Has anyone noticed that fat quarters are shrinking? I purchased some and they are labeled fat quarters and the label says 17" x21" - somewhere I saw 17.5" x 21" - I always thought fat quarters were 18" x 22" - hmmm... must be reducing the size but not the price.

I have bought them and noticed they are getting smaller too.
And the price of fabric is going up too. I was at Joann's and I saw some marked 12.99 a Yard and it was quilting fabric.

I'm glad I have fabric stored up. I just buy a little bit now.

Was at hancocks the other day and looking at there FQ and yes there making them smaller and charging more, they use to be $1.24 now there selling them for $1.99 for 17X21 ......I guess they didn't think we would notice?

So now I won't be buying FQ from Hancocks any more....

Check the width of regular fabric... usually it's 44-45 inches wide... they may be reducing the width of the fabric too.

they should not be labeled as fat quarters then, they are a quarter of 34"

At least I no wknow that I am not crazy, as I saw the same thing. JoAnn Fabrics is a real rip off some times, unless they are having a great sale, or you manage to accummulate the coupons at 40% off a regular priced item.
WalMart is now bringing back to their stores a very nice line of fabrics, qujilting notions, as well as all of the accessories, and a lot of the fabric I saw was the same as JoAnn's had for several dollars more.

I don't like it when companies (fabric, food) change the amount without labeling the package (at least for food) or somehow letting you know that's what they are doing. As someone said, do they think we are stupid? Why don't they figure out that we just feel deceived and ripped off?

i don't think there is an excuse for them to not be 18"...but the other dimension is dependant on the actual width of the fabric- since to cut a fat quarter you first cut a 1/2 yard...18" then you cut at the fold---so if the fabric is 44" wide you will have 22"...if the fabric is only 36" wide the fq would measure 18"x18"
40" wide = 20" x 18"...
the 18" is (should be the constant)

right, I can see maybe the fabric is not as wide, but a yard is still a yard. Come on, folks, we are not stupid. Maybe we should get them for false advertising. Or call the state department of weights and measures, obviously their yardstick is a bit off.

What scares me is pretty soon a yard will be 34" or 35" not 36 - and the price will go up not down..