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. ;)