# Fat Quarters? suggestions please



## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

OK - so I find myself the proud owner of 8 fat quarters. It's a VERY long story so better not to ask. I think they are metres not yards but I don't suppose that matters too much. What can I do with them. Still only just learning to sew so it needs to be something simple, but they are crying out to be done unto 

Any ideas ?

hoggie


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## mtc (Dec 23, 2005)

What's a fat quarter? At first I thought you meant something like slabs of uncured bacon, but then you brought up sewing and comprehension died. 

More details please?


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

huh - and I was so proud of myself for learning what they were called - now you want me to describe them too  

a quarter metre of fabric cut into quarters so that it makes squares (or nearly) not lengths - I think that is how you would describe them. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

hoggie


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## QuiltingLady2 (Jan 3, 2007)

If you are just learning to piece quilts why not a nine patch?

Divide the quarters into light and dk or a difference that is visual.

Now cut them into 4 1/2 in strips 

Sew 2, Dark to light to dark strips , then, 1, light to dark to light strip
Now cut into 4 1/2 in strips 
Sew the strips together as D-L-D to L-D-L to D-L-D 

Or D L D
L D L
D L D this will equal a 12 1/2 block 

Now sew 12 of those blocks together. 

Use strips of the rest of the fat quarts to boarder ( edge ) the quilt. 

Or another site I go to for free patterns and ideas....

http://www.quilterscache.com/QuiltBlocksGalore.html

Scroll down to get to the pattern pages.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

mtc said:


> What's a fat quarter? At first I thought you meant something like slabs of uncured bacon, but then you brought up sewing and comprehension died.
> 
> More details please?



Usually 1/2 a yard of fabric that is divided long wise to make a piece 18 x 22 inches. So it's a quarter of a yard. Rather than 45" (total width) by 9" (a quarter yard).

Angie


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

oops - I just read my reply to that post and relised I typed 1/4 metre cut into quarters instead of metre cut into quarters

sorry

hoggie


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## Billie in MO (Jun 9, 2002)

hoggie----If your just starting, a simple 9-patch or even a modified 9-patch would be simple. Do the fat quarters co-ordinate with each other? If not and you wanted to use them all then try the modified version.

Have you decided what size you want the finished blocks to be? 6", 9", or 12". That will determine how large to cut your square to be sewn. Then if you do the modified version cut your squares on the diagonal and sew each peice to a different triangle, that (hopefully) co-ordinates with it. Then you can play around with them a bit to get a pleasing look before you sew them all together.


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Thank you QuiltingLady and Billie. I have no idea about what size for them to end up or anything. I jsut suddenly find myself with these pieces and don't want to waste them. Each time I look at them I shudder at the thought of cutting them up LOL. Not that I am a coward or anyting  

The nine patch sounds like it might be doable. I have never attempted ANYTHING like this before - that' is why I am quite so worried about it. What a waste if I get it wrong or find it too hard once I have started.

Thanks again

hoggie


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

hoggie said:


> Thank you QuiltingLady and Billie. I have no idea about what size for them to end up or anything. I jsut suddenly find myself with these pieces and don't want to waste them. Each time I look at them I shudder at the thought of cutting them up LOL. Not that I am a coward or anyting
> 
> The nine patch sounds like it might be doable. I have never attempted ANYTHING like this before - that' is why I am quite so worried about it. What a waste if I get it wrong or find it too hard once I have started.
> 
> ...


Don't be too concerned about doing it wrong! If you goof up, it isn't plasma and nobody is going to die. I've been sewing for 52 years and I've made hundreds of mistakes. The thing is to learn from a goof up.

Just relax and enjoy the experience.


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