Precut Standardization is here!

Precut Standardization is here!

We’re always getting phone calls and e-mails from you, our beautiful, lovely, patient, loyal, good-looking really good looking, wise customers.  You offer us many excellent suggestions and ideas (and thank goodness you do because we definitely don’t know it all).  As much as we can, we try to incorporate these suggestions into how we run our shop.  That is why we are pleased to announce the standardization of precuts!

As you know, MSQC carries a very broad selection (and growing) of precut fabrics from a bunch of different fabric providers.  The confusing part is that these companies all do the same precut sizes in different quantities.   Take charm packs for example; Riley Blake puts one of each print from a fabric line in their charms, so you could get 22 pieces … or 24 pieces …. or 27 pieces … etc  (you get the idea!)  Moda always puts 42 pieces in their charm packs, even if they have to double or even triple some prints.  Some companies include a flat 40 pieces (with some duplicates).  And other companies do it other ways.  Many of you commented that it was confusing when you watched a tutorial that used a charm pack that included a certain number of squares, and then bought another charm (more suitable to your taste and style) which included a different number of squares.  This also made it hard to easily compare prices of charms, to tell if you were getting good value for your money.  The same went other precuts as well.

So what we’ve done, as much as we can, is standardize the number of pieces that come in precut fabric bundles.  We thank our wonderful fabric providers, most of which have agreed to custom cut for us to make this standardization possible.  Here’s what we decided on, with your advice in mind (each precut lists the standard number of pieces it will include):

  • Charm Packs (5” x 5” squares) – 42 pieces
  • Layer Cakes (10” squares) – 42 pieces
  • Jelly Rolls (2.5” strips) – 40 pieces
  • Turnovers (6” half-square triangles) – 80 pieces
  • Honey Buns (1.5” strips) – 40 pieces

Remember, companies call the exact same precuts by different names (eg – 2.5” x 44” strips can be called jelly rolls, design rolls, rolie polies, roll-ups, stone-strips, etc), so always look for the measurements to ensure you’re getting the correct item!

A few things to note:

  1. This standardization is only starting to happen with newer lines coming out, so you will still see precuts available with a variance of pieces offered inside (our older inventory).
  2. Although most companies are on board with this change, not everyone is, so you should still check to see how many pieces you are getting when you buy a precut.
  3. Since many fabric lines have less prints than the number of pieces included in a precut, many prints are doubled or tripled.  We will be as specific as possible in our description to advise on the composition of what is inside.
  4. Some precuts (like fat quarter bundles and RJR Twice the charms, will still usually carry only one of each print from the line).

In case you’re curious, the reason we chose 42 pieces for the 5” and 10” squares, is because then you can make projects that are 6 x 7 squares, plus with the extra couple of prints, if you don’t like a few (and don’t want to use them in your quilt), you have more remaining squares to work with.

We hope that this change will benefit you, and look forward to implementing even more of your brilliant ideas in the future.  Thanks for being the best customers in the world!  We couldn’t have come this far without you all :)   Happy quilting!

  • Debbie Weishaar

    That’s great. I always look at the number of pieces in precuts when I buy because it seems to be the more you get the more you can do with and in the long run seems to be cheaper. I do have some precuts with fewer pieces because I liked them and try to buy more than one when possible. I’m finding that working with precuts is super easy and seems to make a quilt top or project come to life faster. Can’t wait until I get to take another trip up to see you guys in person again!!!

  • Shirley

    How wonderful! You all are really the very BEST! Thank you so much, it will be much easier on the brain.

  • http://www.facebook.com/paula.jarosz1 Paula Jarosz

    Thank you ! That is awesome:))

  • http://twitter.com/wpp10 Suzanne Faris

    Thanks so much for doing this. It really will make shopping easier for me.

  • QuiddityRox

    Great…helps me not to be disappointed!!

  • sue burton

    Wow, That shows the influence you have in the quilting world. Deservedly so!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Valerie-Robertson/1083122833 Valerie Robertson

    I didn’t think it could happen, but you guys just keep raising the bar. Thanks MSQC

  • http://www.facebook.com/cj.p.crist Cj Porter Crist

    Thank You!! Once again you have proven how much your clients matter. BTW, Thanks again for the great tutorials.

  • Yessant Habetz

    Thank you for hearing our cries! You guys are the best!

