Quilt Fabric Precuts Explained: Fat Quarters, Jelly Rolls, Charm Packs and More

Precuts are bundles of fabric cut to standard sizes, usually one or two pieces of every print in a collection. They save cutting time and make it easy to get a coordinated mix. The names can be confusing, so here's what each one is.

Common precut sizes

• Fat quarter: about 18 × 21 inches. A quarter yard cut "fat" (half the width, twice as deep) so you can cut bigger shapes than a regular ¼-yard strip allows.
• Fat eighth: about 9 × 21 inches. Half a fat quarter, good for small pieces and scrappy blocks.
• Jelly roll (2½-inch strips): strips 2½ inches wide cut across the width of the fabric, usually about 40 strips per roll.
• Layer cake (10-inch squares): usually about 42 squares, great for big blocks and half-square triangles.
• Charm pack (5-inch squares): usually about 42 squares. Popular for patchwork and beginner quilts.
• Mini charms (2½-inch squares): small squares for tiny patchwork, mini quilts and accents.

Tip: Brand names vary ("jelly roll" and "layer cake" are trademarks of one fabric company, and others use names like "design roll" or "stacker"), but the sizes are mostly the same. Always check the exact count and size on the label.

How to choose precuts for a pattern

1. Check the pattern first. Many patterns say "precut friendly" and list exactly which bundle and how many.
2. Count pieces, not just yardage. If a pattern needs 80 five-inch squares, two charm packs gets you there.
3. Look at value. Collections often include several prints that read as the same value. Pull out a few too-similar pieces if you need more contrast.
4. Plan your background separately. Precuts rarely include enough of a single background fabric, so buy that as yardage.

Precuts and your stash

Precuts mix well with fabric you already own. Add a few stash fabrics to a charm pack to make it go further, or use leftover strips from a jelly roll in a scrappy log cabin.

See it before you cut into the bundle

It's hard to picture how a stack of 40 prints will look as a finished quilt. Photograph your pattern and a few of the precut fabrics, and Quilt Preview shows you the whole quilt made from them, so you can decide whether that bundle is the right one before you start cutting.