Fat Quarter Yardage Chart
What a fat quarter is worth in yards, and exactly how many squares of each size you can cut from one. Four fat quarters make a yard — here is everything that follows from that.
Fat quarter = 18" × 22" = 1/4 yard · 4 fat quarters = 1 yard
Fat Quarter Yardage Chart
getsashing.com
Yardage equivalents
| Yardage | Cut at the counter | Fat cut of the same amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 yd | 4 1/2" × 42" | Fat eighth, 9" × 22" |
| 1/4 yd | 9" × 42" | Fat quarter, 18" × 22" |
| 1/3 yd | 12" × 42" | — |
| 1/2 yd | 18" × 42" | Fat half, 18" × 44" |
| 2/3 yd | 24" × 42" | — |
| 3/4 yd | 27" × 42" | — |
| 1 yd | 36" × 42" | 4 fat quarters |
Squares from a fat quarter
| Square | From 1 fat quarter | From 1/4 yd strip | From 1 yd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2" | 99 | 80 | 360 |
| 2 1/2" | 56 | 48 | 224 |
| 3" | 42 | 39 | 156 |
| 3 1/2" | 30 | 22 | 110 |
| 4" | 20 | 20 | 90 |
| 4 1/2" | 16 | 16 | 64 |
| 5" | 12 | 8 | 56 |
| 5 1/2" | 12 | 7 | 42 |
| 6" | 9 | 6 | 36 |
| 6 1/2" | 6 | 6 | 30 |
| 7" | 6 | 5 | 25 |
| 8" | 4 | 5 | 20 |
| 9" | 4 | 4 | 16 |
| 10" | 2 | 0 | 12 |
Fat quarter counted at 18" × 22". Strip and yard cuts counted at 40" of usable width, after the selvages are trimmed. Counts are whole squares only — no piecing, no fussy cutting.
How many fat quarters are in a yard?
Four. A fat quarter really is a quarter yard — it is simply cut into a friendlier shape. Take a full yard (36" deep, about 44" wide), cut it in half both ways, and each of the four pieces is 18" × 22". That is a fat quarter.
Compare that with the quarter yard you would get at the cutting counter: a 9" strip running the full 42"-plus width of the bolt. Same area, same price, but the strip is too shallow for anything larger than an 8" piece. The fat cut is why the second column of the squares table so often beats the third.
Fat eighths and fat halves
The same trick, scaled. A fat eighth is 9" × 22" — an eighth of a yard cut deep instead of the 4 1/2" × 42" sliver. A fat half is 18" × 44", the full bolt width, which is really just half a yard as it comes off the roll. Bundles are usually sold as fat quarters, and that is where the shape matters most.
Planning a project in fat quarters
Patterns quoted in yards convert cleanly: divide by a quarter and round up. A block needing 3/4 yard of one fabric takes three fat quarters — provided the pieces fit inside 18" × 22". That caveat is the one that catches people out: borders, sashing strips, and backings need length, and no number of fat quarters gives you a 90" strip. Use them for blocks and scrappy piecing, and buy yardage for the long pieces.
Working out the long pieces is what the border calculator andbacking calculator are for.
Common questions
How many fat quarters are in a yard?
Four. A fat quarter is a quarter of a yard of fabric, cut 18" x 22" instead of the long 9" x 42" strip you get at the cutting counter. Four of them side by side make up one full yard.
What size is a fat quarter?
18" x 22" in the United States, from fabric that comes off the bolt around 44" wide. Bolt widths vary, so a fat quarter can measure anywhere from 18" x 21" to 18" x 22" — plan for the smaller figure if a pattern is tight.
What is the difference between a fat quarter and a quarter yard?
Same amount of fabric, different shape. A quarter yard is a 9" strip across the full width; a fat quarter is half that width and twice as deep. The fat cut yields much bigger pieces — twelve 5" squares versus eight from the strip.
How many 5 inch squares can I cut from a fat quarter?
Twelve. Three across the 18" side and four down the 22" side, with a narrow strip left over.
How many 2 1/2 inch strips are in a fat quarter?
Seven strips 22" long, or eight strips 18" long depending on which direction you cut. Jelly roll strips are 2 1/2" x 42", so a fat quarter gives you roughly half the length of one.
Related
- Precut calculator — jelly rolls, charm packs, layer cakes and more.
- Pieces from fabric calculator — what any yardage actually yields.
- Precut math explained.
- How many pieces from a width of fabric.
Not on the chart?
Sashing tracks the fat quarters in your stash by photo and yardage, and tells you whether the pattern you're planning fits what you already own.
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