Sorry to hear of your problems Connie. I don't think I've used fat quarters in a pattern. My fat quarters are usually just cut up for pieced work so it doesn't matter if it is a little off. I'll have to look more carefully at the fat quarters from now on.

I expect a FQ to be at least 18 inches long and at least 20 inches wide (half of the width of fabric)

The LQS - Quilts on Plum Lane in Dade City, Florida, routinely cuts their FQs at least 19 inches long.

That's about the only place I've bought FQs recently.

The two FQs that I bought from Walmart recently were LONGER than 18 inches (yes, I did measure them correctly!)

:lol: :lol: :lol: I feel the same way!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Okay, I have a dumb question: what are "dog legs"? :oops:

Okay, I have a dumb question: what are "dog legs"? :oops:[/quote]

When you THINK you have the fabric folded correctly, you cut a strip and at every fold, it turns in a different direction, like a dog's leg.

you get upset seeing them use sissors... I just about go across the cutting table now when I see one of them put a nick in the fabric and then prepare to rip it. I used to just stand there and cringe. But, now I figure... whoa, that's almost $10 a yard and I'll be darned if I'm taking home any fabric that is torn and it's on an angle..... One lady was quite annoyed me, but I just figured I had annoyed a lot more in my life, she has- to take a number. I wanted a full cut, not one that was ripped on an angle. Whoa... mommy get's fussy, time for dinner or ice cream.. not sure which one first...

Blue

I believe in dessert first! Good for you for taking a stand against getting rippped off.

I love your pun!
:lol: :lol:

I never buy FQ, only 6-8-10 yd. cut unless I am buying remnants or end of the bolt. My Daughter does and uses them in scrappy quilts, never said if they were accurately cut or not.

please don't accuse shops of trying to cheat you if their standard practice is to tear fabric instead of cutting.

(1) some people consider tearing to be a more accurate way of getting sections that are on the straight of grain at both ends. it's a more reliable way to ensure you have the same number of usable inches all the way across the WOF. i recently bought a sustantial stack of yardage from a very nice shop. when torn, the fabs looked a bit wonky. once washed, they came out of the dryer so nicely rectangular you'd have thought they were cut by a machine.
(2) in the shop i used in my example, the owner tore generously, which means she added at least one extra inch, just in case, to each piece i bought. i suspect that most shops that tear do the same.
(3) it's faster than cutting. at the Houston Quilt Festival two years ago, one world famous and highly respected shop was selling nearly all their fabs at a deeeeeeeeep discount. naturally, the lines were very long and their booth was very crowded. they tore everything unless a customer specifically asked them not to. i literally bought a suitcase full. not a short cut in the bunch.

cut vs. tear is a personal preference. the choice has nothing at all to do with honesty vs. deception or laziness.

all you have to do is state your preference at the table. too easy.