Quilting With Layer Cakes

The free Truckee quilt pattern is available now! The simple patchwork design uses one Layer Cake for a throw sized quilt. This quilt was inspired by the little mountain town of Truckee, California. I was inspired to design this quilt because I had several layer cakes in my fabric stash that I wasn't quite sure what to do with. This pattern is an easy, quick finish and requires no background fabric.

Get the pattern here 

What is a layer cake?

A layer cake is a type of precut quilting fabric. It is a stack of 10-inch precut squares that typically encapsulate an entire fabric collection. I should actually use the term "10-inch precut", as "Layer Cake" is a trademark of Moda Fabrics. Different fabric companies use different names for these curated precuts. Here are the big names and what they call them: Art Gallery Fabrics: 10-inch Fabric Wonders; Cotton + Steel: 10-inch x 10-inch; Figo: Tiles; Robert Kaufman: 10-Square. 

I really like these precut bundles, because they are a budget friendly way to purchase an entire fabric collection. It's easy to mix and match the fabrics within one pack and know that they will coordinate or complement each other. 

How much fabric is in a layer cake?

There are usually (42) 10-inch squares included in the pack, which adds up to about 2 3/4 yards of fabric. Both Moda and Ruby Star Society (which is a division of Moda) offer Junior Layer Cakes comprised of (21) 10-inch squares. These juniors are a great option for making a baby quilt. The Truckee Quilt pattern includes a baby size option that uses one Junior Layer Cake. 

What's up with the zig zag edge?

The zig zag edge is technically called a "pinked edge". The pieces are cut this way in order to prevent or minimize fraying along the edges of the fabric. The pinked edge can cause some confusion when it comes to measuring your pieces when cutting and piecing. If you are piecing with the pinked edges still intact, the peak of the pinked edge is where you should measure from. 

The Truckee quilt pattern calls for layer cakes in the fabric requirements, but the pinked edges will be cut off prior to piecing.

Should I prewash my layer cake?

The general consensus among modern quilters seems to be that we don't prewash precut fabrics. Because of all of the raw edges, your pieces are likely to get very stringy in the wash and tangle with one another. However, prewashing is a personal choice! If you decide that you really want to prewash your layer cake, place the fabric pieces in a lingerie bag/ mesh laundry bag prior to placing in the wash. If you opt not to prewash, and you're worried about the colors bleeding once you wash your finished quilt, I highly recommend using Shout Color Catchers. I never prewash my quilting fabrics, and as long as I use a Color Catcher with cool water for my quilt's first wash, I've never experienced any color bleed!

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How to Prep your layer cake for quilting

Although I wouldn't recommend prewashing your layer cake, you'll definitely want to give your pieces a good starch and press. The starch will cause your pieces to shrink just a bit, so make sure you complete this step before cutting. My favorite tools for this step are Faultless premium spray starch (the one with the gold cap, which you can find at most grocery stores) and the Oliso mini iron. These irons are an investment, but when you get into piecing, they are just such a help. The little size is perfect, and the pointed end makes pressing seams open much easier. 

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What should I do with left over layer cake squares?

If you like to store scraps by size, you could easily cut your left-over squares into smaller sized pieces that are commonly used in quilting. See some examples below in the graphic below:

• (4) 2 1/2" strips
• (16) 2 1/2" squares
• (9) 3" squares
• (4) 5" squares
• (2) 2 1/2" strips + (2) 5" squares
• (2) half square triangles

*Not all layer cake squares are perfect 10-inch pieces, so you might not be able to get all of these pieces from one square. 

Ready to make a layer cake quilt?

TheTruckee Quilt Sew Along (runs April 22- May 19, 2023)!

• Click the link above to join me and over 150 other quilters while we sew the Truckee Quilt!

• Participate on Instagram by completing the weekly tasks and using the hashtags #ritualquiltcompany and #truckeequiltalong for a chance to win weekly prizes. 

Keep creating, and let me know if you have any questions!