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I do not buy fat quarters. Actually, I rarely purchase precuts. If I like it, I will buy a yard. If I really like it, I will buy 3 yards. If I love it, I buy 6 yards. My concern with a fat quarter is that, when I finally decide what I am going to make, it will not be enough.

Wow! I have a new appreciation for the work involved owning and operating a quilt store.

I *really* don’t need any more fabric. But I love visiting quilt shops. So when I do, I will often buy a couple fqs just to support the shop

I love fat quarter bundles. They allow me to purchase a whole collection, and they are usually enough to make a quilt with.

I love charm packs! I can't afford to buy every fabric line I like. Charm packs give me the opportunity to make something with the whole range of a line at an price point that works better for me. It also allows me to purchase a small piece of more fabric lines.

I like a fat quarter bundle already coordinated. Add some yardage and some background and you have the makings of a beautiful quilt.

I work at a quilt store and was surprised to hear this rather whiney rant. Each to his own, I get that, but your subscribers deserve a different story. FQs are one of our most popular items. It is not a big deal to cut fat quarters, fold them, and change inventory. It takes about 15 min to process a pile of bolts which we do when the shop is slow, so it doesn’t cost the shop anything extra. We’re already there. Whether we’re cutting fqs or straightening bolts or waiting on customers, it’s all part of a job I love. Also, it keeps us (the staff) busy when times are slow, and we enjoy doing it. If customers cannot find a specific fq that they are looking for we happily cut them on demand. Sew Yeah owners look like nice people and hard workers, so I was disappointed (and curious as to why) that they feel the need to let their customers know that “quilt shops hate fqs” in a video. This is NOT true. I’m sorry you guys feel burdened by a little extra work to do something that most customers love. Folks, keep buying those fqs! Your local quilt shop appreciates your business! Thank you.

Fat quarters definitely my favorite. They are so versatile and you can get the collection.

I have always loved making scrap quilts and so over the years after making a quilt or anything out of 100% cotton, I do pre-cuts. I cut the three sizes that I use the most, and if I have odd sizes I trim them to a usable size. But once I could no longer work and ended up on fixed income disability I don't shop at quilt stores anymore. I shop at the thrift store. I buy other's leftover fat quarters, or other quilting leftovers. This leaves me able to pre-cut these pieces and I know I don't have anymore of the fabric, so I use it frugally. I still remember one day picking up a fabric at the thrift store that didn't really appeal to me. but once I cut it down and was making some blocks I ended up needing a 4" square of fabric that would go with the main fabric I was using. I grabbed that fabric and wouldn't you know, the fabrics went together beautifully! I would have never bought that fabric at $14/yard, but was willing to pay 25 cents for it. So I will say that as someone on a fixed income, please send your unloved fat quarters, or partially used fat quarters to your local independent thrift store (mine turns all its profits into helping those in our community) and keep a quilting sister or brother quilting. The other day I picked up a special fabric that would go with a piece my 5 year old granddaughter was making at my house while she was on vacation. She was thrilled. She is going to take the quilting world by storm when she is older. Back when I could shop at quilt fabric stores I got some money for my birthday and did buy a bunch of fat quarters. Buying them that way means I don't have to think about how much to buy when I have no plan for it.

Sorry for the headaches, but I love fat quarters. I always buy them pre cut, I had no idea a fabric store would cut them for me 🤯🤯🤯

My LQS made a half-yard cut their minimum, and I liked having the extra fabric. They would sometimes turn the ends of bolts into FQs. They also carried a little of pre-cuts in their inventory.

This is ironic, I rarely bought fat quarters locally, but I'm a frequent customer of your utube shows and am now buying more collections in pre-cuts because of your shows! You always offer fat quarter bundle options and I'm hooked!

In olden days I could go to fabric stores and buy 'remnants'. Usually there was a bin full, that you could fossick through. They were very cheap and usually big enough to make shoulder bags or patchwork. I miss those days.

My favorite "pre cut" by far is scrap bundles. They are ideal for a scrappy quilter myself.

I really like fat quarters. I've never asked a shop to cut them for me, just assumed if there weren't any already cut, there weren't any. But using a background fabric, I can get multiple lap/baby quilts out of a FQ bundle of the entire line. They are by far my favorite pre-cut. Thanks for the video and the information!

