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    Home » Blog » fabric

    What is a Fat Quarter?

    June 12, 2021 by Amy 26 Comments

    This post is for anyone out there who has heard or seen the title “Fat Quarter” and wondered what the heck it was, but felt too sheepish to ask. No worries – I was once one of you! And there are way more of us out there that are/were in the same boat. So I’m here as your friend to get you in on the down low.  Because I love brand new quilters!

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    Notting Hill Collection

    Craft stores, fabric stores, and quilt stores all carry pre-cut pieces of fabric called Fat Quarters.  Usually they’re folded nicely as individual pieces or tied up together into pretty coordinating bundles. Pre-cut individual or bundled Fat Quarters make for easier grab-and-go shopping without having to wait for a shop worker to cut yardage off of a bolt.

     

    What is a Fat Quarter?

    But what are they and why are they so popular?

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    A Fat Quarter is a quarter of a yard of fabric, but it is cut in a different shape than a regular quarter yard of fabric.  When cutting a quarter yard of fabric off the bolt, you are getting a piece 9″ wide x the width of the fabric (around 42″-43″.) Four of these cuts, create a yard.  

    A Fat Quarter is a piece of fabric cut 18″ off the end of the bolt, and then cut in half on the fold.  Four of these put together still make up 1 yard of fabric.  Imagine a piece of paper cut into four equal horizontal strips compared to a piece cut once horizontally and once vertically to get four equal square-ish pieces.

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    One is not better than the other but one size might be more useful depending on the pieces needed for a particular pattern. For example, if you are using a pattern with strip piecing, or you want to cut a quilt binding from that fabric, a regular quarter of a yard would be preferable because you would get longer strips and have less piecing to do.

    Also, say you want to cut a bunch of 4 ½″ squares.  You will get 18 squares from a regular quarter of a yard, but you will only get 16 squares from a FQ.

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    But a Fat Quarter shape comes in handy for other projects where you need a wider surface area in stead of a long skinny length, like a bag or something where you need a larger shape like the circles on this Monogram quilt.

    Here are a few more beginner-friendly sewing and quilting projects perfect for using up Fat Quarters:

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    Easy Fat Quarter Bag

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    Drawstring Fat Quarter BagWhat is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    This Fast and Easy Fat Quarter Quilt is is perfect for beginners or making quick work of a stack of Fat Quarters.

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    DIY Notebook Cover Tutorial from Crazy Little Projects

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    Fat Quarter Basket Tutorial from Delia Creates

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    Easy (elastic waistband) Fat Quarter Skirt tutorial

    Two of my most popular Fat-Quarter-Friendly (and beginner-friendly) patterns include the Craftsman Quilt and the Summer Bunting Quilt.

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    Craftsman pattern available here in PDF or Paper versions

    What is a Fat Quarter? - info featured by top US quilting blog, Dairy of a Quilter

    Summer Bunting pattern available here in PDF and Paper versions.

    If you’re looking for lots more quilts and project ideas for using Fat Quarters, check out my Fat Quarter Pinboard on Pinterest.

    So there you go.  Now you can consume fabric with confidence.

    What to do with a Fat QuarterHere are a few other posts about Quilt-Language Basics:

    • What’s a Charm Pack?

    • What are Pre-Cuts?

    • What’s a Scant ¼″ Seam Allowance?

    • What is Strip-Piecing?

    • And if you’re ready to make your first quilt, check out the Beginner’s Quilting Series Here

    What other questions do you have about quilting terms or processes?

    I’m putting together a list of “Quilting Language for Beginners.” Is there anything you wish someone would have explained for you but felt too silly to ask?

    Leave a comment with any suggestions!

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    Related

    « What’s on my mind and sewing table
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    Filed Under: Beginning Quilting, fabric, Tips and Tricks Tagged With: fat quarter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pati @ A Crafty Escape

      July 22, 2010 at 6:09 am

      I am taking my first quilting class next week and was looking over the supplies list wondering about this just yesterday! Thanks 🙂

      Reply
    2. Denise :)

      July 22, 2010 at 6:11 am

      Great job, taking on this alarming question! (And you're right — we all wondered at one point or another!) 🙂

      Reply
    3. Quilt Hollow

      July 22, 2010 at 7:42 am

      …and here I thought it was a body part! Hee!!

      Reply
    4. Just-Do

      July 23, 2010 at 3:48 am

      Thanks. Over here in Holland we use different measures, so all talking about yards and inches is abacadabra for me anyway.

      Reply
    5. patchworkdelights

      July 23, 2010 at 8:24 am

      Thanks for clearing that up, I know the term &quot;fat quarter&quot; and have bought &quot;fat quarters&quot; but your explanation has lifted the clouds! <br /><br />Very helpful and useful, thanks again.<br /><br />Fi

      Reply
    6. AnneMarie

      July 23, 2010 at 12:42 pm

      Nice! Sometimes the basics are so refreshing.

