The regular price of FQ's at my LQS is $2.50 and I still wait until they are on sale. The last sale had 25 FQ's for $30. I was really happy with that sale.

The first time I saw them for $3 was at a quilt show earlier this year. Happened to visit that shop later this summer, only b/c a friend wanted to see it. That's their going rate. I guess if they had something that I REALLY wanted, I might pay that, but as a general rule of thumb: No.

I'll never say never, but sure can't see me paying $3 for a fat quarter!

There is a lot of overhead when selling online as well, with website fees, payment fees, shipping supplies, paying shipping to have merchandise shipped to me. But I can't imagine if I also had to rent a building, pay employees, utilities, security, etc... plus be on my feet all day :(

Has anyone noticed that some of the fat quarters are also shorter as 21" in length as opposed to the traditional 22"??? And when you factor in the white strip at the selvage end of the fat quarter, you can be losing an additional 1/2", too. But I've also been noticing that when you buy on the bolt and measure the width of the fabric, it's running less than the 44". Got to be careful these days.

One of the shops that I go to sells FQs for $3.29. I do pay it. I like the variety that I can get in my quilts by using fat quarters. There is a shop that I go to (going there today actually :) ) that will cut a fat quarter from the bolt.

In order to balance the cost out I don't buy convieniece items in other areas.

Another thing to remember, with fat quarters, is that when you go into a store, or order online, 1 fat quarter, the owner has to invest a full half-yard to cut you that FQ.

The other one might sit unsold for a long time, or it may end up being eventually sold at a deep discount. Considering the labor involved in cutting them, and the factors noted above, FQ's are usually a money-losing proposition unless priced considerably higher than yardage prices.

I'm on strike with the fat qtrs. They are too steep in price and sometimes they are short.

I'm one of those ladies from a Vermont quilt shop. Next time you come in, make it during inventory when we have to weigh ALL the bolts in the shop and count all those FQs. Make mine red gatorade, please.

Twenty-two inches may be considered "traditional", but fabric hasn't measured a full 44" wide in ages so FQs at 21" are pretty much the norm, not the exception. When estimating yardage, most people figure 40" and consider themselves lucky if they get 42"...I know I do anyway.

And a question about the Canadian prices for FQs...that's for a quarter meter, right, not a quarter yard? Or roughly 21" x 20". That's 11% larger than US measurements. ;)

I've just noticed that the width of the fabric on the bolt has gotten shorter. And only when measuring a purchased fat quarter, did I realize that something had changed. No one sent me the memo....LOL

I don't know what part of VA you are from but they are normally $2. to 2.50 here at the LQS some are less. I go to a couple who have special bins with cheaper ones in them.

I think they count on customers being too bad at math to multiply $3 by 4.

that what my local store charges.

Retirement sucks. :evil: :evil: I'm doing most of my shopping from my hefty stash. I knew that there was a reason why I bought so much fabric the last few years. :thumbup:

I'll check out the FQ's at the Jacksonville Quilt Fest which starts this Thursday and report back to you all.

The prices of cotton are dropping rapidly. I'll be curious to see if manufacturers pass that savings along to the customer or will they continue charging the high prices and take advantage of us.

There is a LQS in my area where the owner is hateful and obnoxious to most customers; unless you're one who drops $100+ every time you go in there. I finally had enough and with the last email she sent to me, I told her I wasn't coming back, why and to remove me from her mailing list. IF enough people would stand up to her, that crap would stop!
Personally,I am fed up with hateful people. It's easy to be nice and considerate to people. I do not intend to reward poor behavior nor poor business practices. I think the shop owners above are taking advantage thinking most people won't stop to figure out that they're being ripped off.

I dont buy Fat 1/4's I buy by the 1/2 yard, its not much more when fat 1/4's are $3 plus..and I will have extra for something else.

I would not pay $3.00 for a fat quarter. I would only pay $1.00 unless it was civil war fabrics and I might pay $2.00 for those.

glad it is NOT just me...I just went to 4 different shops in TX, OK and MO...all of them now have FQ's at $3.50 and UP...so much for that ever happening....not in MY life time...

