Cheater Quilt Fabric – Cheater Cloth & Printed Quilt Tops

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Cheater quilt fabric – also called cheater cloth or a cheater print – is yardage printed to look like a pieced quilt: log cabins, stars, hexagons and nine-patches with no seams to sew. Use it as a quick quilt top, a reversible backing or a quilted jacket. New to it? Read our cheater quilt fabric guide. read more

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More shortcuts to a finished quilt

Cheater Quilt Fabric – Cheater Cloth & Printed Quilt Tops

What Is Cheater Cloth?

Cheater cloth is fabric printed with a patchwork design, so one cut of yardage gives you the look of dozens of pieced blocks. The name is a joke among quilters – there's nothing wrong with a shortcut that finishes a quilt in an afternoon. Our cheater prints include traditional blocks like Bear Paw, Churn Dash, Hunter's Star and Log Cabin, scrappy hexagons and tumbling blocks, and modern color-block designs, including our own Quilt Town prints.

Ways to Use Cheater Prints

  • Reversible quilt backings – the most popular use by far. Back a pieced top with a cheater print and you get two quilt fronts in one.
  • Whole-cloth quilt tops – layer with batting and backing, then quilt along the printed seam lines for a quilt that looks fully pieced.
  • Quilted jackets and vests – a cheater print gives you the patchwork-jacket look without piecing yards of blocks first.
  • Table runners, placemats and wall hangings – quick gifts and great practice for free-motion quilting.
  • Tote bags and accessories – use the print for the outside and a coordinating solid for the sides or lining.

108" Wide Cheater Backings

Several of our cheater prints come as 108" wide backing, so you can back a large quilt in one piece with no seams down the middle. Find more seamless backs in our wide quilt backing fabric collection.

Cheater Prints vs. Panels

A quilt panel is one large picture printed to a set size, while cheater cloth repeats a block design along the whole bolt, so you can cut as much as you need. Many quilters treat a cheater print like a panel and frame it with borders – panel quilt patterns work well for that.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I quilt a cheater quilt top?+

Layer the cheater print with batting and backing like any quilt. Stitching in the ditch along the printed seam lines makes it read as truly pieced; an allover meander or edge-to-edge design is quicker. Some quilters use invisible thread so the stitching disappears into the print. Bind it as you would any quilt.

Can I use cheater fabric as a quilt backing?+

Yes, and it's what most of our customers buy it for. A cheater print makes your quilt reversible, and its busy design hides quilting stitches on the back. For bigger quilts, choose a 108" wide cheater backing to skip piecing the back.

How is cheater fabric sold, and how much do I need?+

Our yardage is priced by the quarter yard, so add 4 to your cart for one yard. Most cheater prints are 44"–45" quilting cotton; check the product page for 108" wide backings. For a backing, measure your quilt and add about 4" on every side, then check your pattern's supply list for the yardage.

Will my cut include full blocks?+

Fabric is cut straight from the bolt, so the cut edge may land in the middle of a printed block. If you want full blocks at the edges or need to center a design, buy a little extra yardage so you can trim to the printed lines.

Can I make a quilted jacket from cheater cloth?+

Absolutely. Cheater prints are a favorite for quilted jackets and vests: quilt the print to batting and a lining fabric, then cut out your pattern pieces. Smaller-scale prints are easier to match across seams.