A comment on another thread got me wondering...

Are FQs worth a premium price? Not talking a LOT extra...

As in, if running yardage costs $8 / yard, is $2.25 a fair price for a FQ? Or should it be $2?

Is it worth the little bit extra? Or not?

Quilt shops do it both ways. I figure if I only want a fat quarter, it is worth the extra quarter.

I see it as a way for quilt stores to streamline cutting. If they had to cut a quarter yard of several prints, it would take time. If they are busy, the line would get long and customers would complain. By cutting fat quarters in off-peak hours, it allows shoppers to get what they want without having to wait at a cutting table for small pieces. I also think stores sell more fabric when they make it easier on the customers. So, should they charge more for a FQ when it actually improves their business and makes the customer happier? I wouldn't be happier paying more for the same fabric just because of the cut and they wouldn't be too happy if I held up a line at the cutting table because I wanted fifteen 1/4 cuts from fifteen different bolts. However, if it made the difference in paying $3.75 more for that fabric, I might think about doing exactly that. It does add up over time. Not only that, but I would probably go to a store that didn't charge more if I was looking to add to my FQ stash or do a FQ quilt.

I think they are - after all there is labor involved for them and convenience for us.

IMHO it depends. I had a thread a few months ago concerning FQs. The pattern called for fats 18 x 22 but after I prewashed and cut off the white selvage my fats were only 18 x 21 and I couldn't get the number of strips I needed. Ended up having to buy another FQ.

They have to pay someone to do all the cutting.

If the store sells all FQ at the same price they may just be averaging the price, rather than making more labor to label each one and needing to charge even more.

If a fat quarter costs more than a quarter yard cut (which is usually the case), I get a quarter yard cut. Plus, that way I'm assured that I indeed get a fat quarter. The rest goes into my stash as a fat quarter. After all, stash is where it's at !!! :lol: I only buy fat quarters anymore if they are on sale at a great price or if the fat quarter is the only piece of that "must have" fabric. My one exception to this is I am addicted to black & white fat quarter bundles.

By the way, was in JoAnn's and noticed that their fat quarters were gone except for a small pile of uglies. The sales clerk said that they were eliminating them because they weren't selling. Anyone else notice this?

I have been told that you can get more out of a fat...instead of a of a one forth yard....you cant get 2 fats out of on forth yard.

Wow wish fabric was $8 a yrd. My quilt shop is $9.99 and up per yard. I would pay a bit extra because truthfully sometimes I just want a small piece (or its all I can afford) and I would rather have a fat quarter than a quarter yard more times than not. So a tiny bit more? Worth it and there was labor involved up front, cutting, putting the little stickie to hold it shut, pricing individual items.. yes worth a bit more. oh heck, I just love fabric. It is a serious addiction.. just one more..

I do understand about having to cut and label the fat quarters. I guess if a store can sell them for more, then they probably do well, since it is all about the profit for them.

Likewise, as a customer, it is all about getting the best deal for my hard-earned $$$.

Nowadays, I can just go on the internet and find FQs at a good price without having to leave my house. It has be worth driving over to my LQS.

As far as the labor... should fabric stores add a labor fee when they cut fabric from the bolt or helping a customer select coordinating colors?

IMHO the free advice is what's called good customer service.

Personally, I do not want FQ's with labels or cardboard in the center... The labels can be hard to remove if they get hot in transit, and they are always in the middle of the fabric when unfolded.
I have seen many LQS workers cutting FQ's/half yard cuts during slow times... The owners are paying them by the hour, and aren't employees supposed to have busy work during the slow times? I don't feel like I should have to pay more for these cuts.
Sometimes the difference in cost between buying a FQ and a 1/3 yd is so unproportional that I will buy the 1/3 yd and get more bang for my buck at a LQS.

I have to agree...they spend time cutting these, so a little extra is OK. Plus, it saves us time cause we don't have to wait for small pieces to be cut. I like being able to get 1/4 or 1/2 or 3/4 of a yard without waiting for cutting. Sometimes I just get the whole yard and put the rest in the stash!! :thumbup: :wink:

I forgot to add, when I add the "long" quarter to my stash I mark it so I know it's not "fat".

I'm with you, I'd rather buy a 1/4yd and have the rest for my stash :thumbup:

you get 2 fq out of 1/2'.

A couple of months ago, Joann's sent out an email saying that their FQs had been cut a bit short by their current vendor. They have since hired a new vendor, hence trying to get rid of the old stuff. The new FQs should be here soon.