Me neither!

ROFLOL!! This is funny!

I just bought 40 fat qtrs for $25.00 from Quilter's Paradise who is going out of business. The shipping rather stunned me at first, but it still came to like .87 each fat qtr with the cheapest shipping of $10.09, so I did it.

I was going through their online ad, but I thought I understood it to say you only got the discounts if you purchased $100 worth. Am I wrong?? Yes, I thought the shipping was exorbitant too.

Keepsake has them 100 for $100 (seasons past), Connecting Threads have them for under $1 and you can get misc ones from FabricDepot for less than $1. I can't afford the new stuff so these are some of the places I go.

These are the fat quarter blowouts below that. I believe what you are referring to was for 50% off the prices as shown and I paid the price shown; no 50% discount.

I rarely get fat quarters unless it is something I am going to use a tiny bit of. I usually get 1-3 yards of what I like.

They are $6.50 in our neck of the woods...I prefer to buy 20cm or 25cm as I find it more versatile.

I work at our local quilt shop and we started charging $3 a fatt quarter last January. We are getting fabric as high as $11.75 a yard now. There is the added cost of paying someone to cut all the fatt quarters as well. I often remind customers that I don't mind cutting a quarter yard if they don't need the "fat". If I am supplying my stash I often get third yard cuts.

fat quaters are $3.00 + here in Australia

here in the UK we pay the equivalent of $3 - $4.50

Charlene, that was my thoughts exactly. I will buy a half yard and cut it into TWO fat quarters before I pay $3.00 a fat quarter. Now that might exhaust me, but it will be worth the work-out.

That's how I get a lot of my FQ, when Keepsake has the 100 for $100.

I think it would be a good idea for us to go into a shop and buy a few yards of material, take it home and cut it into fat quarters. Then take the FQs back to the shop and get a refund for the FQ price. Wonder if they would think that is fair? They said they are having to pay someone to cut the FQ, why couldn't it be me? LOL

[quote=twinkie]I think it would be a good idea for us to go into a shop and buy a few yards of material, take it home and cut it into fat quarters. Then take the FQs back to the shop and get a refund for the FQ price. Wonder if they would think that is fair? They said they are having to pay someone to cut the FQ, why couldn't it be me? LOL

[/quote

I like your idea.


:lol: :lol:

Those are the fat quarters that I will not buy. I know that cotton has skyrocketed and fabric is at an all time high however, it is the LQS that keeps some things affordable that I will continue to buy from. Keeping prices down as much as possible in order to keep customers is the price of doing business and keeps them in business!

You have to sell a lot of fq to make the rent on the shop. We do have to realize that there is huge expense in just having a business. Rent, utilities, advertising, cost of fabric and notions help etc. etc. Unless you have actually run a business you do not realize how much it costs the shop to even be in business. then of course you have taxes, insurance--oh I get hives just thinking about it.
All this plus their costs have increased a lot. And if they stock thread, its not just one spool its a box of probably 8 - 12. So if a customer buys one spool and the rest sit on the shelf--cost is still there, but its a long way to profit.
Now a really good shop will run classes and specials etc to bring people in. Offer machine quilting (of course that machine cost a bundle too)
I feel for the shop owners. I realize its sticker shock when prices go up, but if we want a shop to go to, we have to realize it does cost lots to just keep the doors open.
Hope I haven't stepped on any toes here, but I have a friend who does own a shop and we have had many conversations about customers who think she is ripping them off, but all she is doing is trying to keep the shop there for us. Lets face it, I would not work for the $$$ per hour that she does.

You guys make me laugh sometimes!! The average here for a FQ is $6
If only we could get them for $3!!

I would never pay $3. for a FQ. There are about 2-2.25 around here.I guess its how badly you want one but I'm always looking for a bargain.

One of the LQS I frequent will cut you a fat quarter - but the cost is $3.30 or $3.50 for their inconvenience. Their regualr price is $2.95. The other shop will only cut fat quarters for you if their regular fabric price is under $10.00. If it's over, they won't cut it for you.