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I agree with you Sunnie! I usually don't buy fat quarters for this very reason...I buy yardage.
I have seen that the manufacturers are shrinking the width of fabrics to offset costs....probably thinking we won't notice. I end up buying an extra 1/8 yard to make up the difference... |
Since having several bad experiences with pre-cuts, FQs, strips and 5-inch squares, I won't be buying any more, either. Besides, I like to pre-wash any fabric that comes into my home and I can't with pre-cuts. It's such a shame that we, as the customer, have to buy extra (and here at $18-22/metre is gets expensive) in order to get just the correct amount we need for a project after straightening.
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Wow. intersting. I buy FQ's at Joann's and pre wash them and might have a little shrinkage...on some but not all and 1/4-1/2 inch, but I just iron them out and go from there. So far...it hasn't been a problem. What I see as a difference is when I buy them at Joann's they are thicker than any I buy online! 100% cotton yes, but for some odd reason the online ones I buy from stores are thinner and softer feeling than the ones at Joann's and I have to starch them more. But either way, there isn't much a difference to not buy them at J's when they are on sale. I have also done the math and for $2 for 1/4 yard...that's $8 a yard so the price is a bit high for me...I stay at $5 on sale or with coupons. So the FQ's go on sale for half price sometimes and I just find the colors/patterns I like and buy 2 of each and have a nice stash
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I think its a tendancy of all new/newer quilters to buy FQs...the longer I quilt, the more I tend to buy larger pieces, especially if its something that could be multipurposed (ie neutral colors, blenders). I agree they can vary, but by now, I have so much fabric, I dont worry about an inch here or there and I dont save anything smaller than a 2x2 square! LOL
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That is what I found; uneven or less than a real FQ ; so I buy yardage. But recently I had found a pattern on an internet quilt shop and called and they said they had the yardage to fit the pattern they were offering so I took the chance and said ok ; make me a kit--Wow -did I get a kit; the fabric was different than the pattern and some yardage was short as to what was required and it was a mess; I spent over $125.00 and am still struggling to get the quilt made. So, I will take my own selection and travel and look for my fabric and slowly collect it for any thing specific or get it from my stash. My DH has always said to buy more fabric than what I need--I have found him to be correct.
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When I am shortened or taken advantage of--I've been there twice-- First and Last; I do not go back. I walked into one shop filled with 2 yr olds runny noses with handling the fabric on bolts and whipping it every where; and I have not been back even though I do wash my fabric before I use it.
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Originally Posted by Peckish
(Post 5735297)
I strongly agree, CT does give generous cuts. The first time I ordered from them I thought I had been cheated because some of the fat quarters seemed small. Then I counted them and took a closer look, and realized that if I end up with a piece that seems on the small side, it's because they ran out of the bolt at that point and GAVE me that fat quarter at no charge. I had ordered 20 FQs and ended up with 24 pieces of fabric.
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I have not noticed that FQ are getting smaller but I try to buy off the bolt when possible, even if I just want 1/4 of a yard. I also don't mind 'speaking up' if I think the edge they are measuring from seems a little 'off'. I'll ask them to please allow for that & they don't seems to mind edging it over a bit. :)
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Hey there from Texas! we visited Kaua'i quite a few yrs.ago, and that is one beautiful island!!
sometimes the fat qtrs. are not cut on the grain. that leaves a distorted piece of fabric. if you know how to pull on the fabric bias to straighten it, that may help. sorry about not using caps. my right hand is in a cast from a broken bone.
Originally Posted by HouseDragon
(Post 5735076)
I've ironed over 80 FQs in the last two days plus some yardage.
When is a FQ not a FQ? Traditionally a FQ has been 18" x 22". A yard is still 36" but these days quilt fabric widths vary from 44" wide to 40" wide (and who knows what the future will bring ~ anyone remember the bad old days of 36" wide?). The stack on my table varies from over 22" (the person who got the other "half" was cheated) to less than 19" wide (hmmmm ... I'm the other person who got cheated with these, I guess). Then there's the yardage. :( I bought half yards to have enough Black on White yardage for Bonnie Hunter's EASY STREET. Well, that was the plan anyway. Names of shops are left out to protect the guilty. Five of the half yards were cut nice and straight and were still nice and straight after pinking-washing-pressing. :) They were also on sale and at least two of the pieces were cut quite generously. Mahalo: you know who you are! The other four half yards from a different shop were cut catawompus and were even worse after pinking-washing-pressing. I've had that problem from that shop before and I usually stand there watching like a hawk and point out fabric coming off the bolt that's obviously seriously misaligned. This time I was still searching for more Black on White fabric instead of watching. Three to five inches off on either side after straightening the fabric just isn't acceptable. I can't afford to lose that much fabric that I've paid for. I'm saddened that the cutter didn't take the time to make sure I was getting what I was paying for. It's bad enough to get wonky or undersized FQs or yardage at a quilt show or big box store but our LQS should be more attentive to their customers! JMNOHO! |
I guess this problem is one of the reasons I never buy "exactly" what I need. Even the smallest scraps can have a use. Of course I am one of those who wouldn't have to buy another yard and have enough through the end of the world. Whenever it is next.
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