I've known since I wrote the pattern that Mismatched Stars and Stripes was compatible with 2 1/2 in. precut strips. I think in the beginning I might have had it listed as an option on the pattern, but since I had never actually made the pattern that way I decided to take the option off.
Well, now a couple years later, I have finally decided it's time to test the precut and the Mismatched Stars and Stripes Quilt Pattern not only to see how it would play out, but also to see how it would look.
I have several 2 1/2 in. precut rolls lying around that I bought a couple years ago and haven't really known what to do with. So I decided it was time to crack one of them open and get sewing.
You can find a copy of the Mismatched Stars and Stripes Pattern in my shop.
2 1/2 inch Precuts
First, let's go over what a precut is in quilting. Precuts are fabrics which have already been cut to certain sizes and usually require much less work. Jellyrolls (2 1/2 in. precuts made by Moda Fabrics) are literally strips of fabric rolled up. Each strip is 2 1/2 inches wide and 42 inches long. Every roll contains a collection of fabrics. A jellyroll is a good way to get all the fabrics of large collections without having to pay an arm and a leg.
Quilt pattern designers write patterns which are precut compatible. For instance, you can use 2 1/2 in. precuts for one of the fabrics in my Rebekah Quilt Pattern. These patterns are usually great for beginners and save time because there is a lot less cutting.
For this project I used two mini precut rolls. So each of mine had 20 strips of fabric in them. I needed both rolls to get enough strips for the throw size Mismatched Stars and Stripes Quilt.
The Mismatched Stars and Stripes Pattern
Mismatched Stars and Stripes was inspired by America's Independence Day. I wanted the pattern to be a modern take on the holiday. The uneven stripes combined with the traditional sawtooth stars give the pattern a unique and contemporary look.
The pattern is fat quarter friendly and now we know you can replace the background yardage for a 2 1/2 in. precut roll! Just an FYI you can get precuts in a solid color. For instance, you can buy a precut roll in all white and use that as the background fabric.
The Mismatched Stars and Stripes Pattern is fat quarter friendly. So usually when I make this pattern the stars and the thin and wide stripes are the focal fabrics.
In the past I have used fat quarter bundles to make this quilt. It's easy to buy a curated bundle and get sewing. You can see the other versions I have made here, here and here.
This modern star pattern is available in three sizes:
- Baby (32 in. x 40 in.)
- Throw (48 in. x 64 in.)
- Twin (72 in. x 96 in.)
The sawtooth stars are sewn using the Stitch and Flip Method. I think if you are a beginning quilter this is an easier method of sewing flying geese than the No Waste Method.
Since the Stitch and Flip method is used there is no trimming! I love those kind of quilt patterns! I think one of the most frustrating things about sewing flying geese is actually the trimming part. While the Stitch and Flip Method might be slower, I think a beginner will find it much easier than the Four at a Time and it saves time on the back end since there is no trimming.
The flying geese are the hardest part of sewing this quilt. The stripes are strip pieced and go super, duper fast! The stripes are my favorite part to sew on this pattern.
How I Made This Quilt
In the past every time I have made a Mismatched Stars and Stripes Quilt I have used yardage for the background fabric and fat quarters for the stars and stripes. This time I flipped it. I counted up the fat quarters I would need for the throw size (12 FQs) and converted it into yardage (3 yards). I found 3 yards of off white fabric in my stash to use for the stars and thin and wide stripes.
Then, I looked up online how much yardage is in a standard 2 1/2 in. precut roll. A regular size roll has 2 3/4 yards of fabric. Since I had two mini rolls, which is half the size of a regular one, and I needed 2 1/8 yards for the throw size background fabric, I had plenty of fabric.
Next, I followed the cutting directions and made sure to use some of each fabric print when cutting the star fabrics. I also wanted to make sure that I got as many fabrics as possible into the stripes.
I wanted the quilt to have a scrappy feel, so all the fabric would be jumbled up and randomly spread throughout the quilt.
When piecing the stars I made sure to try to mix up the fabrics as much as possible. The result was just what I wanted! I love how this quilt turned out!
Finishing the Quilt
When it came time to choose a backing for this quilt I happened to have the perfect fabric! I had several meters of a cotton fabric made in India. I had been keeping it for just the right project and it happened to go very well with this quilt. 
I love the rich colors of this fabric and the design. Plus, it's so soft!
Generally I never wash my fabrics before I sew them into a quilt, but I always wash any fabrics I buy in India. Why? Because I don't know the manufacturer, I want to make sure they will hold up well and I want to make sure to take care of any shrinking before placing them into the quilt. Also, there is usually always an issue with dye bleeding. I add vinegar to the washing machine to help set the dye in the fabric. Some people like to use Retayne to set the dye in fabrics. I have never used it. Regardless of what fabrics you use, it is always good to use some Color Catchers in your quilt's first wash. The more you add the less likely your quilt will have color bleed across fabrics.
I quilted this on my machine using a straight stitch. First, I quilted diagonally from both sides, then from one side to the other. Lastly, I quilted from top to bottom. This design takes much more time than the ones I usually like to do. It also uses much more thread. I love how it turned out on this quilt, even if my lines aren't super straight.
All right, so now we know what using a precut roll with the Mismatched Stars and Stripes Quilt Pattern will look like. Did you like how it turned out? I love it! It's such a fun different look from all the others I have made.
Make sure to get yourself a copy of the pattern and try out one or both ways to make this Independence Day inspired quilt.