Fat quarter baskets
 

Once again, I have agreed to put together fat quarter baskets for a drawing at our Quilt Show. I have been rolling the fat quarters and putting a rubber band around them. I aimed towards 75 fat quarters a basket, although this year the committee has asked me to put 40 in a basket. Last year we had 6 fat quarter baskets in the drawing.

Guild members donate fabric and I cut it into the right size. This year many of the donations are purchased fat quarters, already folded. I am wondering if I should do all of the fat quarters that way this year...folded.

I know it is a small question, but I am about ready to start actually "making" some of the baskets. How have you seen fat quarter baskets done lately? Should I fold or roll?

Thanks for any opinions?

Dina

When I get fat quarters I prefer folded ones. I don't like having to remove the little fiddly rubber bands. JMHO

I like the flat folded fat qtrs. They are easier to see the fabric, don't roll around, and if I got 40 of them, I would not have to unroll them and flatten them to store them. That is just me though.

Do what looks the best to you. The winner won't care either way.

Altho folded ones may be easier to store, this is about presentation. I would think that rolled ones put upright in a basket could be made to look like flowers, especially if you strategically place the colours. Wow what a prize! Where can I get my tickets?!?

Definitely flat. That way the winner could just stack them in their fat quarter stash without having to unroll or handle every piece. You can always put them in the basket in fan shapes like hands of cards with the points up.

i like folded ones for storage, but the rolled ones look so attractive in the basket.

I am thinking that 40 fat quarters does not make a very large pile.

Would displaying them on trays like hands of cards or fanned out look more impressive?

Or do you have to use a basket?

I would like to be able to see what I was getting - so just a stack with only the edges showing would be the least appealing to me.

With 40 fat quarters = ten yards = the approximate value will be around $100. What will the value be of the other baskets?

50 sounds more appealing to me than 40.

I also resent baskets with a lot of "grass" on the bottom to make them look like there is more good stuff in them than there is.

How much will the drawing tickets cost?

If it's not too much work for you, here are some ideas for making cute fat quarter bundles ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTCY5Is8Pho

https://www.thespruce.com/folded-fat...-stars-2821335

If I saw baskets with folded and rolled it would not bother me at all. I would just think that different people had made the contributions. Go the way of the river. Water always takes the path of least resistance.

Thanks, everyone. I read the first few comments and started folding them. Turns out it is way quicker than the rolling and putting rubber bands on them. I have made two baskets....and though I like more in them, they look pretty good. I am going to abide by what the committee suggested, though I think I will let some one else do this the next time. :)

Dina

Dina ... I know you are already in progress of preparing the baskets! Good for you!

What a great idea for your Guild to donate from their personal stashes.
Do you try to coordinate the fabrics, as you assemble each FQ basket?


Adding to the comments, IMHO folded FQs will look like there is more, than rolled.

One of the LQS' here has both ... I always gravitate towards the foldeds, as I can get a better look at what the colour/pattern of each is.
Plus, the different fabrics whill show better by staggering the folded pieces within your baskets, than with a bunch of rolls side by side.


As for the FQ numbers ... it's a prize, Ladies ... don't fret so! :)
I'd be pretty darned thrilled if I won no matter how many.
The count of 20, 40, 60, 75 or 100 ... is still a nice windfall!

I would have a huge problem with the rubber bands. You and I might know enough to NOT store the piece with the rubber band on it. But others might not know what happens to rubber bands when they get old. It has happened at my house. It is not a pretty sight.

I like the rolled ones for presentation and that is what sells. I would go with the 40 fat quarters and roll them. I would then put a rubber band on the lower third of the roll and make the tops open or fold them down to look little more like a flower and put in the basket! Sounds kind of fun to play with....hmmmmm, Christmas gift from Santa!

That's a very nice contribution of you to do this work for the guild and I'm glad you found the easiest way for you to do it was also the way it seems people like it best.
I'm sure the winner will be thrilled!

Watson

Since some are already folded, I would put those in a basket. Then you can roll others for another basket if that is the way you like doing it. That way you don't have to undo all those that are folded.

This is Dina's third year doing fat quarter baskets for our quilt show. She always does an amazing job with lots of fat quarters and clever displays.

To answer some of the questions, the fat quarter baskets are part of our ticket sale items. We have a multitude of quilt-related items (rulers, cutters, templates, patterns, etc.) laid out on the table along with the fat quarters. Each item has a Mason Jar with it. People put tickets in the jar of the items they hope to win. At the end of the day, one ticket is drawn from each Mason Jar and the owner of that ticket wins the item. Tickets are $5 for 25 tickets. You choose which items and how many tickets you want to enter.

Thank you, Dina, for another great job!

Eye appeal will "sell" the baskets.

Why not do a little shop hopping to see how quilt shops market their FQs? Think you'll find lots of ways to fold a FQ, even within one shop.

agree with this assessment. while I prefer my own to be flat - in your situation I think that the rolled ones would be better, especially if you're going to put them in actual baskets. If you choose folded - put them in a box or stacked like we buy them and tied with a ribbon or selvedge.

Thanks for the youtube link, DJ. I LOVE this tulip idea!

Many of the quilt shops sell the flat folds as the newer fabric and display the clearance FQs as rolled and banded. I like folded, personally.