I found myself in possession of a gorgeous layer cake, provided by Island Batik as part of their Ambassador program, and needed to find a way to use them. This tutorial will be going over how I trimmed them down to the size I needed (8 inches square), it will work for all sizes except for the original 10 inches they are supposed to come in.
First I laid out the first square...not square.
(PS Forgive the glare, I was still getting used to the new sewing room set up, I think I've figured out how to avoid it now.)
(PS Forgive the glare, I was still getting used to the new sewing room set up, I think I've figured out how to avoid it now.)
I am trimming my layer cake down to 8" so I want to line up the ruler making sure I can see 8 all the way around *on* the fabric.
When you are trimming any unit, I think it's important to make the first trim as little as possible. The less you take of in the first trim the more wiggle room you have for miss cuts.
Rotate your fabric square.
Line up the 8" mark (in this case) along the newly trimmed edge.
Line up the 8" mark (in this case) along the newly trimmed edge.
Taking the least amount of fabric with my first trim means I have very usable pieces left after the second trim.
This is the second square. Not square. If you want to use pre-cuts keep in mind that the accuracy can be off, which can throw your pattern off, so just check sizes. Or, if you are more of a "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of quilter, just go for it, and know that I'm slightly jealous of your ability to let go.
One thing that is really nice about pre-cuts is the variety you get in each one, so I think trimmed down they are a great way to add to your stash. I cut my bindings at 2" so a jelly roll would make great scrappy bindings.
The 2 1/2" mini charm packs work perfectly with the 1" hexagons from Paper Pieces. I used a couple packs to make this table runner a few years ago.
Do you use pre-cuts? Do you use them as is, or do you cut them down for different sizes? Let me know in the comments. Be sure to add your email address so I can talk with you!
Happy Stitching!
Jen
Happy Stitching!
Jen
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I find the Moda pre-cuts are a bit tricky with those zig-zag cut edges. Wherever possible I trim them off my first edge - similar to the initial trim you gave your 10" squares. But I can't resist pre-cut packs - all those lovely coordinated fabrics...
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