Why are quilters so excited about fat quarters?
 

I use a lot of precuts -layer cakes, charm packs, and my all-time favorite, "Jolly Bars" (5"x10" coordinated fabrics by Moda made exclusively for the Fat Quarter Shop. I use these because cutting, even with the wonderful rotary cutter, is difficult because of arthritis in my hands. I have never bought a "fat quarter" cut, but I've come across a good sale and am considering buying some, but I really don't know what to do with them!

My quilts tend to be a combination of other pre-cuts, e.g., the Jolly Bars or layer cakes with Moda bella solids. It seems to me the only thing I can do with a fat quarter is cut it up. I get it that these would be easier to cut into pieces than in working with yards of fabric, but that seems really expensive and potentially wasteful to me.

So, could someone explain to me why quilters are so excited about fat quarters?

Thanks!

I don't buy them myself, but I think they're a way of buying a small amount of a fabric in a more usable form than if you bought 1/4 yard from a bolt, since the latter would be only 9 inches wide.

Since so many people buy fat quarters, a lot of people create patterns with them in mind.

There are a lot of books on using fat quarters for quilting on Amazon. I think it offers quilters another choice if they are making something that requires a different sizes than other the other precuts.

Agree here. I don't buy them myself, but I've been given some before. They work well if you don't need yardage and you can "fit" more pieces in a 22"x18" piece than a 9"x45". I also think most quilters buy them simply for the stash.

it's a good way to get a variety of fabrics without buying a whole yard. The size, 18X20-ish allows for cuts larger than most precuts, such as 10" layer cakes. As mentioned there are many patterns that use them

I use them in bags pin cushions, applique, pillows, great for small projects also there are numerous quilt patterns just for fat quarters so I is just a preference I prefer jelly rolls and fat quarters to layer cakes and charms by far, more fabric to work with.

i hadn't bought them in the past, but bought some recently. I wanted to do a black and white quilt and have collected many different fabrics for a reasonable price when they are on sale

I don't buy precuts at all. I don't like making quilts with a bunch of different prints to balance out. I tend to use just 2-3 different colors in a pattern, so usually but 2-3 yards of anything.

I also have RA in my hands so have to have all the help I can get with cutting. I use the fat quarters when using a block that use several fabrics I need to blend well. That way I don't have to hunt and buy several fabrics and cut down to usable sizes. I keep some to have on hand that may go with other fabrics I am using. Sometimes I cut them down to extend colors in a jelly roll I am using.

They are the only precut I will buy now; I love them because I love scrappy and I'm able to get an entire line of fabric at a reasonable price and I'm usually able to make more than one quilt from them as well. I now have far too many charm packs, jelly rolls and layer cakes that I'm trying to get through because many are not cut correctly and are exasperating to work with.

I like a controlled scrappy look, so I buy fat quarters to allow me to blend lots of fabrics, or to give lots of variety. If I'm making a small project, a fat quarter can be a good amount (for example, 4-6 fat quarters plus 1 yard of a constant can make a nice baby quilt). Bags and other small projects work well with fat quarters, where a quarter yard would be too long and narrow.

I also buy them as souvenirs when I'm travelling. When it's just a fat quarter, I don't feel like I have to use it; I can save it for as long as I want. Many of them do make their way into quilts eventually, but I don't feel any obligation to use them.

I do quite a bit of applique and find the size of fat quarters works well for cutting out applique pieces.

This is my preference as well. Plus I don't maintain a 'stash' per se. I buy per project. As primarily a hand quilter, it takes me a while to finish a quilt! I'm afraid if I bought x amount of a specific project 'just because I like it', I'd have no clue to what use it for later and/or change my mind about how much I like it!

I'll buy fat quarters because you can do a lot with them. I find smaller precuts too limiting, although I will buy a layer cake once in a while if I need a quick quilt.

For someone wanting to acquire a variety of fabrics, you can buy twice as many 1/4 yard pieces as you could 1/2 yd. pieces, and an 18x22 piece has more potential uses than a 9x44 piece. If you're the type that falls in love with fabric lines, the fat quarter bundle is a great way to acquire the entire line. As someone said above, you can usually get a couple of quilts out of a fat quarter bundle.

I love them for scrappy's (controlled or not) and also love them for applique especially on baby quilts where you need some but not too much. Plus my LQS in Houston when we lived there used to have a lot of FQ sales -- I think they sold off most of their clearance that way!

It's great to have a lot to choose from when you can't afford a yard of a whole coordinating line too!

It's hard for me to picture wanting the whole coordinating line.

