What is pre-cut fabric?

Most folks are familiar with bolts of fabric which are sold by the yard. But if you are new to quilting, you will be pleased to learn about pre-cut fabric, which is simply a catchall term for quilt fabrics which are cut down to smaller, more manageable shapes such as squares, strips, or fabric cuts that are smaller than 1 yard. You may also come across other types of specialty precuts that we don't cover here, such as yard cuts. Many quilters prefer to buy precut fabrics in a variety of sizes to make quilting quick and easy!

There are many different types of quilting precuts to choose from like charm packs, mini charm packs, jelly rolls, layer cakes, fat quarter bundles, and fat eighth bundles. Sounds delicious, right? But you might be wondering, what do those fabric precut names mean? Let us take a moment to explain the wonderful world of pre cut fabric for quilting!

Common Quilt Fabric Precut Sizes

If you’re new to quilting, you may find it difficult to keep all of the various precut fabric sizes straight. While there are standard sizes for each type of precut quilt fabric, they go by many names (most of which depend on the manufacturer). Allow us to demystify precut fabrics for you with this handy overview!

Charm packs measure 5" × 5" each. They are generally called 5" squares and you might know them by names like 5" Stackers, 5 Karat Gems, Single Scoops, Stamps, Chips, and more. Most packs of 5" squares contain 40-42 pieces each and have the equivalent of ½ yard of fabric.

Mini Charm Packs measure 2½" × 2½" each. They are called 2 ½" squares in general. They’re a lot of fun and it’s definitely true that good things come in small packages! Most packs of 2 ½" squares contain 40-42 pieces each and have the equivalent of ¼ yard of fabric.

Jelly Rolls or precut fabric strips measure 2½" x the width of fabric each. They are typically known as 2 ½" strips and different brands give them names like Strip Packs, Strip-pies, Pixie Strips, Roll Ups, Rolie Polies, Double Scoops, 40 Karat Gems, and others. Most rolls of 2 ½" strips contain 40-42 pieces each and have the equivalent of 2 ¾ yards of fabric.

Layer Cakes or precut fabric squares measure 10" × 10" each. They are generally called 10" squares and are given many different names including Ten Squares, Tiles, 10" Stackers, Stacks, Sundaes, 10 Karat Gems, Patty Cakes, and more. Most packs of 10" squares contain 40-42 pieces each and have the equivalent of 2 ¾ yards of fabric.

Fat Quarters measure 18" × 22" each. They're equivalent to ¼ yard of fabric, but instead of being cut like a long ¼ yard strip, they are cut vertically from ½ yard of fabric to give you more space to work with when creating quilt designs. Fat quarter bundle sizes vary.

Fat Eighths measure 9" × 22" each. They’re equivalent to ⅛ yard of fabric. They are similar to fat quarters, but they’re essentially fat quarters cut in half. Fat eighth bundle sizes vary.

Why choose precuts for quilting?

As you can imagine, precut cotton fabric makes quilting a snap. You can skip all that measuring and cutting and get straight to the good part—sewing! Precut fabric bundles come in a variety of styles and patterns, whether you prefer traditional or modern fabrics. Plus, Missouri Star quilt patterns are created especially for pre-cut fabric sizes so you can easily swap out the colors or prints to make any pattern your own. Simply pick up your favorite quilting precuts and have fun sewing your own unique quilt.

Using quilt fabric precuts has another benefit: when you buy precut fabrics, you’re getting the perfect mix of prints and colors that complement each other. Pre cut fabric bundles make matching fabrics as easy as possible so you’re guaranteed a winning combination every time.

Where can I purchase precut fabrics?

You’re in the right place! Missouri Star Quilt Co. offers a wonderful selection of precut fabrics online from your favorite brands including Moda, Robert Kaufman, Maywood Studio, Andover Fabrics, Wilmington Prints, Riley Blake, Island Batik, FreeSpirit Fabrics, RJR Fabrics, Benartex, Northcott, Henry Glass, Windham Fabrics, Michael Miller, and many more. And if you prefer to buy fabric precuts in person, we have 13 amazing shops in Hamilton, MO where you can shop our wide selection of precut fabric for quilting. 

New to working with precut fabrics for quilting? Download our free PDF guide to precut fabric sizes then shop our wide selection to purchase precut fabrics for quilting. We think you’ll be amazed at what you can create!