Guide to Specialty Cuts
All you need to know about Fat Quarter Bundles, Charm Packs, Jelly Rolls and all the rest.
Many fabric manufacturers offer specialty cut items in conjunction with many of their collections. Specialty cuts, also called pre-cut items, are fabrics cut into specific sizes and typically packaged by collection. There are many different sizes of specialty cuts, and they are based on the most common cuts used by quilters. Besides regular yardage, which is sold by the yard, the most well-known specialty cuts include:
There are many others, and new ones pop up all the time. On top of that, different fabric manufacturers call their cuts different names, although some are the same size.
To help you understand these and find the one you need, we have described each specialty cut we offer below. Keep in mind that not all specialty cuts are available for all groups.
Please note, all of the fabric we sell is 100% cotton and 44" wide unless stated otherwise.
| Size of cut: | 18” x 21” rectangles |  |
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| Description: | Fat Quarters are the first and most common specialty cuts on the market. The term Fat Quarter (defined further in our glossary) refers to a quarter-yard of fabric cut into a rectangle. Most collections will have Fat Quarter Bundles that contain every print. Also, some collections will have a variety of Fat Quarter Bundles that contain a selection of coordinating prints. | |
| Shop our Fat Quarter Bundles Shop our Fat Quarter Bundle Patterns |
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| Size of cut: | 5" x 5" squares |  |
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| Description: | Charm packs are the smallest and least expensive specialty cut. Their popularity stems from the fact that they are affordable, easy to use, and the size is very common in quilting. Charm Packs typically include one square of every fabric within a collection so the number of pieces included varies. The size of charm packs may also vary slightly by manufacturer. For instance, RJR Fabrics cuts their Charm Packs to 5 ½” x 5 ½”. | |
| Also known as: | Charm Squares, Jolly Packs® (a Fat Quarter Shop exclusive) | |
| Commonly used for: | One-patch blocks, four-patch blocks, corner triangles, flying geese blocks See cutting tips for Charm Packs from Moda |
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| Shop our Charm Packs Shop our Charm Pack Patterns |
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| Size of cut: | 2.5" x 44" strips |  |
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| Description: | Manufactured by Moda Fabrics, Jelly Rolls are different prints from a single collection rolled together and cut length-wise into 2.5" x 44" strips. They are available by collection and have become very popular over the past few years. Jelly Rolls typically include 40 strips of fabric but occasionally can vary. They are a wider version of Honey Buns. | |
| Similar to: | Bali Pops (by Hoffman Fabrics) – 2.5” x 44” strips Sushi Rolls (by Lecien Fabrics) – 2 7/8” x 44” strips Twice the Charms – 5.5" x 22" strips |
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| Shop our Jelly Rolls Shop our Jelly Roll Patterns |
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| Size of cut: | 10" x 10" squares |  |
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| Description: | Manufactured by Moda Fabrics, Layer Cakes are similar to a Charm Pack in its square shape but at a larger size. They are available by collection and typically include 42 pieces of fabric, though the number may vary by collection. | |
| Commonly used for: | Squares, half-square triangles, quarter-square triangles, strips and circles See cutting tips for Layer Cakes from Moda |
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| Shop our Layer Cakes Shop our Layer Cake Patterns |
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| Size of cut: | 1.5" x 44" strips |  |
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| Description: | Manufactured by Moda Fabrics, Honey Buns are different prints from a single collection rolled together and cut lengthwise into 1.5" x 44" strips. They are available for select collections and are especially helpful for the tiniest cuts in quilting. Honey Buns typically include 40 strips of fabric. They are a narrower version of Jelly Rolls. | |
| Also known as: | Sweet Rolls | |
| Shop our Honey Buns Shop our Honey Bun Patterns |
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| Size of cut: | 5" x 44 " strips |  |
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| Description: | Manufactured by Moda Fabrics, Dessert Rolls contain 10 varied solid fabrics cut into 5" x 44" strips. They will debut in Spring 2009. | |
| Shop our Dessert Rolls | ||
| Size of cut: | 6" half-square triangles |  |
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| Description: | Manufactured by Moda Fabrics, Turnovers are a 6" square, cut diagonally to make a triangle. They are available for select collections and typically include 2 triangles of 40 different prints for a total of 80 triangles. These triangles can be used alone and also pair well with 5" Charm Packs. | |
| Commonly used for: | Half-square triangle units | |
| Shop our Turnovers Shop our Turnover Patterns |
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| Size of cut: | 5.5" x 22" strips |  |
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| Description: | Manufactured by RJR Fabrics, a Twice the Charm is a roll of 5.5” x 22” cuts of different prints in a single collection. They are available for some RJR collections and typically include one of each print in a collection. They are useful when a cut slightly larger than a Charm Pack is required. They also work for most Jelly Roll patterns. | |
| Similar to: | Jelly Rolls | |
| Shop our Twice the Charms Shop our Twice the Charm Patterns |
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| Description: | A Layer Cake and a Jelly Roll combined as one product. A Jelly Cake typically is a better value than buying both separately. Jelly Cakes are available for select Moda collections. Several patterns are available using this combination. |  |
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| Description: | A Charm Pack, a Layer Cake and a Jelly Roll combined as one product. A Charming Jelly Cake typically is a better value than buying all three separately. Charming Jelly Cakes are available for select Moda collections. Several patterns are available using this combination. |  |
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| Shop our Charming Jelly Cakes Shop our Charming Jelly Cake Patterns |
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Glossary of Quilting & Quilting Fabric
Definitions of terms commonly used in the wide, wonderful world of quilting.
Appliqué – a technique in which a piece of fabric, often cut with the aid of a template, is sewn onto a larger piece of fabric to form a design
Backing – the fabric on the underside of a quilt, made from a single cut of fabric or pieced from various fabrics; the bottom of a quilt
Bias – a 45 degree diagonal direction on a piece of fabric
Batik – a type of fabric that is dyed in some areas to create multi-layered pattern and colors; Indonesia is best known for its batik fabric
Binding – a long strip, or strips, of fabric that wraps around the edges of a quilt, usually the last piece to be attached to a quilt
Block – a designed unit that, when combined with other blocks, comprise a quilt top
Bolt – a long piece of fabric, usually 44” wide, that is wound around a flat piece of cardboard.
BOM, Block-of-the-Month - a type of quilt club or program in which parts of a quilt are completed on a monthly basis; usually the material and pattern for a single block is sent each month
Border – outer pieces included in some quilt designs that may act as a frame for the blocks it surrounds
Fat Quarter – a quarter-yard of fabric that is produced by cutting a half-yard from selvage to selvage, then in half again on the fold lengthwise, to produce an 18” x 22” cut of fabric
Finishing – refers to the piece or pieces that complete a quilt, usually including the binding
LOF, Length of Fabric – the direction of a fabric that runs perpindicular to the WOF
Panel – a piece of fabric printed with an image, oftentimes used as a quilt's centerpiece, known as a panel quilt
Piece, piecing, pieced – a technique in which pieces of fabric are joined by a seam
Quilt Kits – a product that contains the pattern and fabric required to make a quilt, usually without the backing
Quilt Top – the front of a quilt, usually comprised of several blocks
Sampler Quilt – a type of quilt in which no block repeats in pattern and typically varies in size
Selvage, selvedge – the edge of fabric, usually printed with information to identify the collection it belongs to and the manufacturer
Specialty Cuts – Yardage that is precut to specific sizes
WOF, Width of Fabric - the direction of a fabric that runs from selvedge to selvedge on a bolt, usually 44" wide unless otherwise noted
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