I thought I saw a topic like this one somewhere...but I can't remember. I am starting a new project. It involves cutting 14 fat quarter's into strips3" wide by 22" which I am assuming is the WOF. Now, using 14 quarter yard cuts instead of FQ's, do you think I should first cut down the center to make the cut go from 44" to 22" or so? I'm supposed to end up with 5 strips and I'm thinking with 1/4 yd being 9"..that will only be three strips unless I slit the fabric down the center...I think I'm confused. You can't uncut and recut like you can once you start sewing. I don't want to start cutting until I know what I'm doing. If FQ's werent so expensive, I just would've bought those..but those 1/4 yd cuts were only .25 a piece!!

HELP!!!!

You need to know how long the final strips need to be. If you cut the 1/4 yard pieces you will have strips 42 or so inches long, which can then be cut shorter if you need to. Look at your pattern and see where you are headed.

Okay...Pattern says:


"Cut all fq's into 5 strips of 3" by 22" or WOF. Randomly sew 7 strips together. Repeat with remaining strips until you have 10 strips sets of 7 strips by 22".

So, do you think I should cut it down until I have 2 pieces 9 x 22 or should I not cut it down and have 1 piece 9 x 44?? If I cut it down I could reasonably cut 6 strips of 3 x 22...

Perhaps I should do that...I love this board. I can think outloud!! I really wish I was a math genius like Tim . Perhaps then, I wouldn't ask such stupid questions!!! :lol:

If you are somewhat of a newbie, you might want to go ahead and cut your quarters from 44 to 22 inches to avoid elbows and stuff. then go ahead and cut your 3" strips. Hopefully your 9 inches is generous. Good luck.

Wow...I'm glad this is a random pieced pattern. I went ahead and cut them down to 9 x 22. Some pieces I can only get 4 strips of 3 instead of 5, but some I can get 6 out of. It's a matter of how much shrinkage to cut off when squaring the material. I'll get it figured out. I'm more than "somewhat" a newbie...I'm an incredible newbie. I only have 5 quilts under my belt 4 lap size and 1 almost double.

Thanks for the help.

Sounds like you got it now...........show us some when you get started, it sounds colorful and we like pretty UFO's

JUST VENTING

I'm so mad. How come I can purchase material that's all the same price fabric, but some shrink more than others?? I got a hold of a friend of mine who's going to look in her stash and see if she has some pastels she can donate to the cause. The quilt in question is for her sister, so she was happy to look for me. I just don't think I'm going to have enough material and I'm extremely frustrated.

If I do another FQ quilt, I may purchase 3/8 or 1/2 yard pieces so I can plan for the shrinkage. I'm completely torked at myself because I usually wash and dry by hand and then press to get the shrinking done, but not so much fraying. There's one piece that I won't be able to use much of because the threads were pulled out in the dryer and now the whole print is messed up. There's parts that are regular thickness, but other parts are so thin I can see my thumb on the other side.

I'm just irritated.....thanks for letting me rant and rave. RRRGGGGG.

We all need to do that once in awhile. Hope you feel better! :wink:

if you bought Fat Quarters, you paid more than you would have for the fabric straight off the bolt. unless it was off the WalMart dollar table, i'd take that stuff back and demand a refund. (gambling on any store's bargain fabric is just that. i know the risk i take. usually win, but have come home with some pretty rags, too. LOL) but given the way almost all sellers further inflate the price of fat quarters, they shouldn't be allowed to get away with selling useless junk.

I didn't use any Fat Quarter's. I used 1/4 yard pieces of fabric instead and forget to get more to allow for shrinkage and squaring the fabric. Completely my mistake...which makes it more irritating.