WHAT IS A FAT QUARTER?

A term used in patchwork and sewing.

It is a way of cutting a yard of traditional quilting cotton fabric in 4.

If you cut a quarter of a yard from a length of material you will get a strip 9 inches by 44 or 45 inches. Which is OK, but limited in ways that you can use it.

A fat quarter is cut in a different way. You cut half a yard of fabric and then cut this piece in half across the length. This gives you a piece of fabric approximately 18 inches by 22 inches. It is far more versatile for lots of projects.

There are lots of patterns nowadays that are specifically designed for using fat quarters and they make an ideal way to build up a collection of favourite colours or themes for that project that we all plan to do one day.

If you haven't made a Fat Quarter quilt then see my guide to making your first quilt - like the one on a stars and planet theme in the photo which I made for grandson Tom.

I always give the dimensions of a fat quarter in my listings but my favourite of all buyers' queries was one from a lady in the US who wanted to know if a fat quarter would be big enough to make curtains for a window 6 foot by 12 foot!