Craft Tip: What is a Fat Quarter?

A Fat Quarter is the same amount of fabric as a traditional 1/4 yard cut of fabric except instead of measuring 9" X 44", a fat quarter measures 18" X 22". Many quilters find the wider width offers more versatility for cutting templates or strips than the traditional 9" width of 1/4 yard.

Traditional 1/4 yard (9" X 44")

A fat quarter is produced by first cutting 1/2 yard of fabric from the bolt, then cutting this in half crosswise (usually along the fold), yielding 2 fat quarters.

Fat Quarter (18" X 22")

Uses for fat quarters is limited only to the imagination of the crafter. Besides quilts, stash builders utilize their fat quarters in aprons, place mats, napkins, tea cozies, pin cushions, tote bags, doll clothes, pot holders, and so on and so forth. Post a comment and share you fun ideas for fat quarter stash busting.

Craft Tip: Did you know...?

Did you know that the strawberry attached to a tomato pincushion is filled with emery?

If you've ever done any sewing at all, you probably have a tomato pincushion somewhere in your craft room. They are bright and easy to find even when buried in a drawer filled with bobbins, seam rippers, scissors, tape measures, etc. More than likely it's got a bunch of pins in it - just as it was meant to.

But did you know that the dangling strawberry has a purpose as well? It is filled with emery which is an abrasive mineral. The strawberry is meant to keep your needles sharp and tarnish free.

Before you begin hand-sewing, poke your needle in and out of the strawberry a couple of times. The emery will remove any burrs, nicks or residue from the needle making your sewing trouble free.