I like fqs but because they give me the opportunity to sample a fabric without spending a lot of money on an entire yard. I’m not a quilter. I make bags and various small items (wallets, scrunchies, hats, etc) that don’t always require a lot of fabric. The biggest problem is that if I like the fabric a lot or if a customer wants an additional item with the same fabric, it can sometimes be hard to find more of the fabric. Oftentimes the fat quarters seem to come from end-of-bolt fabrics.

Sorry T. My favorite precut is fat quarter followed by layer cakes. I love the FQ bundles

Favorite pre cut is charm pack and mini charms. Great explanation of fat quarters.

My current precut favorite is 1/2 yds, but fq is a close second. Sorry. You guys taught us to love them and we do. My LEAST favorite is the running 1/4 yd.

I'm the fat quarter queen! My best friend owns Stitch n Giggles in Caldwell, Idaho. The previous owner didn't cut fat quarters but had so many quilt patterns that used them. Now there are plenty of fat quarters and the patterns need restocked! 😊

I am really loving the vegas strips you guys do.

Same reason I now hate fat quarters. Huge amounts of waste. I want yardage. Full yardage. And when you need more for a project it’s already sold out.

“This job would be so great, if it wasn’t for all the work I have to do!”

When I buy fabric, I buy a minimum of 2 yards. I don't want to run out of a print. I would prefer to store the fabric and have it later when I need some for a project rather than have one tiny sample that will not satisfy what I need. I also think the industry pushes pre-cuts so that we end up with a bunch of tiny bits we cannot make use of. I have some fabric that is 30 years old that I just have found a use for, but it is yardage not some tiny strip.

Layer cakes are my favorite. I only recently tried fat quarters and the flexibility of what you can it into is nice. But as a full set of fat quarters can be so pricy, I tend to go for a layer cake if I love the full line.

I've graduated from FQ's to Half yard bundles. You are usually left with a FQ after the project, or at least good strips. It's much more economical. If I can, I buy 2 yards, but I usually like the line and that's not affordable. Charms and layer cakes just don't fit my preferred quilts. I cut all my scraps into strips of varying widths.

My favorite was fat quarters until the layer cakes came out. Then it was layer cakes until the price went up. Now it's fat quarters again. I can get four 9" squares out of one FQ. If I buy 20 FQs, I can get about two smaller sized layer cakes (9" vs 10" squares). BUT I buy them on sale or in small bundles. I just can't afford $13-$20 per yard for fabric. And it's still not as good as the stuff that's in my mom's stash from the 1970s-80s.

I am so glad you made this video, because I had not thought about the time it takes to enter it into the "system", employees time, and accounting for the amount taken from the bolt. Knowing this (and I will get screamed at for this), but I think you should charge an additional .25 to .50 cents per fat quarter. (Actually, I usually buy a quarter to half yard, because if I see something I love, I am afraid of running out, so buy an excessive amount)! And, fortunately, for your guys, I live in LV!

My favorite precuts are fat quarters and layer cakes!😊

Honestly… this is one of the reason I sold my quilt store! Inventory is ABSOLUTELY the biggest issue/problem running a quilt store…

I went to Las Vegas for a couple of days the other day and had to visit your store. Love the store, very friendly and helpful. I also purchased from fabric. I will come back and visit your store again. Thank you

I have a love/hate relationship with precuts. They are so cute and easy to collect, but then I spend a lot of time trying to find the perfect pattern that uses the precuts. I do love that I can get a wider variety of fabrics in the same collection, but I'd much prefer being able to buy a couple of yards of each in a collection when I am able to. That being said, my favorite precut lately has been jellyrolls because strip quilts are so easy to put together and quilt up. I don't have to really think about it when I need a quick gift.

Great video! Thanks so much for the behind the scenes look at this. My favorite pre-cut is layer cakes, very versatile 🙂

Thanks for the great explanation. I don’t buy fat quarters as a rule. I feel like it won’t be enough fabric. I buy yardage, layer cakes or charm packs. Depending on what I am making. I would be fine if no one sold fat quarters. I realize many people love them though.

