Fun With Fat Quarters!

They\’re fun, funky and FAT! Here, we explain what is a fat quarter and suggest a few great projects for you to try with these handy little bundles!

So, why fat? Generally, it is a square quarter of a metre of fabric. A standard quarter of a metre of fabric would be cut as a 25cm strip of the full width, and this is often called a skinny or thin quarter. But if you folded a full metre of fabric into quarters and cut along the folds, you would get a square \’fat\’ quarter, giving the same surface area as a thin quarter but in a square shape. Ta Da! A Fat Quarter! The actual size can vary slightly, depending on the initial width of the fabric roll. Also, some manufacturers measure by the yard, so their fat quarters would be slightly different sizes again.

Fat Quarters usually come in multi-packs of 5 to 8 different pieces. The main attraction of these packs is that the hard work is done for you as the fabrics are perfectly colour co-ordinated, so you do not have to find all the different pieces to use in project such as quilting. You will know that a pack will contain all the complimentary patterns and colours to make your project look amazing!

We found so many great projects to inspire us using these, and have chosen our fave five here!

An easy one to start with from Funky and Delightful blogspot – a really simple and fun mousemat made from just fabric, fusable web and cork! These would make great little gifts for any computer lover! Click here.

Do you have a collection of plastic bags in your house that need to be organised?! Well, how about keeping them together in this handy Grocery Bag Holder? These instructions from Phat Quarters show us how to make a home for your bags! Click here.

Rumour has it that the big yellow ball in the sky is going to make more of an appearance in the coming months, so be prepared and have your shades at the ready in this great Stitched Sunglasses Case from Create Craft Love. Click here.

With summer in mind, you\’ll need something to put your book, suncream or picnic in! This drawstring backpack from Hobbycraft made with co-ordinating fabrics is really pretty and would also make a fun bag for the kids to put their teddies in! Click here.

Finally, this is a really neat idea from Polkadot Chair – a pocket pillow! This cuddly pillow has a pocket on the front for putting a book or other small items into. Perfect for kids, travelling or lazing in the sun! Click here.

We have lots of ready-cut individual fat quarters or you can buy colour co-ordinated multi-packs in the shop. Pop in and have a look at our stock, or give us a call if there is something in particular you are looking for. We would love to hear if you have a go at one of these projects, or if you have another great idea for using fat quarters! Let us know and we will share!