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Pre-Cut Quilt Fabric Guide

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.

Mini Charm Packs

Size of cut: 2.5" x 2.5" squares
Description:

Mini Charm Packs are the newest precuts from Moda Fabrics. They are also known as Moda Candy! Mini Charm Packs are great for small projects, easy reference or just for collecting!
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Charm Packs

Size of cut: 5" x 5" squares
Description:

Charm packs are one of 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.
Also known as:

Charm Squares, 5 Karat Crystals, or 5" Stackers by Riley Blake Designs
Commonly used for:

One-patch blocks, four-patch blocks, corner triangles, flying geese blocks

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Jelly Rolls

Size of cut: 2.5" x 42" strips
Description:

Manufactured by Moda Fabrics, Jelly Rolls are different prints from a single collection rolled together and cut length-wise into 2.5" x 42" 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.
Also known as:
  • Bali Pops by Hoffman Fabrics - 2.5" x 42" strips
  • Design Rolls by Free Spirit Fabrics - 2.5" x 42" strips
  • Rolie Polies by Riley Blake Designs - 2.5" x 42" strips
  • Roll Ups by Robert Kaufman Fabrics - 2.5" x 42" strips
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Honey Buns

Size of cut: 1.5" x 42" cuts
Description:

Honey Buns are manufactured by Moda Fabrics, and measure at 1.5" x 42". They are great for strip quilting as well as sashing!
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Jolly Bars

Size of cut: 5" x 10"
Description:

Jolly Bars, a Fat Quarter Shop exclusive precut, are collections of 5" x 10" cuts of fabric. Each Jolly Bar comes with an exclusive Fat Quarter Shop coordinating pattern!
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Layer Cakes

Size of cut: 10" x 10" squares
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

Similar to:
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Fat Eighth Bundles

Size of cut: 9" x 21" rectangles
Description:

Fat Eighths measure 9" x 21", rather than the typical one-eighth yard cut of 4.5" x 42".
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Fat Quarter Bundles

Size of cut: 18" x 21" rectangles
Description:

Fat Quarters are the first and most common specialty cut on the market. The term Fat Quarter 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.
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Half Yard Bundles

Size of cut: 18" x 44 " cuts
Description:

Enjoy these half yard bundles of featured collections - a great way to easily purchase half yard cuts of collections at a discounted price!
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Bedding Measurements Guide

Quilting Bedding Measurements GuideQuilting Bedding Measurements Guide
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Glossary of Quilting & Quilting Fabric

Appliqué

A sewing technique for attaching pieces of fabric onto a background fabric, often cut with the aid of a template. Appliqués may be stitched to the background by hand as in needle turn using a blind stitch, or by machine, using a satin stitch or blanket stitch.

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.

Batting

The middle layer of a quilt, which provides warmth and loft.

Binding

The final step in making a quilt, these are the strips that enclose the raw edges of your quilt. You may use pieced binding, which is made from strips of one fabric sewn together in the length needed to go around your entire quilt, scrappy binding, which is made from strips of several different fabrics used in your quilt top, or bias binding, which is made with fabric strips cut on the bias.

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 frequently used piece of fabric measuring 18" x 21". This size allows for cutting larger pieces than cannot be achieved from a regular quarter yard cut.

Fat Eighth

An eighth-yard of fabric cut to measure 9" x 21", rather than the typical one-eighth yard cut of 4.5" x 40".

Finished Size

The final size of a completed unit or block without seam allowances.

Finishing

Refers to the piece or pieces that complete a quilt, usually including the binding.

Half Square Triangle

Square units made from two fabrics. May be made using two triangles, or by a quick method using two squares, right sides together and stitched 1/4" on either side of a diagonal line. The square is then cut on the drawn line and yields two half square triangles.

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

Quilt kits usually include the pattern and fabric you need to make a quilt top.

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.

Sashing

Strips of fabric sewn between blocks and/or rows of blocks.

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.

Template

Shape used as a pattern for tracing shapes for applique or piecing.

Unfinished Size

The unfinished size of a complete unit or block with seam allowances.

WOF, Width of Fabric

The direction of a fabric that runs from selvedge to selvedge on a bolt, usually 44" wide unless otherwise noted.