Most quilt shops order fat quarters from a line already cut. I would rather buy a fat quarter bundle of a whole line and have a piece of every one. I then can buy yardage for borders or backing. I can never have too many fat quarters. And they are easier to store. I will pay $2.50 for one fat quarter but I prefer to buy in bundles, it's usually cheaper.

Thanks for your comment, Amma.... I am so in agreement!

I totally agree with this.

If you are making a quilt that has lots of different fabrics and/or colors, FQ's are the way to go. Someone else has already selected a group of coordinating fabrics. Sometimes looking at bolts of fabric and trying to select ones that are pleasing and go together is mind boggling.

I'd pay 2.25 for a fat quarter...but then our fat quarters are 5.49 each!

In that case, THANK GOD for the Internet. There is NO way I would pay that price for a FQ.

i will not buy fat quarters if they are priced higher than the per/yard cost.

i don't own an LQS and have never worked in one so i may very well be wrong about this. however, my general impression is that fat quarters either come that way from the factory, or they're cut in the shop from bolt ends or yardage that isn't selling off the bolt.

the quarters may be fat but my wallet isn't.

Shadow Dancer is right - the prices here in Canada are horrible for quilting fabrics and accessories...here in Montreal if I want a meter of quilting fabric the average price right now is about $15-18.00/meter...(that's the lower end of the price scale...)....

Oh my goodness, 1 meter = 39.3700787 inches. Even with the exchange rate, that is outrageous. You are paying twice what we do. Bill, LMK if there is something special you are looking for. If I can find it, I can gift it. I guess you get better deals online if they'll ship internationally.

If I just need a fat quarter I'll most likely buy a half yard. Just a little something for my stash.

Why are the prices so high? The Canadian dollar is at 95 cents to the US dollar today. So it's not the exchange rate... are there high duty fees when the shops import them? Does the price you quoted include GST, or is that on top of the $15 - $18?

GST and PST are not included in that price, that's added at the cash register. :(

Ow! That's a painful price! (Not as painful as what I've read they pay in Australia, but still plenty high!)

Have you looked into ordering from the US? It costs about $12 to send an envelope to Canada, plus a $5 cross-border administrative fee (and tax, that's unavoidable anyway). So... you'd save about $6 / yard on fabric, and the envelope holds about 8 yards. You'd come out ahead, as long as you ordered at least 3 yards. And there are probably LOTS of US shops that ship internationally.

Of course, you should support always your local shops... but they can't always carry everything that you might want.

I don't buy fat quarters very often. Unless it is a fabric that I need for a specific project and I am not overly fond of the fabric. Many times my local store will have fabrics on sale and 1/2 yd is the min cut. At 33% off it only costs me a tiny bit more to get a 1/2 yd piece instead of a FQ.

I don't have access to a local shop, the closest is two and half hours away. Bottom line...if I had to buy my fabric at 15.99-21.99/meter I wouldn't be quilting. The majority of my fabric is purchased from the U.S. Do I feel guilty? Nope! :)

WOW...
I hope your SQA sees this post......perhaps it will give her some insight for a pressie sometime during 2010

Yes, because as someone else stated, while it may be cut and bundled during 'off time', that 'off time' is still paid labor. Off referring only to a quiet time in the store, you are not expecting your LQS worker to cut it at night while watching TV with the family for free are you?

Really, people need to look at the whole picture a bit more.

Is YOUR time worth so little that you are willing to stand and have your LQS worker cut 14 quarter yard cuts so you can save $3.50? You had to walk around the store, lug all the bolts and wait on line before you even had a turn. The time it takes her to cut all that is probably worth more than $3.50 unless she is being paid minimum wage, ($7.55 an hour I think? Thats .13 CENTS a minute.) because her boss has to pay her to do that AND put the bolts away. If all the fabrics you wanted were cut, you are in and out and she can assist someone who has questions, stock the shelves, etc...

To expect them to cut at night on their own time is not at all what any customer would expect, I would hope. However, there are many times that I have walked into a quilt store and I am the ONLY customer in the store. So, I know that there are times when it is slower for stores. This is the time that can be spent cutting and such. I know that there are other duties (such as stocking shelves, organizing, et cetera) that needs to be done too, but they could use some of that time to make FQs.

As for my time, if I am in a hurry, I have a specific fabric in mind and am not going to be standing there getting several pieces of fabric cut. However, if I am not in a hurry, I would definitely take my time, pull out several bolts, and get them cut. When I go to the store to shop for stash building fabrics, I don't mind how much time it takes. It is enjoyable time spent daydreaming about future projects.

