12 Awesome Things to Make with Fat Quarters (that require minimal sewing!)

If you’re feeling crafty and are interested in broadening your DIY horizons, Fat Quarters (or Fabric Quarters) could be the perfect pathway to greatness! But before we beat a path to divine DIY, let’s talk about what Fat Quarters are exactly.

What are Fat Quarters

Fat Quarters are 1/4 yard of fabric. Now, you might be thinking that you could just take a bolt of fabric up to the fabric counter and have them cut you off 1/4 of a yard. Same thing, right? Eeeeeh, no.

The thing is that many cotton fabrics cut from the bolt are 42″ – 45″ wide. Because a yard is 36″, what you end up getting is a long and skinny strip of fabric about 9″ wide by about 44″ tall.

What makes a fat quarter different is that this is a yard of fabric all laid out, that is then cut into quarters. Instead of a long, skinny strip cut from the bolt, fat quarters are literally a quarter of a yard which means that you are getting an 18″ x 21″ square. Which is also why they are perfect for SO many things!

Fat Quarters typically run around $1 – $2.50 each. We frequently see sales on Fat Quarters at Joann, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby et al., with Walmart winning the Fat Quarter game with an awesome 97¢ regular sticker price. Sold!

12 Fat Quarters Project with Minimal Sewing

Of course you can sew with Fat Quarters, and if you’re anything like me you can do just the basics of your Grandma’s hand-me-down machine. (Which, while I’m on the topic, is my favorite machine! I have a newer, lower end Brother that I got as a wedding gift and it’s just not the same as those old machines!) But, I digress…

With Fat Quarters you can…

1. Line a small crocheted bag. When giving yourself a 1/2″ seam allowance (the distance from the edge of the fabric to the stitches) you would have enough fabric to line a bag approximately 10″ x 8″. That’s a decent sized bag, right?!

2. Make (or line) a market bag! This project will require minimal sewing, but if you use the dimensions/ratio I have listed for this crocheted bag, all you’d need to do next is fold it and sew it, just like the crocheted version.

3. Make your own bias tape! Making your own bias tape is easy, and when you get this much from just one Fat Quarter, is very economical too!

4. Craft up a no-sew mousepad! This project is quick, SUPER easy, and requires no sewing!

5. This embroidery hoop wall art would be perfect for a nursery, don’t you think? Pick out a bunch of coordinating fat quarters and you’ve got a golden little DIY nugget. My favorite.

6. Don’t you just love this fabric wreath? The process sounds a bit tedious, but that end result is so worth it!

7. Canvas covered with fat quarter wall art is super chic and super easy. All you need is a hot glue gun and a fat quarter. How chic!

8. If you’re feeling uber crafty, this iPad bean bag stand is too cute for words.

9. Frame them! It may sound odd, but this SUPER fast and EASY framed fat quarter project is also super cute.

10. Cover your light switch cover with fabric from a fat quarter. You’ll want to remove the light switch cover from the wall, spray with a spray adhesive, then very carefully smooth the fabric. You will want to cut a slit in the center, then fold those in as well so there are no raw edges. Poke small holes just large enough for the screws to fit through and voila! You’ve got a super chick light switch cover.

11. These envelope pillow cases are super simple to sew, and are super chic to display!

12. I don’t know about you, but I am in looooove with this infinity scarf pattern! This would be an excellent beginner sewing project and the end result is stunning, don’t you think?

Stock up on Fat Quarters when they’re on sale, and you’ll have projects to keep you busy for days.

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