      Reply
    7. Gina

      July 23, 2010 at 1:38 pm

      My husband can&#39;t ever remember the right name and always calls them &quot;fat chubs.&quot; It&#39;s funny the first few times. 🙂

      Reply
    8. elizabeth

      July 26, 2010 at 12:20 pm

      As a newbie, THANK YOU! All I know about quilting material terminology is that it makes me hungry! Jelly rolls! Honey buns! :o)

      Reply
    9. Gmama Jane

      November 25, 2010 at 5:45 pm

      You have finally SHOWN me the difference in the two. Seeing both side by side allowed me to see the difference and which one to choose for different projects.<br />Thanks<br />Gmama Jane

      Reply
    10. Nikki

      June 09, 2013 at 10:18 pm

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Reply
    11. cristina maria

      January 26, 2014 at 11:17 am

      Olá Amy!<br />Demorei um pouco para entender como usar as medidas americanas. aqui no Brasil usamos o metro ao comprarmos tecidos. E para entender tenho uma régua com a qual posso seguir as medidas dos tutorias.<br />Obrigada pela explicação!

      Reply
    12. mbk

      March 04, 2014 at 5:06 am

      Amy.<br />How many jelly rolls make a quilt? When you buy a fat quarter how many make a quilt?<br /><br />mbk

      Reply
      • amy smart

        March 04, 2014 at 3:14 pm

        Depends on the pattern, how many seams, if you&#39;re adding additional yardage, etc. I would say you could make a throw/twin using two jelly rolls probably. As for Fat Quarters, there is a pattern called Turning Twenty (http://www.amazon.com/Turning-Twenty-Tricia-Cribbs/dp/B000GQQYFIa0) that is a large throw/small twin made from Twenty FQ&#39;s. Most larger quilts probably require around 25 FQ&

        Reply
    13. Pat Wahl

      June 12, 2021 at 5:27 pm

      What or who is Jack the Ripper?

      Reply
    14. Jane Sprague

      June 12, 2021 at 6:17 pm

      I’m so glad you’re providing an explanation of quilting terms, Amy. When I was first teaching myself how to quilt, I was one of those “sheepish” folks who figured if I was going to quilt, I should know the terms … except I didn’t. I only learned them by trial and error and lots of “Aha! Now I know what they’re talking about!” moments. When I learned the terms, I felt like I was becoming a real, live quilter! Thank you so much for making that process so much easier and understandable!!

      Reply
    15. Sarah Craig

      June 12, 2021 at 6:47 pm

      I know that when I am working with new quilters, the “lingo” is what strikes fear in their hearts – kind of like it used to be ordering coffee in Seattle before Starbucks became common across the US! Terms like WOF, WIP, UFO, postage stamp quilt, quilt-along, D9P, HST, etc. and then there are the fun ones like FART! Much of the time new quilters are afraid to look dumb by asking what we mean by those terms, and just quit.

      Reply
    16. Michelle

      June 12, 2021 at 6:48 pm

      scant 1/4 inch seam
      explain the pinked edges of precuts
      leaders and enders
      “weight” of thread
      pressing vs ironing
      setting your seam
      “value” of fabric colours
      chain piecing

      🙂

      Reply
    17. Theresa Annesser

      June 12, 2021 at 8:07 pm

      Terms to go over: Quilt sandwich.

      Reply
    18. JaneH1

      June 13, 2021 at 12:11 am

      Having worked in a fabric store, I wholeheartedly support your series on precuts terminology. So many customers, young and old, asked for help with jelly rolls, cakes, and charms. Spreading knowledge is great!

      Thanks for keeping your blog really down to earth!

      Reply
    19. Donna Sproston

      June 13, 2021 at 5:15 am

      When do you starch, and how do you get rid of the starch once the piece is finished? I might wash a quilt, but I typically do not wash table runners before I gift them. Thank you for your helpful posts!

      Reply
    20. Terry Helms

      June 13, 2021 at 9:15 am

      My sister took a class to make round trivets, and they didn’t show her how to cut a bias strip for the outside edge. She struggled numerous times trying to get a cross grain cut to work. When to use and how to cut bias is helpful even for seasoned quilters. Also, the need for cutting some squares twice on the diagonal and only once on the diagonal for setting triangles.

      Reply
    21. Helen

      June 13, 2021 at 9:49 am

      Hi Amy,

      Loved your explanation and examples, etc. of Fat Quarters and other cuts. Wish someone had told me this when I was trying to find out what it was all about!

      Reply
    22. Ros

      June 13, 2021 at 11:39 am

      I think a post about all of the crazy baking terms we use in Quilting would be fabulous!… Jelly roll, charm square, layer cake, sticky bun roll…

      Reply
    23. Terry L Blair

      June 20, 2021 at 10:36 am

      Thanks for the great patterns. The material is lovely

      Reply

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