How much material is in a fat quarter
A fat quarter is 18" × 21", one quarter of a yard. The shop cuts a half yard (18" × 42") and then cuts it in half at the fold, so the piece is 18" long and half the width of the fabric: 21" on 42" fabric and 22" on 44" fabric.
A fat quarter is ¼ yard, so four fat quarters make one yard. It holds the same 378 square inches as a quarter yard cut the usual way (9" × 42"), but its squarer shape cuts more big pieces: two 10" squares instead of none.
By Editorial Staff
A fat quarter is how many yards
| Cut | Size | Yards | Square inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat eighth | 9" × 21" | ⅛ | 189 |
| Fat quarter | 18" × 21" | ¼ | 378 |
| Quarter yard | 9" × 42" | ¼ | 378 |
| Half yard | 18" × 42" | ½ | 756 |
| One yard | 36" × 42" | 1 | 1,512 |
Sizes are for 42" fabric. Fat quarters in shops run 18" × 20" to 18" × 22" once the selvages come off, so plan on 21".
What you can cut from a fat quarter
Each count is the most pieces that come out with straight rotary cuts, turning the leftover the other way when that fits more.
| Pieces | Fat eighth | Fat quarter | Quarter yard | Half yard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2½" squares | 24 | 56 | 48 | 112 |
| 3½" squares | 12 | 30 | 24 | 60 |
| 4½" squares | 8 | 16 | 18 | 36 |
| 5" squares (charms) | 4 | 12 | 8 | 24 |
| 6½" squares | 3 | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| 10" squares (layer cake) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 12½" squares | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2½" × 4½" rectangles | 16 | 33 | 33 | 67 |
| 3½" × 6½" rectangles | 6 | 15 | 12 | 30 |
| 2½" strips, 21" long | 3 | 7 | 6 | 14 |
Fat quarter calculator
Enter the cut size of your pieces, seam allowance included, and how many you need.
Fat eighths and fat quarter bundles
A fat eighth is a fat quarter cut in half, 9" × 21". A fat quarter bundle is a stack of fat quarters from one fabric line, usually 10 to 40 of them, so a quilt can use every print in the collection without buying a yard of each.
For quilts planned around fat quarters, with the count for every bed size, see fat quarter quilt patterns. The other precuts are on the precut sizes page.
Plan quilts from the fat quarters you own
Photograph your fabric once; Quiltspiration checks every cut list against your stash.