Fat Quarters Quilting Is Easy
Fat Quarters are just the right size for many Quilting projects. Regular quarters are often too skinny. Fat Quarters Quilting makes use of fat quarter pieces in a project. Quilting shops often have marvelous sales on fat quarters and bundles, so stock-up when you can! Find out their advantages below and learn more about Fat Quarters Quilting...
Fat Quarters Quilting
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So just what are Fat Quarters?
The graphic below illustrates how four fat quarters and four regular quarters would be cut from two yards of fabric; it also shows their relative size.
Put simply, both kinds of quarters are a quarter yard of quilting fabric. Most fabric bolts are 44 inches tall (some are 45, but we'll ignore that). Normally when you buy fabric, you buy by the linear yard, unwound from the bolt.
A yard is 36 inches, so the measurements of a yard would be 36 inches long and 44 inches tall.
A normal quarter yard would be cut using the length of 36/4 = 9 inches. You end up with a narrow 9 inch wide strip, 44 inches tall. Not exactly the most useful shape.
A fat quarter is made by cutting the linear yard in a more useful way. First we divide the height in half: 44/2 = 22 inches. Then we divide the length in half: 36/2 = 18 inches. You end up with very useful shape of 22 by 18 inches.
Both are exactly one quarter of a linear yard of fabric, but the fat quarter will often be on sale from odds and ends and from soon to be discontinued fabrics. You can buy individual or fat quarter bundles. Stock up on these for your stash! They're easy to swap with your friends.
Shopping for FQ's (they are often called this) will save you time at the store because you won't need to wait for a clerk to cut from a bolt. And they can save you money when you need just a small amount of certain colors for your project.
FQ's cost about $2.50 each. Many shops will sell color-coordinated collections of eight for $15.00, which works out to about $1.88 each. Take a look at the values on eBay, below.
With fat quarters you're not limited to projects that use templates of only 9 inches or smaller, you can use much larger quilt pieces! Also some patterns use nothing but fat quarters.
I can't tell you how much enjoyment quilting gives me and I'm sure it will for you as well. There are just so many wonderful projects and gifts that you can craft. None of it is really hard, but it does help to have a quilting mentor. Helen Elizabeth runs the best quilting mentoring program that I've found anywhere. Helen is priceless. Do yourself a favor and give her mentoring program a try. It's underpriced, extremely helpful and rewarding.
The graphic below illustrates how four fat quarters and four regular quarters would be cut from two yards of fabric; it also shows their relative size.
Put simply, both kinds of quarters are a quarter yard of quilting fabric. Most fabric bolts are 44 inches tall (some are 45, but we'll ignore that). Normally when you buy fabric, you buy by the linear yard, unwound from the bolt.
A yard is 36 inches, so the measurements of a yard would be 36 inches long and 44 inches tall.
A normal quarter yard would be cut using the length of 36/4 = 9 inches. You end up with a narrow 9 inch wide strip, 44 inches tall. Not exactly the most useful shape.
A fat quarter is made by cutting the linear yard in a more useful way. First we divide the height in half: 44/2 = 22 inches. Then we divide the length in half: 36/2 = 18 inches. You end up with very useful shape of 22 by 18 inches.
Both are exactly one quarter of a linear yard of fabric, but the fat quarter will often be on sale from odds and ends and from soon to be discontinued fabrics. You can buy individual or fat quarter bundles. Stock up on these for your stash! They're easy to swap with your friends.
Shopping for FQ's (they are often called this) will save you time at the store because you won't need to wait for a clerk to cut from a bolt. And they can save you money when you need just a small amount of certain colors for your project.
FQ's cost about $2.50 each. Many shops will sell color-coordinated collections of eight for $15.00, which works out to about $1.88 each. Take a look at the values on eBay, below.
With fat quarters you're not limited to projects that use templates of only 9 inches or smaller, you can use much larger quilt pieces! Also some patterns use nothing but fat quarters.
I can't tell you how much enjoyment quilting gives me and I'm sure it will for you as well. There are just so many wonderful projects and gifts that you can craft. None of it is really hard, but it does help to have a quilting mentor. Helen Elizabeth runs the best quilting mentoring program that I've found anywhere. Helen is priceless. Do yourself a favor and give her mentoring program a try. It's underpriced, extremely helpful and rewarding.
Watch How Easy It Is To Use Fat Quarters
Watch this 2 minute video that show how useful fat quarters are. They make quick work out of building your blocks!
Great Stuff on eBay
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Lensmaster
Jenniffer wrote
Awesome. I've been wanting to get into quilting for a long time now. I think your lens was just the right thing for me to finally take the plunge. Thanks, Sarita! The mentoring is exactly what I needed.
Posted June 28, 2008