Over the years I have collected a lot of fat quarters. I decided to do something with them. I bought this ruler and started making Starburst blocks. What fun! I don't try to match the fabric, just use contrasting whatever the color. I'm using cream background. I deliberately put two fabric together that in no way I'd pick to go together. I make a a few blocks in between other projects. I am using up a lot of fat quarters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYLIVgDaChU

If you make this block pm me I have some learned tips.

when they are on sale at JA's, like last week for .75 it's a steal of a deal. I make just about anything with them. they are great to add color to your stash. A lot of the patterns I use just call for a bit. I do a lot of applique and i get my variety that way. Even other crafts that i do, or somewhere along a project, i use a fat quarters fabric. I like them better than a lineal quarter yard, i get more use out them.

onebyone, i just watched that on YOUTUBE,
I love the block she did, a i want the ruler now, too.

I love fat quarters for variety. They are great for small projects. (postcards, toppers, mug rugs ect.....) The possibilities are limitless. They sometimes fit my small budget better. And, I feel like I'm getting a small treat. To each his own. Happy crafting!! :)

I typically don't buy any precuts but will sometimes buy FQ when working on something that needs a more scrappy appearance (think Bonnie Hunter mystery quilts) and just don't have enough variety in a certain colorway. I've also done a couple of quilts that the pattern has you start with a bundle of FQ and both worked well. One caution--on one of those quilts the FQ needed to be trimmed and some of my FQ were a little short of the 18x22 needed to square up the FQ and still get the correct amount.

s
Ditto. tallchick, my thoughts exactly. I'm slowly cutting my charm packs and jelly rolls into 2.5" charms and swapping them in my swaps, because otherwise they are useless to me. When I am done my quilts I order yardage for boarders or backing if at all.

I like the variety and they don't take up a lot of room.

I buy them because I love fabric! haha I like having a variety of patterns and colors to choose from when making scrappy type quilts. I also buy fat quarters to make the microwavable potholder bowl. I found some with the Batman symbol, some with Star Wars, and some with footballs. They were perfect for the friends I made them for and I didn't have to buy a big amount of fabric.

I love fat quarters! I do a lot of applique, and small wall hangings, and find them perfect for that. The price is right, and I've found some wonderful designs, and beautiful fabrics. I'm currently picking up batik FQ's and have gotten some really gorgeous ones.

I love the variety fat quarters give me as I love doing scrappy quilts.

I was once addicted to fat quarters as I imagined myself making all sorts of scrap quilts. Thankfully, I've cured myself of the addiction and am selling off fabric that I will never use up in a million years!!

To me a FQ allows me to make a 12 inch cut of fabric. I love layer cakes, but sometimes, I need that extra 2 inches for the outside of a block.

FQs are very versatile and like someone else said they do not take up much room. Most of my stash is FQs. If you do a Google search on projects you can make with FQs you will be surprised with what you can make.

I like them for scrappy quilts, especially baby quilts. I also think they are great for applique quilts. I started buying them years before there were layer cakes and jelly rolls.

Someone said they didn't understand wanting all the fabrics in one line. I have used fat quarter bundles to make scrappy quilts such as Turning Twenty. You get a lot of variety without having to buy 1/2 yard cuts of all the fabrics.

A lot of people use them in "I spy" quilts.

I personally love Fat Quarters as well as the other precuts. I have several books for FQ's and several patterns I have bought and used. I really do like the versatility of all the various fabrics at cheap prices. I use them all the time and here are just two of many I have made. Hope the pictures show.

A lot of stores (mainly small independent ones) will take ends of bolts and turn them into fat quarters. I go thru the bins and see if I like any. Sometimes you don't need a whole yard or even a half. I think they are cheaper than buying the rolls or layers, etc.

Fat quarters are great when you want to make squares to practice FMQ on. I do not buy them from our one local chain store because I don't think the quality is there, they come into the store pre-cut.

I buy a lot of fat quarter and some cake layers. I hand applique so I don't need large pieces of fabric. In the end, fat quarters cost a little more than a regular 1/4 yard and cake layers are pretty expensive when you do the math to make a yard with them.

Amen to that incorrect measure on lots and lots and lots of precuts statement. This really burns my biscuits! Of course, I discovered this the hard way - more than once.

I love getting a coordinating pack of fat quarters, but I also love controlled scrappy, where I'll use several different fabrics of a color instead of one - IE if the pattern calls for 2 yards of red and one of blue, I'll use 8 different red fat quarters and 4 different blue fat quarters.

this quilt has about 50 different batiks - much easier to do with fat quarter bundles to get a lot of variety.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pstloxfvi3.jpg

I make a lot of scrap quilts, a fat quarter bundle is a way to get a variety of fabrics without buying yardage. I don't buy jelly rolls and such because they are often not cut accurately, a waste of money and causes frustration.
Sharon in Texas

Wannabee quilting is there a pattern for the grey, black and white quilt. I really like the simplicity of it.

Count me in as another who love fat quarters. I get lots of variety and the price is right. Fat quarters are the perfect size for a cloth napkin.

Macybaby baby, your quilt is awesome! I want to make a stained glass quilt, but I'm tired of the geometric repetition of an array of identical blocks. Did you use a letter, or just wing t?