Redwood Empire Quilters Guild
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Fat Quarter Definition
   
In the United States, cotton fabrics for quilting and dressmaking generally come in 45-inch widths. If a one-yard length of 45-inch wide fabric were cut into four equal pieces, 9 inches wide by 45 inches long, one would have four narrow rectangles of fabric, each a 'slim quarter' of a yard. However, a one-yard length of 45-inch wide fabric can also be cut into four equal pieces in another way, 18 inches wide by 22.5 inches long, each a 'fat quarter' of a yard. Quilters find more uses for fat quarters than slim quarters. This is especially true for fabric with large patterns or widely spaced design elements. Quilt shops generally have a selection of fat quarters pre-cut from the fabric bolts on display. If you do not see any fat quarters available for the fabric you are interested in buying, ask the clerk if a fat quarter could be cut for you. Most fabric stores are pleased to offer this service.