Everything about fabric panels
How are fabric panels made and what is special about them?
Panels are usually large individual motifs or images that are printed on different fabric qualities. Usually, several fabric panels are printed across the full width of the fabric. The distance between the repeating motifs is called the repeat. Consequently, the repeat is smaller for smaller images. The images are often separated from one another by dashed lines so that they can be separated more precisely, easily and quickly. Panels are often very bright and colorful and usually have a particularly great individual motif, which makes them so special. There are also panels that have smaller images printed on them in addition to the main image. Depending on the design, fabric panels can also have motifs printed across the full width of the fabric or even motifs that are arranged in several parts. Panels are usually particularly creative and have that certain something extra that makes them so popular with fabric buyers.
In which fabric qualities can fabric panels be purchased?
Fabric panels are available in a wide range of qualities and are printed onto the fabric using digital printing. We mainly stock the following qualities:
• Jersey fabric panel
• Cotton fabric panel
• French Terry fabric panel
What can I sew with a fabric panel and what do I have to pay attention to?
The right fabric panel ultimately always depends on your sewing project. Since the panels come in a wide range of sizes in terms of motifs, not every panel is automatically suitable for every project. For children's and baby clothing, smaller motifs are used than for adult clothing due to the smaller body size. In the worst case, the image has to be cut up to adapt it to the small item of clothing. There are also big differences between men and women. Men often prefer to wear "oversized" motifs instead of more subtle ones, which in turn are often more popular with women. The repeat length and width also have to be taken into account for different body types. These subtleties must be taken into account when selecting motifs and panels, which is why you should think carefully beforehand. In general, fabric panels are fantastic for clothing such as:
• Blouses
• Dresses
• T-shirts
• Children's clothing such as rompers etc.
• decorative pillows
• Blankets and baby blankets
• decorative wall hangings
sewing and care instructions
What needs to be considered when cutting and sewing a fabric panel?
It is very important to wash the fabrics before processing them, as they can shrink or shrink depending on the type of material. The rotary cutter is best for actually cutting a fabric panel. Alternatively, you can of course also use scissors. The advantage of a rotary cutter is that, in addition to more even cutting, it is also possible to cut through several layers of fabric at once. Depending on the type of fabric used, the grain should be taken into account. However, bi-elastic fabrics such as jersey can also be cut against the grain. Slipping is a major risk when cutting, which is why you should work with enough pins or clips to ensure that the pattern does not slip. Fabric panels can be sewn by hand or using a sewing or overlock machine. Cotton, jersey and French terry are generally easy to work with. The individual cut-out pattern pieces made of main fabric and combination fabric(s) are placed on top of one another or next to one another and sewn according to the pattern instructions. After sewing, they can be briefly ironed and, if necessary, quilted again.
What care instructions should be followed for a fabric panel?
If you want to preserve the quality and colors of handmade items for as long as possible, we always recommend hand washing or using a gentle cycle at a maximum of 30°C and a liquid detergent without bleach, otherwise the colors can quickly fade. We recommend washing the fabrics before processing, as they often shrink a little and this will help the clothes fit later. We advise against using the dryer after washing these materials, as they dry more gently in the air without artificial heat being applied to the textile material.
All of the above-mentioned material qualities can be ironed without any problems on the iron setting 1. The best way to iron damp textiles is with a standard household iron without using any additional steam. However, please note the respective care instructions on the product page of the fabric panel.
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