Specialty Cut Fabrics
Charm Packs, Fat Eights, Fat Quarters, Layer Cakes & Jelly Rolls-Sounds delicious, but what does it all mean...? The invention of the rotary cutter, quilting ruler and cutting mat helped to create a quilting boom in the last 20 years. This changed the way we quilt and the way we buy fabrics. Rarely do today's quilters use clothing scraps for their quilts or trade scraps with fellow quilters. These days quilters buy all new fabrics for their projects. They buy from quilting specialty stores, many of which are online. Fabric manufactures now produce high quality "Fabric Collections". A collection consists of one or two focus fabrics, and a coordinated group of prints and solids that compliment the main fabrics. Today's quilters also like to have a of bit variety. So, the manufacturers came up with specialty "precuts" taking fabrics from a collection, precutting to different sizes and bundling them. This is a way to sample the fabrics in a collection without having to buy lots of yardage individually. They also give a quilter a head start on their project, because they are already cut.
Charm Packs, Fat Eights, Fat Quarters, Layer Cakes & Jelly Rolls-Sounds delicious, but what does it all mean...? The invention of the rotary cutter, quilting ruler and cutting mat helped to create a quilting boom in the last 20 years. This changed the way we quilt and the way we buy fabrics. Rarely do today's quilters use clothing scraps for their quilts or trade scraps with fellow quilters. These days quilters buy all new fabrics for their projects. They buy from quilting specialty stores, many of which are online. Fabric manufactures now produce high quality "Fabric Collections". A collection consists of one or two focus fabrics, and a coordinated group of prints and solids that compliment the main fabrics. Today's quilters also like to have a of bit variety. So, the manufacturers came up with specialty "precuts" taking fabrics from a collection, precutting to different sizes and bundling them. This is a way to sample the fabrics in a collection without having to buy lots of yardage individually. They also give a quilter a head start on their project, because they are already cut.
As can be seen here, precut eighths and quarters are more versatile. More sizes and shapes can be used.
As can be seen here, precut eighths and quarters are more versatile. More sizes and shapes can be used.
A fat eight is approximately 9"x21" and a fat quarter is approximately 18"x21". They are usually sold in bundles. These bundles typically contain one of each fabric in a collection and are a great starting point for quilts.
A fat eight is approximately 9"x21" and a fat quarter is approximately 18"x21". They are usually sold in bundles. These bundles typically contain one of each fabric in a collection and are a great starting point for quilts.
There are more choices:
There are more choices:
Jelly Rolls- 2-1/2" Strips
Jelly Rolls- 2-1/2" Strips
Layer Cakes- 10"x10" Squares
Layer Cakes- 10"x10" Squares
Charms- 5"x5" Squares
Charms- 5"x5" Squares
Mini Charms- 2-1/2" Squares
Mini Charms- 2-1/2" Squares
All of these sets usually include one or more of each fabric in a collection.
All of these sets usually include one or more of each fabric in a collection.