I'm really, really frustrated...I bought some fat quarters from a chain fabric retailer that ended up only being 16.5 to 17 by 20 to 21. Just enough short so that I can't get all the blocks that I normally do out of a fat quarter. Even worse, I got the last of these particular FQs. Argh.

They should be 18" long and 1/2 whatever the width of the fabric was.
Width of fabric can range from 40" wide to 45" wide.
But they should ALWAYS be 18" in one direction.

Have you noticed that some fabrics are only 42 inches wide now? That is one reason for them being smaller... :D:D:D

Yes noticed that last week :roll:

Did you take them back? I would have.

They don't take fabric back. The 19-20 would have been fine. It is that they weren't 18 the other direction that cost me 4-5 blocks per quarter.

Ive noticed this lately too, the new stuff seems to be 42 wide now...

I recently laid out 14 fat quarters and pressed them, there were no two alike, some 20x22 some 18x20. All different. What is going on? With books written for fat quarters, we need them all to be the same. I guess I will have to start buying 1/2 yd just to be sure.

individual stores won't take them back, maybe, but call or write to the president's office 9I mean store president, not US president!) and explain the situation and ask for your money back and see what happens. If we complain and don't take action, stores will never change...and I don't mean we have to be mean,,,just assertive.

When I worked at Joann's, there were nation-wide complaints that the FQs were smaller than listed on the label and they totally clearanced them out - changing vendors after that I think. Maybe you got one of the old ones, if it was Joanns. Whoever it is, call Corporate and get your money back! This is not right, especially if it messed up your plans.