Been sewing since the 80's never have I seen a quilt shop cut fat quarters from a bolt I think its awesome of you guys John in Massachusetts

I know a lot of quilt shops that only cut FQs off the very end of a bolt when 95% of it has been sold. So their FQ inventory won’t necessarily match their current in-stock fabric collections. You can choose from what they have or buy yardage. I’ve never heard of a shop that cuts FQs on demand!

I love all precuts, but fat quarters are by far my favorite.

I don’t like fq. I usually just buy at least a 1/2 yard.

My favorite precut is anything I don't have to stand in the cutting line for

I love the quilt behind you

Love your quilt shop!

It really depends on how big a collection is and if I like all of it. I like FQ & Layer Cakes so I can get a little of everything for big collections. If its on the smaller side or i dont prefer some of the fabric then 1/2 yard bundles or yardage is great.

Well, I can't feel badky for fabric and quilt stores. They are making PLENTY of money. They make more on fat quarters he even said so. They pay the employees by the hour, so you really can't factor that wage in, and call it"more work" when it is part of their job and they are in the shop anyways. Fat quarters are expenive and they make money on an item a customer wants. Stop making people feel badly about buying something you are chosing to make available in your store. If you don't want to make them available, then don't. Don't complain about it to the customer, not good PR.

I had no idea it was this much work. But, if you already have it cut I'll buy it. I don't think I would ask for a fat quarter. If I need it that bad, I would just ask for a half yard. Then I have extra! 😊 I never cared for fat quarters. Now, I love them. My current favorite precut is the charm❤ pack. Thanks for the info, Teancum. 👍

I was there when you first opened! Loved my Sew Yeah. Very close to my house too.

If I ever got my dream fabric shop, I would purchase an extra bolt of each to use specifically for 'precuts'. That one entire bolt would be dedicated to fat quarters, strips for jelly rolls- and in your case, vegas strips😊, charms etc.

I generally go for layer cakes, charm squares, and jelly rolls. But a good portion of my fabric is by yardage.

You are so lucky in the US. A yard of quilting fabric in Germany costs more than twenty dollars.

My favorite pre-cut fabric is fat-quarters. To make a beautiful quilt with so many different quilt patterns available to make with dozens of colors and prints this is the most logical method of a fabric purchase. The quilt shop can price out their cost and won’t loose revenue. When a customer wants a 1/4 yard of fabric the still have to cut and inventory whether it’s 9” x WOF, fold it, put it in a bag, just like a fat quarter.

I love to buy straight yardage. I do like jelly rolls because I can use them for binding, pillowcases, bag handles. I feel like FQ's are what people "collect" they look cute, but I'm not imaginative or experienced enough to know I can make something out of just a single FQ. My absolute favorite purchase is a marked down remnant. Most shops don't do remnants anymore because they'll make a FQ from the last bit of yardage. 😂😂😂 And FQ are more expensive per yard than straight yardage is. 😮😮😮

Fascinating video - really understand them better now. I tend to buy them as they are interesting / pretty, but then do nothing with them 😀😀

interesting video!! I like all fabrics, no matter the cut. 😂 but I do appreciate (even more now) the fat quarters, they are great for small projects, or adding an accent to a project. thx for sharing!

I love how your store is laid out with the collections and their precuts and FQ's together! Very nice! I've been working on a scrappy learning quilt (Quilty Fun by Lori Holt) and I've become enamoured of fat eighths! LOL, twice the headache for you I bet. Otherwise, I probably like the Layer Cakes or FQ's best.... doesn't stop me from buying all the formats, though!

I like your Vegas Strips!!!!

Thank you for informing us of the process of the quilt store cutting fat quarters. I have always known that a quilt shop fat quarter was a convenience to me but work for the shop. I love fat quarters and often buy a manufacturer packaged fat Quarter bundle. I often when shopping at a quilt shop will buy the 1/2 yard. Thank you to all the quilt shops who do offer fat quarters.

I never buy fat quarters. I just buy the fabric off bolt! That way I get the full list of information about the fabric!

Wow, I wish I could visit your store!

I don’t like to buy precuts. I can match my own fabrics. Selecting fabrics that look great together is great fun for me. I don’t want someone else choosing my fabrics for me , tying them into a bundle and doing all the thinking for me.

I recently moved into a small cottage. I refused to downsize my fabric collection but I really have no room for more yardage. Since I love new collections precuts are all I can take home.

