Panels are a great way for fabric designers to highlight their favourite illustrations on a larger scale than often offered in their collections. 

Adding one to your quilts, pouches, cushions and more will make an easy yet impactful addition to any project. Some panels are designed for specific projects, such as advent calendar panels or large-scale whole cloth quilt tops. 

Panels may also be printed as multiple squares or rectangles, giving you more options on what to make. 

Here, Paula Steel will show you how to add sashing to create a quick and easy panel, and a twist by adding stars to the sashing. 

Discover more fun projects right here on Gathered. Here’s our current favourites: 

Quilt using fussy cut panel

In need of more panel quilt ideas? Check out Daisi Toegel’s Keep on Truckin’ quilt pattern in issue 131 of Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine for tips on fussy cutting panels for repeat block quilts. It uses the Drivin’ Down 9 panel from PBS Fabrics, and is super simple and beginner-friendly too! Find it in the Love Patchwork & Quilting issue 131 digital edition. 

How to sew with fabric panels 

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Lorna Fairey

Quilt pro and wordsmith Lorna has worked for Love Patchwork & Quilting for 4 years. She commissions the beautiful quilts inside the magazine, working with international leading quilt designers and makers to select the hottest quilt trends and modern quilts to share with her readers. If she’s not at work, she’s probably still covered in threads, designing quilt patterns for her small indie biz Cloth & Crescent with a scary film on in the background. Lorna can’t resist a curved quilt block and a solid fabric, and recently discovered the joys of snuggling under a cosy quilt sandwich to hand stitch the layers together the old fashioned way. Her designs and words have been featured in Love Patchwork & Quilting, Mollie Makes, Simply Sewing and In The Moment magazine. Find her on Instagram @clothandcrescent

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