Fabric Terms, Definitions



Selecting Fabric Colors:  Whenever selecting fabric for a quilt, I have found the fabric with the most yardage is usually going to be the most focal, so I choose that fabric first.  I next select the other values to compliment that "focal" fabric.  If you look on the selvage of your focal fabric you may find a row of colored dots.  These are the dye colors used in that fabric.  This is helpful because you can then pick out the complimentary fabrics to match the dots..

Fat Quarter - 18" x 22" rectangle of fabric (yields 1/4 yard in a more useable piece than 9" x 42");

Charm Squares- 5" pre-cut squares usually in a collection of 40+ coordinating fabrics; total average yardage yield is approximately 1 1/8 yards


Jelly Rolls
- 2 1/2" pre-cut strips, cut the width of the fabric (WOF), from selvage to selvage.  Jelly Rolls are sold in sets of 40 strips from a coordinating fabric line; total yardage yield is approximately 2 3/4+ yards

Layer Cakes - 10" x 10" pre-cut squares, usually in packages of 40 fabrics from a coordinating line of fabrics; total yardage yield is approximately 2 3/4+ yards

Fat Rolls - 5" wide  pre-cut strips x width of fabric from selvage to selvage.  These rolls are fabric strips from a coordinating line of fabric, typically 40 strips; total yardage yield is approximately 5 1/2+ yards

Turnovers - 6" pre-cut triangles of 40 fabrics from a coordinating line; total yardage yield is approximately 1 yard

Sweet rolls - 1 1/2" pre-cut strips cut the width of the fabric from selvage to selvage.  These are 40 strips from a coordinating fabric line; total yardage yield is approximately 1 3/4 yards

Assorted Bundle - a coordinated collection of fat quarter fabrics from a specific line; total yardage yield is approximately 10 yards  Note:  some assorted bundles have more than 40 fat quarters and will be priced accordingly


Why would I buy one of the above pre-cuts?
I believe the first and foremost reason is to have all the fabric pieces of the line that I have just fallen in love with!  The stores usually don't purchase all the bolts in a line because that would be too pricey for them.  When I purchase a bundle or jelly roll or layer cake, I save myself time and gas visiting stores all around the area to find the other pieces.

Secondly, the "sets" all go together and I don't need to be frustrated trying to put fabrics together that would make me happy.

Ah, and, they are pre-cut! I'm able to get right to my piecing without folding and re-folding the fabrics (and dare I say, sometimes cutting the wrong size!).