Fat quarters let me go into a quilt store and make a "mercy" purchase if I don't see anything I like. When I travel, I like to visit every store I see, and fat quarters are a cheap, fun souvenir I'm likely to use. They're also easy to carry with me if I'm looking for "just one more" print. Thanks for going to the hassle for all of us! PS: I never buy any of the manufacturer's precuts or kits. I do scrap quilting and at the point in my life, ANY fabric I buy is just for fun, because I have a supply going back 40+ years to use up.

Thank you for the info. You guys are great. I think I like to buy yards.

I love FQ bundles and charm packs. I use 2 charm packs as leaders and Enders while sewing something else to make a baby patchwork quilt for a ministry I donate to.

Thank you for this info - I bought a lot of FQs when I was making masks. But now that my mask making is over, I’ll buy 1/2 or one yard cuts.

Great info

Sorry fat quarters are such a headache for you but I love fat quarters. There are so many patterns out there that are fat quarter friendly. I find a lot of charm packs, jelly rolls and layer cakes are not true to size. So annoying….

Recently rec'd Dessert Roll from Moda. Love it! No waste for the project I used it for.

Or if you live in the UK or most of the rest of the world, a FQ is actually 50cm x half the width of the bolt, which makes it bigger than an 18" FQ along that centre cut by about 1 3/4 inches. So a metric FQ is 50cm x 55cm, approx, a US FQ is smaller. at 45cm x 55 cm. (or 19 3/4" x 22 1/2" compared to 18" x 22 1/2".) This might only matter if you're in the UK or whatever and buying from the US, but there you are. Incidentally I worked in a fabric store for five years, cutting FQ was just part of the general stock work and as such taken for granted as part of your job. I quite liked being on FQ cutting duty when I would top up every single FQ stand in the shop, it was a quick and easy job to get into the swing of.

Thank you

I love FQs, but I also love scrappy quilts. At times I have even cut a chunk of my own yardage and made a couple of FQs. I store mine on DVD shelves in my closet where they are all easy to see at a glance. And, like you mention, they are easy to grab and go. PS. I love how you fold yours with the little tuck at the end. I may have to refold all of mine 😂.

Thanks for sharing

Lol…its agood thing, fat quarters is where its at, next to yardage in my book anyway. Pretty fabrics Teancum….ty for all your cuttings

Very informative, thank you for posting. TBH I’m not a quilter. In fact I hate quilting with a passion. That said, as a bag maker, (among other things) I do often buy fat quarters in order to sample how certain projects will turn out. If I like it, I go back and buy off the bolt. So although I can appreciate all the headaches that go in to making the fat quarters, they are in fact, very helpful to those of us who sew to sell. If it makes you feel any better, my day job is Insurance Agent, so I can relate to the headache and tedium of repetitive, time consuming work 😂

Very interesting thanks

i buy different pre cuts depending on what i am doing... the price per yard on jelly rolls and layer cakes ends up being OUCH, so unless i want to make a jelly roll based quilt, or fast squares or giant triangles? or i really need a wide range of colors but not much yardage? i only buy those when they get discounted or etc. fat quarters usually hit the middle ground of "enough to work with" and "not that much markup per yard". since most of my shops will not custom cut a fat quarter, i end up hunting for the fat quarters i can get in a line, and then having to buy a half yard cut of the rest- to cut one FQ for the project and one for my stash.

Half yard bundles are my favorite

I can understand why y'all hate fat quarters, and I appreciate all the work that goes into them. Personally, I adore fat quarters for four reason: 1) I have a very small sewing area; neither my sewing table nor cutting board are large enough for a full yard to be spread out smooth & wrinkle-free (plus to spread it out on the sewing table, I'd need to move my sewing machine, two baskets of notions, the iron, the folded towel I use as a mini pressing area, two spray bottles, the tin of clips...well, you get the picture) , whereas a fat quarter only needs a little bit of space for pressing & cutting. 2) With limited space comes limited storage; fat quarters fold up small and neat, whereas a yard (or more) gets very thick and hard to manage. 3) I prefer to make small projects such as water bottle totes, ditty bags, and bowl cozys. 2-3 fat quarters are perfect for this, with very little scrap/waste. 4) It has been my experience that no matter how much I love a particular print, if I get too much of it I will grow to hate it long before I've used it all up.