  • laurel

    that is fantastic. i love precuts!!

  • Kathy

    Fabulous. I use a layer cake pattern I learned from you over and over, and have always had to add 2 more squares from my stash to get a 6 x 7 layout. Thank you.

  • http://www.facebook.com/barb.shaver.1 Barb Shaver

    Thanks for your hard work in making this possible. It can’t be easy to “sell” the companies on a new policy! Your customers appreciate you going to bat for us.

  • Karee

    Excellent. Most excellent. Really good looking excellent!

  • ruth

    This is wonderful.

  • Joanne

    You ladies are the best…wish you were closer so I could visit.

  • http://www.facebook.com/heidi.colville1 Heidi Colville

    This is a great idea. I knew different companies had different numbers of fabrics in their pre cuts so depending on whose fabric line it was you had to order more.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Penny-Brown/1244104866 Penny Brown

    Thanks! I use a lot of charm packs in my quilts and I hate to substitue different fabric to complete the piece.

  • Elvan Italy

    Why am I not living closer. I would love to buy from you and I did once. However I had to pay toll and it is expensive. Please open a filial in Europe! I have googled around a lot and it is not possible to find something like MSQC. A special thank you to Jenny. I love your class and your tutorials. :)

  • Lis Martion

    I am going to use my 1st ever Jelly Roll on Thurs. for a Mystery Quilt day. I am looking forward to it. I did find it a bit tricky tho when trying to find one. Thanks for all this info, which will be very handy down the track.

  • Donna Piotrowski

    Thanks ever so much. It will really make our projects go smoother in the planning stages.

  • momawake

    Great news! Thanks so much!

  • Ruthi

    This is wonderful! Thank you for helping us to enjoy quilting projects even more!

  • Deborah Werner

    This is a wonderful idea! You must be very persuasive to tackle all those biggies and come out a winner – Thank you!

  • http://www.facebook.com/debcohorst Debbie Cohorst

    THANK YOU!!!! You guys are the greatest!

  • Doris

    Thanks for all that you do to try and make our love of quilting easier. This must have taken a lot of negotiating with various fabric companies and we all thank you. Love your website and LOVE your varied tutorials.

  • Giddy Stokes

    HALLELUJAH!

  • Sherry M.

    OMG!!!! You guys are SO awesome! That makes it so much easier for me!!! Thanks for going that extra mile for your customers!

  • Teresa

    I think this idea is awesome. I do wish you could include a pattern with the pre-cuts. I have a terrible time figuring out how to use a charm pack.

  • Lo

    Thank you for making this happen.

  • BevM

    This is so much easier when purchasing precuts. Keep up the great customer service..

  • B. Martin Baker

    Thank you for listening to your customers.

  • Vicki

    This is a great idea. Will definitely help me.

  • shawn

    Great Idea. Now if we could get the companies to cut the fabrics the same size. I bought 2 charm packs and one was 5″ square and the other was 4.75″ and not exactly square. I guess I should not count on needing all 5″ to make a pattern. Does this happen often or did I just get a bad batch?

  • Terry

    This has been well thought out — thanks for making this universal – hopefully the industry will follow through – !}

  • http://www.facebook.com/lesley.blake.96 Lesley Blake

    Brilliant news. Well done you! This will make sorting patterns out soooo much easier. Loving this site and blog

  • MissouriQuiltCo

    You are welcome CJ! Thanks for the support!

  • MissouriQuiltCo

    :) Thank you Barb!!

  • Alice

    Excellent idea. 42 is a better number than 40, exactly because of the 6×7 reason. Thank you!

  • JP

    I’m so glad you’ve been able to influence the mfgrs to standardize the precuts!! Well done! Now for my older precut bundles, i’ll have to check the qty before “assuming” how many pieces i have! As a comparison, i have recently pulled out an old Moda layer cake, from the Decadent Victorian collection. What a surprise when the layer cake pieces were 9″ X 11″ !!! WOW! I started collecting this gorgeous fabric several years ago in order to make several quilts from it. Little did I realize that the FQ’s weren’t exactly 18X22 and then the layer cake slices were 9X11. Oh, my! The charm packs contained 40 pieces but not always exactly 5″. We’ve come a long way. Thanks for being a big influence in the quilting industry!

  • JenM

    We’re happy you like the standardization! Quilting has come a long way for sure. Thanks for sharing!