A Few Tips on Buying Fabric Panels for Quilts

When do you see a row of beautiful fabric panels for quilts at the local store you think about how gorgeous they can make your quilt appear? And they do not even cost that much. Since Quilt blocks are precisely structured, they are best paired with square weave fabrics. These are easy to control and do not stretch, being high on stability. Let us look at a few tips you can use for buying panel fabric for quilts.

Find a Proper Fabric Store

You will not find any single fabric store that will give you everything you need. Of course, there are big chain outlets, but you cannot take your time there, and the number of choices you have in front of you can be a little overwhelming. Also, there are fewer people for attending to your needs, so you do not often get the help you need with the fabric picking process. But on the bright side, you get a larger selection by the coupon availability and cheaper prices.

A smaller store, in contrast, will almost always have an employee ready to offer you any help you need. They can pitch in with their opinions, explain different techniques, and answer any question you might have. These independent stores usually have fabrics that are of high quality and which cost more. You do not have to pay higher prices in independently owned stores for nothing, as the quality of the fabric panels for quilts will reflect the price.

Pick the Right Fabric

There are different types of fabric available on the market and the quality of the product depends on the manufacturing process, the dyes used for coloring, and the thread count.  Look for the panels that will be durable and you can maintain it easily, therefore cleaning the panels will not be difficult.

But in case you are buying fabric panels for quilts that will be used in a wedding or if you have a grand sized bed you wish to adorn, you can go ahead and invest in a high-quality fabric panel. If you plan to invest a lot of time in a project, you will not regret spending money on an expensive fabric.

Fabric Cuts

You can find quilting fabrics in special cuts and you should know about them while buying your project supplies. These cuts are measured in terms of inches and yards. The beginners can take some time to get used to the types of cutting. The different fabric cuts are given below.

Fat Eights and Fat Quarters

The measurement for a fat quarter is 18 x 22 inches and a fat eighth is half of that. What makes these cuts useful is the fact that you can cut out the fabric panels for quilts and use them ergonomically, so you achieve maximum utilization for each piece. By buying fabric in fat eighths and fat quarters you get more prints and colors under your budget.

Jelly Rolls

These consist of several lengths of rolled up quilting fabric. They are then cut into widths of 2.5 inches. If you wish to create blocks comprising of strips and small squares, then jelly rolls are ideal for you.

Wide Fabrics

These fabric panels for quilts are used for the back area and their width allows them to eliminate seams that are unnecessary. Mostly used or large measuring quilts that will need to add texture and designs removing the edges, it measures to about 108”.

Using the tips above, you can find a suitable fabric panel for your quilt. Remember to browse through different stores and get several pricing quotes before finalizing your purchase.