Fast Fat Quarter Facts
 

From one fat quarter of fabric, which measures approximately (18” x 22”) and probably costs about $2.50, you can cut the following:

99…..2” squares
56…..2 ½” squares
42…..3” squares
30…..3 ½” squares
20…..4” squares
16…..4 ½” squares
12…..5”squares
9…..6” squares
6…..6 ½” squares


Ok, I did not believe that you could get 99….2” squares out of a fat quarter…but I did my math (and I did not even have to use the “FabricCalc” to help me with my calculations) and it is true!

I had to take it one step further…and you can also get:
4.….7” squares…maybe 6 if you cut perfect and did not lose much fabric on the squaring up!
4..…8” squares
and maybe even 4…..9” squares, (with perfect cutting) but, for sure you can get two.

Anyway, I hope the above information will help you in planning and designing your quilts and will help you to really get all you can get out of a fat quarter!

Cool info Thanks!

Thanks for sharing that, I never would have guessed you could get that many squares out of fat quarter!

This is assuming, of course, that this is a nice rectangle that is a full 18 inches long.

If it is wonky or "short" - the yield will be less on the small squares.

bear, it was ME was cutting for you, it would be nice and straight.
:lol: :lol:

I was talking about some of the FQ's that I've purchased from various places - (including a vendor at a quilt show - several of them were only 17.5 inches long - I was not happy)

and the size (and shape) of some of them after they've been washed and dried.

I do have a mystery though - I am not able to cut three 2 inch strips from a 6 inch block - apparently I make my strips wider than two inches - when I sew them together I get what approximately what I'm aiming for though.

It's amazing what you can get out of a little fat quarter.

bearisgray,
i don't think you're cutting wider - imo, we lose those few threads that make that difference in the cuttting through no fault of our own. i think it's just the width of the scissors blade itself. what we really need is 6 "generous" inches to start with. do you think? i make up the difference with scant, really scant, seam allowances. i don't know what else to do. but it makes me nervous.

i agree with you about the strange shapes that you can end up with when you buy pre-cuts. that's one of the reasons i don't care for them.

Have you tried cutting that number of pieces from a FQ?

Theoretically, it should "work" - but in actuality, I would probably only end up with 88 two-inch squares if I used a ruler - maybe it would "work" with a shape cut (?) ruler?

and only about 56 2.5 inch squares.

(Not trying to be difficult - just know what happens when I cut)

:|

I have been so disappointed in the amount of usage I get from a FQ that I just never buy them anymore. I don't want to be difficult either, but if you square your fabric the way you should after every few cuts, you won't get these amounts....