heebz

Hi everyone. I'm new to all this so when I went into my local fabric shop and asked how much fabric I would need for a design I mocked up myself they suggested I do a test pattern with fat quarters.
Well, I've figured that part out and I now know how much I need in terms of fat quarters to get my work done. But how to fat quarters relate to fabric on the bolt when cutting? Because, presumably, a "fat quarter" is not an actual quarter. Any suggestions for figuring out this little math problem?

Melinda in Tulsa

4 fat quarters = 1 yard

seamstome

Real quarter is 9 by 44. Two real quarters laid top to bottom is a half yard. FQ is 18 by 22 so two FQ side by side is a regular half (18 by 44.

So in essense four FQ's equal a yard just like four real quarters do, it's just how you get there.

heebz

hahaha. Thanks a bunch! I guess I was just putting a little too much thought into it.

Kutnso

Hello everyone,
I've purchased many fat quarters for my Charm quilt (999 different fabrics) in JoAnn's and I found that the quality is not the same as fabric on the bolts. Some of the designs are quite lovely but please be very careful if you plan to use these FQs in an actual project.
Good luck, kutnso

amma

I don't always like the restrictions of using FQ's. Sometimes I want longer strips so that I can get more cuts out of a 1/4 yard's length. Sometimes the FQ's aren't exactly 18 X 22 so I end up short on fabric. They also are more expensive, you can often buy a 1/3 yard cut for the same price as a FQ.
But, I do have a stash of FQ's that work beautifully for some of my projects :D:D:D

craftybear

nice topic, thanks for starting this thread!

ghostrider

Fat quarters are very restrictive when you figure in the shrinkage and fraying after washing and then the squaring up to get your cuts on grain. They are also more expensive than buying yardage. I believe the shop owner was suggesting you try the block pattern with fat quarters, not that you buy fat quarters to make the entire quilt.

pieces

I have never bought a fat quarter. I think its cheaper to buy from the bolt. Especially when fabric is on sale. Any leftover can be used in scrap quilts. So I am adding to my stash by buying 1/2 yard pieces instead of the fat quarters.

Jingle

I have never bought fat quarters. I only buy yardage, usually 5-8 yards. I use to make only matchy, matchy quilts, I have been making scrappy using some of the leftovers I have, for log cabin type blocks. If I buy the end of bolts, there isn't always that much left, I buy it and use in the above blocks, unless I have enough matching fabrics to use in a particular quilt I have picked out.