Ok I do love my fat quarters 😂 and your t shirt. I need one for the quilt retreats I attend

I worked at a quolt shop that started out not having FQs, but soon found out she was missing huge sales. It is the best sales tool most shops have for variety and convenience. If people buy them and you have uncharged for them, what's the problem?

I love fat quarters. It's good to see them from the store perspective though. I may have to switch to just buying 1/2 yard pieces instead. It's still equal to 2 fat quarters and honestly if you like the fabric you're probably not going to feel bad about having two. I haven't made any quilts with layer cakes but do like using jelly rolls. Thanks for sharing the facts and figures of the fat quarter phenomenon.

I had no idea the work that went into fat quarters. I love them , though. I use them a lot for small projects. Thanks for sharing this information.

I absolutely love fat quarters. I know the headache it involves so I can appreciate quilt store not willing to have them. Personally I would rather buy fat quarters than yards of fabric as it more versatile. Thanks so much for sharing. Just found your channel an am how a subscriber

My favorites are the 1 yard and 2 yard precut pieces. I can take a 2 yard piece at 45 inches wide and get a nice drawstring skirt from it.... if I want a tiered skirt I buy 1 of the 1 yard in pattern A 1 of the 2 yard in pattern B and 1 1 yard + 1 2 yard in pattern C giving me 3 prints and 3 premeasured tiers that I cut into 15 inch strips for my tiered skirt. Yep I'm that type of quilt fabric buyer... a calico cat!

I like all precut!

I've never asked a shop to cut me a fat 1/4. If they don't have one I buy 1/4 or 1/2 yd if I don't need a lot, but it's never seemed fair to ask them to cut it a fat1/4 as they're then left with another fat1/4 that no one else may want.

I love Fat quarter first Vega strips and last half yard bundles love sewing Yeah❤️❤️❤️

awww you poor baby …. a sale is a sale. if there wasn’t a need a quilt shop wouldn’t ever sell them.

My favorite precut is a fat quarter bundle. I love that I can get a beautiful collection of fabric and that gives me more options to create. I also love charm packs, they work great to create bags. I think I just love all fabric in general. It does not matter if it's precut or not.😆

Great video! Have you heard of the quilters bundle? I love these and it would be great if more shops offered them. :)

Layer cakes are my favorite precut. I make throw size quilts, so I'm not in need of that much of each print that a fat quarter has. But I can see where larger pieces would be more advantageous for a larger bed sized quilt.

For various reasons, I often buy fabric online. I often buy fat quarters as a way of getting a sample of the fabric that i can see and touch, before buying more.

You're kidding me? My favourite job when I worked in a quilt store was to unwrap the new bolts and make up the fats, it gave you time to really see the collection and how things worked together, so I guess it helped me give advice to customers looks for a particular colour or vibe. Some can only afford to buy a fat quarter, and you have to think beyond quilting - a fat is actually fabulous for a cushion cover, zipper pouch/make up bag and any number of small gifts and crafts.

Wow! If I like something I try and go for at least a one yard cut. I never knew the hassle you went through to produce them.

My favourite pre cuts are charm packs or layer cakes. I have a collection of fat quarters that I don’t use.

Fat quarters are my favorite, but probably thriftier to buy one half yard of each.

As a quilter, I tend to buy for a pattern, not pick up fat quarters. But I worked for my LQS for a short time and fat quarters were a best seller. We sold tons. We would cut on request, but also would cut fat quarters to stock up during slow times. Biggest issue for store is the ever increasing cost of fabric - new lines were coming in where our standard fat quarter price would be less than by the yard. Then it's how to note that increased price to both customer and cashier. Some clerks hated cutting fat quarters, but personally, it was one of my favorite things to do when I had no customers to assist.

Layer🎂, I am looking to work with a Vegas strip and that might become number 1. I 💙💜Sew Yeah!

I don't have a lot of storage space so I like fat quarter. And I appreciate you all so much

FQs and layer cakes. I can get 4 charm packs from a layer cake. I'd rather cut my own jelly rolls as they are notorious for not being a precise 2½". Half-yard precuts are great too.

Fat quarter or Fat Half. Love that I don't have to search for all the coordinating fabrics.