiful on the shelf. But what good is it to you if you don’t use it?! So, unless I have a specific plan for my fabric, I’ll cut some portion of it into precuts. I like to keep some larger pieces, too, so I’m not limited to specific precuts.
Working with precuts saves time but doesn’t have to limit your creativity. There’s so much you can do with squares and strips when you’re designing your quilts. Sometimes just beginning with a pile of squares will start your creative ideas flowing faster than looking at a pile of folded fabrics. It’s easier to see a quilt design develop when you’ve already decided what you’ll be working with. Using precuts can be a very effective and creative tool for quilters.
Precuts Get You Organized
Once you start cutting your own precuts, you’ll see your available fabric selection increase. Chances are you won’t use all of one fabric in a quilt, so it can be set aside for later. As you continue adding to your precut stash, your choices increase with each quilt you make. Now you have a nice selection of fabrics to choose from that’s ready to be sewn.
Precuts can also be a major time-saver, but only if you know how to use them efficiently. Once you develop a plan that works for your style of quilting, you’ll love the convenience of precuts. One of my favorite time-saving tips is to organize precuts by size in small baskets or bins. This simple trick makes it so much easier to find exactly what I need, when I want it.
Precuts Get You Creating More Quilts
Precuts can speed up your quilting time. One of the most efficient ways to assemble your precut quilt is to use a chain piecing method, where you sew together multiple blocks at once, rather than individually. This not only saves time, but also reduces the amount of thread you need to use. When quilting becomes quicker, you’ll find more quilts will be completed and that’s a huge win!
And finally, don’t be afraid to get creative with your precuts! Try using them to create unique and complex designs, rather than just following a traditional repeating pattern. The pattern shown in the video above is a perfect example of creating an intriguing design with a simple 10-inch square. Simple cuts and re-piecing makes a beautiful quilt top. Be sure to check out the techniques shown in the video.
More Timesaving Quilting Ideas
One standout tip that can drastically reduce quilting time is to use a precut-friendly pattern, specifically designed to work with precut fabrics. These patterns take into account the unique challenges and opportunities of precuts and provide clever solutions and workarounds. By using one of these patterns, you can save hours of time and focus on the fun part of quilting. You can find a lot of downloadable free patterns for precuts at the Fat Quarter Shop. Most are beginner friendly and will be a great place to start your quilting journey.
In summary, the key to successful precut quilting is to stay organized, work efficiently, and be creative. By following these tips and techniques, you can create stunning quilts in record time and enjoy the process every step of the way. Remember, precut quilting is all about embracing the possibilities and having fun – so don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with different techniques.
I’d love to hear about your favorite quilting tips and tricks in the comments below!
Happy Quilting,
Lea Louise