To assume that I am putting the employee of a quilt store out by asking them to cut several bolts of fabric never crossed my mind. If I thought that they took that attitude, I would NEVER shop in that store again.

Providers of the goods and services are human beings and equally deserving of respect and common consideration. however, i am always fascinated by what seems to be the modern notion that we are here to hand over our money at a time and in a manner most convenient to them. as though they are doing us a favor.

each shopper should decide for themselves what they're willing to put up with and what they're willing to pay. it isn't my place to question somebody else's choice on the matter.

my personal philosophy is that i couldn't care less how much time it took them to cut the fats. if they want my money, they had better offer them for a fair price. which, in my book, is for not more than i'd pay per/yard. period.

I have noticed that a straight quarter yard cut is sometimes not enough because it is crooked and you can't always get even 3 - 2 inch strips cut the width of the fabric. I find a fat quarter more usable if I need the full width of the fabric I buy 1/3 yard or 1/2 yard.
I don't buy much fabric anymore unless I am buying for something I have already started.

No, I don't think I stated that at all. My point is that you pay for convenience. Milk is less expensive at the supermarket, 7 miles away, than down the block at the 7-11, but you still (sometimes) send your child to walk down the block to pay the extra .89 cents at 7-11 so you don't have to wake the baby up from a nap and pack everyone into the car.

Its a convenience that you expect to pay for. A fat quarter is a totally different size than 1/4 yard. You get a different piece of fabric one way than the other.

Believe me, if I WANT 9 x44 inch strips of fabric, I have no problems asking the cutter to cut them. Even if I want 30 of them.
That IS their job. I get it. But if you want the convenience of walking around the store, collecting this and that fat quarter, you pay for it. Or we all pay for it, when the price is raised per yard to cover the extra time it takes to cut, pay for the label making machine and labels, the additional fixtures that are required to hold fat quarters than bolts.....

I have no problem walking around a quilt store for HOURS, and I am often not even willing to let them take the bolts from my hot little hands. They are mine, all mine!!!
:XD:
But, if I want a fat quarter of a bolt, my LQS is more than willing to cut one.... so, the .25 cents extra to get the 18x22 piece I NEED, versus paying for a 1/2 yard? Yeah. Worth every penny.

just a little comment from one who has cut and sorted many fat quarters in her life....
A fat quarter is a half yard of fabric cut down the fold, so if the cutting is accurate, it should measure 18" x 22". When a fabric shop cuts a fat quarter for you, it leaves one extra in the shop. If the store can sell this fat quarter, great! If not, the store has lost that income from that fabric. So when you have the time it takes to cut and fold the fat, fold the other, and then see if it sells, that is what the additional cost is when compared to just purchasing fabric by the yard.

You must believe me when I tell you that fat quarters, though deliciously fun to play with and put into our quilts, become a major headache for shop owners. Those fat quarters will be refolded and neatened every day once they are cut. Storing them and keeping them organized is a major headache.

When purchased from manufacturers as a prefolded bundled group, the retail price comes out to be about $2.75 per fat when the yardage cost would be about $8.75 per yard.

Initially fat quarters were not sold as they are today, in full collection bundles. Appliquers loved larger pieces of fabric so they could get longer strips of bias for stems, as compared to a "skinny" 9" x 44" quarter yard. And for block backgrounds (12") - you can't get that from a regular quarter yard. Shop owners would take the last little bits from their bolts and cut them into fat quarters and you may have seen a little basket of them in the front of the shop. Now they are a major factor in a quilt shop's inventory and add to that layer cakes (10" x 10" squares), jelly rolls, and charm squares. The packaging and processing is what you are paying for - just like if you purchase a single can over a case, a half pint rather than a gallon, etc.

If you are using a pattern which calls for fat quarters, please read through the instructions carefully to see if you will be able to use regular (9" x 44") "skinny" quarter yard cuts, as they are not always compatable. A pattern the suggests stacking fats and cutting a 10" strip and sub dividing it into 10" square is not going to come out of a skinny quarter. If you are strip piecing quilts and using a rotary cutter, however, the longer skinny quarter is often more useful.

No matter what you pay, or where you get them, they are a joy to sew with and lots of fun to use, so I expect we will see them forever in the sewing community.
Lisa

I bought a fat quarter bundle, it was 189.99 plus the taxes. It worked out before taxes to 4.75 per fat quarter. Jelly Rolls run between 39.99 to 69.99 up here.

No matter how you look at it, it's insane!!