Yardage instead of Fat quarters
 

Several patterns I am interested in sewing, indicate using fat quarters. I would like to use some of my stash which is mostly l yard or more pieces. I am concerned that the design would be affected. I am so confused and do not know how to adjust the pattern. One pattern suggests 16 FQ which would mean I would have to purchase more fabric. Help me decide what to do. Thank you in advance.

Well, if you cannot figure it out, maybe you can simply cut your one yard pieces into fat quarters yourself and then go from there. Take a square yard of fabric and cut it in half both ways and VOILA - you have four fat quarters.

I use my stash as my fabric store. If I need fat quarters I cut them from my stash, refold the left over fabric and use it for a different project later. I usually buy a minimum of 3 yards of fabric knowing I won't use it all at once.

I rarely buy fat quarters, but when you need 16 of them for one project...it might be cheaper than buying 1 yard of more fabrics. Can you use your fabric for as many as you can and then just buy some fats to fill in?

Also - if I am using my own fabric I just cut what I need from the end of the fabric and not make fats out of it. Many times they just want a piece or two cut from each fabric...not even using the whole FQ.

Do you mean that the pattern calls for 16 FQ but you don't have 16 different appropriate fabrics? It's really going to depend on the pattern if that's important or not. If it's going for a scrappy sort of look, you can probably have fewer different types of fabric and still have it look fine; maybe use 8 half-yards instead.

I almost never buy fat quarters, they're just too dinky for my taste. I prefer half-yard cuts at minimum (1 -3 yards is better) and just cut things down from there.

I don't buy fat quarters either. In fact, I usually don't buy much fabric at the LQS unless I have a plan in mind. But I do have a lot of fabric..... a lot of it I find at estate sales, etc.

So, if you have the fabric selection you want to use in your quilt, just cut the pieces from that. If you need a few fat quarters, get them. It is really a matter of whether you have what you need for the quilt you are making and what you want to add to your stash.

I think when patterns call for FQs, it is meant to sound more appealing---oh boy, all I need is some FQs and I could make that, what is more simple?--therefore, you would be more tempted to make their pattern--- it doesn't matter!!! fabric is fabric no matter which way it is cut!!!

The last time I bought a FQ bundle, I had the hardest time figuring out what to do with it. So I would stick with yardage. Just pull coordinating yardage from your stash in 16 patterns. If you need more, I'd fill in with solids and go for it.

Study the pattern to understand what number and sizes of patches it calls for, taking notes to keep track and cut what's needed from your yardage.

I'm very glad I did that with one popular fat quarter pattern because I learned that out of 40 blocks used to make the quilt, the distribution was 16 of block A, 12 of block B, and 12 of block C. It bothered me that there were 4 more of block A than the other two. Plus at 40 blocks (5 x 8 setting), the quilt was way longer than it was wide, and I didn't care for that either. I ended up making 42 blocks (6 x 7 setting), 14 of each.

I went through a fat quarter buying stage, but now rarely buy them. If you can figure out how to convert one pattern, you will be able to do so with your second and third patterns, etc., and use up your yardage.

it does sound like the pattern calls for variety. I would suggest you get some grid paper and draw it out and color it in and go from there. Good luck.

I agree - look at pattern closely to see the sizes you will eventually be cutting from the fat quarters. Many newer patterns are written for Fat Quarters, Layer Cakes, Charms, Jelly Rolls, etc. But when you look closely at the pattern it really only requires 10", 5", 2 1/2" squares or rectangles or similar - something you can easily cut yourself from your own stash.

On a current block-of-the-month quilt I'm working on, we start with a fat quarter, but end up only using part of it with lots of fabric / scraps left over.

Sit down and really analyze your quilt pattern. Very few of them do use the entire yardage of a fat quarter. Cut out all your pattern pieces using ordinary paper that are required to be cut from a fat quarter and see if you can arrange them to be cut from 2" or 4" or 6" or an 8" strip of WOF.

This is what I do too. Just use your own stash and if you need some fillers just buy those.

Usually if a pattern calls for 16 fat quarters you could probably use 8 half yard cuts and it will look fine. I have too darn many fat quarters in my stash. Those fat 1/4 bundles look so tempting in the shop, I can't resist. But I have learned from experience to buy at least 3 yards of coordinating fabric as most patterns require extra fabric for borders, sashing, etc. Good luck with your quilt!

If the pattern calls for 16 fq say 4 of one color, 4 of another, etc.....just find those same matching coordinates in your stash, if you can, if not create your own color sceme.....don't stress over it.

Sometimes FQs are less expensive than yardage because they're on sale more often. I buy them when I'm short on a value (light, medium, or dark) Usually lights because I tend to buy the deeper fabrics and need fillers and more contrast. I also don't have a problem using different pieces of the same value when the pattern calls for just one fabric. I don't mind having scraps left over because I love scrappy quilts. However, I also love my stash and don't mind cutting the yardage for however much of a fat quarter I might need. See, the more I use my stash, the more fabric I can buy to replenish it. Ah, what a joy.

The biggest advantage to using fat quarters is if you need to cut a piece larger than 9 inches. A quarter yard cut from the bolt is only 9 inches and will not accommodate the larger cuts. So, if you are using your yardage and cuts are smaller than this, go for it.

If you have the needed fabrics on hand and you are willing to cut what you need from them, there is no need to buy fat quarters.

I think fat quarters are useful for some purposes, even though I generally avoid buying small precuts.

I almost never buy FQs. They are never what I expect in the way of always being cut crooked so you don't get the amount you need.

When Making a pattern that calls for FQs, I just cut them from my stash, however many is required for the pattern.
peace

[QUOT=Treasureit;6751278]I rarely buy fat quarters, but when you need 16 of them for one project...it might be cheaper than buying 1 yard of more fabrics. Can you use your fabric for as many as you can and then just buy some fats to fill in?

