Saturday, February 28, 2015

Cutting Modern Fat 8ths

I haven't posted in a while.  Life takes over.....  In a fit of insanity at our guild, I volunteered to help run the swaps along with Yvonne Campbell (Quilty Dreams, formerly, That's Sew Creative.)  The guild had done some Fat 8th swaps and the diagram posted confused me, and come to find out, I cut my fabric in standard fat 8ths, which measure 9"x 21."  A modern fat 8th is actually 18" x 11" (or approximately 11" depending on the width of the fabric divided by 4").  

I know I can't be the only person confused by the diagram posted to use for cutting modern fat 8ths, so I thought I would give putting up a diagram to cut modern fat 8ths a try.  So here it is:


How to Cut Modern Fat 8ths

First trim your fabric to a 36 inches and do your best to make the cut perpendicular to the selvage. My LQS cuts generously, so nothing is ever cut to 36" or even straight.  I do appreciate the extra inch or so (Thank you A&E Pharmacy).  This is what you will have:



One yard by WOF.  


Now, cut your fabric into two 18" x WOF.  

Now you have 2 pieces of 18" x WOF.

Now measure the WOF.  If the WOF is 44", you will cut 11" sections.  (if you are like me, and your fabric isn't 44" for the WOF, measure the WOF.  Say the WOF is 42".  Divide 42 by 4 = 10.5"  Cut your sections into 10.5" sections instead of 11".)  





The final product.  Modern Fat 8ths 18" x 11" (or maybe a little less than 11" if your fabric wasn't 44" for the WOF.)

This is my first attempt at a tutorial, so please be kind.  I don't claim to be an expert by any means.  I'll be the first to admit that I am not a great quilter, a modern quilter, or a traditional quilter.  I am a learning quilter.  "I am what I am," in the words of Popeye!

Hope this helps!!!

Cricket