Precuts

Precut strips

Jelly Rolls and Charm Packs

Precuts are a trend in fabric acquisitions that seems to be here to stay. A great source for precuts is Clotilde.com. You can see what is available from most of the fabric companies all at one time. Now, how convenient is that? One-stop shopping. It also can be a source for inspiration. It's worth a online shopping trip. Most quilters are drawn to these tasty little morsels of fabric at one time or another. We buy and admire, and then we must decide what to do with them.

Once you make the decision to use them, the real fun begins. There are so many things to consider. Do we have enough? Can we get more? Do we have anything to go with them? And of course, what will we make? Making the decision about what to do with fabric packs is almost as fun as actually making the project. Searching through books and patterns can be so inspiring.

Precuts come in many shapes and sizes; here are the most common.

• Jelly Rolls, Bali Pops, Color Story packs -- 2 1/2-inch x width of fabric strips
• Charm packs -- 5-inch squares
• Sweet Rolls -- 1 1/2-inch x width of fabric strips
• Layer Cakes -- 10-inch squares
• Dessert Rolls -- 5-inch x width of fabric strips
• Turnovers -- 6-inch triangles
• Rectangles -- These come in many different dimensions

These are the most common precuts but other sizes are available. Some quilt shops also cut their own precuts for popular patterns. A great thing to do with your scraps is to cut them into these sizes to use with precut bundles. It will add variety and contrast. And don't forget you can always make your own charm packs, Layer Cakes, Turnovers and Jelly Roll strips to suit your taste. It's a great way to reduce your scraps and make them usable, and it's another way to sort your fabrics. Create one box for strips and one for squares ... ah, new assets!

Dessert Rolls, Jelly Rolls, Fat Quarters and Layer Cakes. All fabrics available at Clotilde.com.