Also - if I am using my own fabric I just cut what I need from the end of the fabric and not make fats out of it. Many times they just want a piece or two cut from each fabric...not even using the whole FQ.[/QUOTE]

This is what I would do as well. I would not waste my time or stash cutting it into fq's when you might not need anywhere near that much of any given fabric.

Be careful since I made the mistake of buying long quarters instead of fats one time (my LQS was really busy and long quarters take less time to cut...they didn't have what I needed already cut) but the longs were too narrow to work with the pattern. If you still want to figure yardage on a certain pattern, send it to me and I'll do it for you; I'm a math teacher...

Don't care much for fat quarters so I cut my own from my stash. I have boxes full of FQ from guild drawings and exchanges and I seldom find use for them.

Great advice...why didn't I think of that a long time ago????

One could do that - but I definitely would NOT do so - because then one has four small pieces of fabric instead of the one larger one.

If you are not able to "think in fat quarters" - draw light lines on the BACK of the fabric with a removable marker (I would use white chalk or very light pencil lines) - and then cut from within one of the "quarters" you created.

Whenever I have fabric left over after a project, I cut the leftover pieces into the largest sizes I can get. This has given me quite a variety of fat quarters! :c)

Donna

I think you are over thinking. All fat quarters started out as yardage. If you have one yard of fabric you have four fat quarters. Sometimes the pattern will have cutting directions based on cutting a fat quarter. That doesn't mean much, you can cut all the pieces from whatever piece you have to cut.

I stopped buying fat quarters and started making my own as the size was never the same .... Make your own and then you are sure of the sizes

Usually I buy at least one yard of a fabric. If it is just a tiny amount needed I will purchase enough to cut out the largest pieces needed. I figure the left overs are a bonus for the back or binding. The rest goes into my test block stash or a scrap quilt.

Did you need 16 different fat quarters for the pattern, or just 16 fat quarters? A fat quarter is just half a half yard, cut length wise instead of a quarter of a yard cut across the fabric. Sometimes it makes a difference because you may need a piece bigger than 9" (1/4 yard). But in any case, you can easily use yardage, if fat quarters are suggested.

I would :
1. Figure out my color scheme.
2. Choose a focus fabric with close to 16 different colors in it.
3. Pull yardage from my stash to coordinate, with almost equal portions of lights, mediums, and darks.
4 Assess the need to supplement. Most of us don't have enough lights because they tend to be not nearly as exciting as mediums and darks.
5. Enjoy "supplementing" (ie shopping , because--oh, darn!--I really need a pale yellow jonquil in this quilt. :)

I am wondering why you would have to purchase more fabric for the 16 FQ pattern if you used yardage? Is it because you don't have yardage of 16 different fabrics that would go well together?

I think some of the pattern makers are lazy and don't want to go to the trouble of calculating from yardage as well. The only pattern I ever bought had an offhand reference to using yardage, but It was so vague that i ended up drafting it and doing all the calculations from a jelly roll to yardage myself. I think that if you are a well-known pattern and fabric designer and can make plenty of recurring income after the work of putting out the pattern is done, you should a) check it for errors and b) take an extra hour to make the pattern accessible to the people who aren't buying your jelly roll.

JMO,
Charlotte

I ALWAYS prewash my fabric, so I no longer use fat quarters. You can cut your own fat quarters, I'm sure everyone has a way of cutting a fat quarter that they like (two good ways, I use). But I would say Google it, you will get videos on how to cut (you are a quilter and visual is always better). You will be able to use your stash and I would bet dollars to donuts, that you don't use 16 different fabrics. Good luck

Cutting your own FQ from a yard is probably easiest, but it seems like a shame to make those cuts if you will want a larger piece for something else later (unless I'm not understanding this). Even if you just slice out an 18x21 rectangle, you may be left with weird, small pieces for your scrap bag. Better, if you don't mind all the number crunching, to figure out what will really be needed and cut just that.

Hugs,
Charlotte

That is correct, I do not have yardage of 16 different fabrics that would go well together. If I use four different fabrics of 1 yard each, would the design of the pattern be effected?

Yes, most likely the design will be affected with that many fewer fabrics. Are you able to post a picture of the pattern, or a link? If so, we could give more specific input about how you might proceed. There are definitely patterns out there that use fewer fabrics, it's just a question of finding one. If I recall, some of the BQ patterns work with just a few fabrics.

What pattern do you want to use? Some would work well with just 4 different fabrics..I really at the moment can not picture a design (scrappy excluded) that would not work with using 4 instead of 16..or eight.. really depends on the design... New designs are often made by doing something like this..
try making up a couple blocks or even 4 and laying them out and see if you like it.
Have fun!! You may become a famous block designer:)

Here are two links I found of quilt patterns made with just four fabrics, plus the BQ3 pattern, which looks like it uses four fabrics. These might help you picture how your pattern would look when made with four fabrics instead of the 16.

http://justquilty.com/2013/04/make-a...-four-fabrics/

http://www.amazon.com/Pick-Four-Fabr.../dp/1604680202

http://www.amazon.com/Maple-Island-Q.../dp/B0027S63D6

I love using up my stash so I will count whatever I have as a fat quarter and use accordingly. I am starting a polka dot quilt soon and have everything from yardage to layer cake. I am just going to start cutting until I've got the number of pieces the sizes they say in the pattern. If I have more scraps left over, I'll just make the quilt bigger! Gosh! I will be so glad to get rid of those scraps!

When I was a beginner beginner - I found it easier to follow a pattern exactly - even if it wasn't the most economical way to make an item.