Got stacks of fat-quarter singles that you couldn’t resist at the store—and now you’re not sure what to do with them?
If you have fat quarters that aren’t in pre-bundled form, it can be challenging to figure out how to choose the right combination of colors, values, and prints and sew them into a quilt you’ll be proud to display. But in Me and My Sister Designs’ book 12-Pack Quilts, you’ll find smart tips for combining fat quarters, all from a bona fide professional fat-quarter bundler. Yes, they exist, and shop owner Julie Karasek’s earned that title! Barb and Mary of Me and My Sister Designs explain how 12-Pack Quilts was born:
“The idea for 12-Pack Quilts began at a quilt gathering where we heard shop owner Julie Karasek talk about the success of her quilt shop’s 12-pack program. The lecture planted the seeds of this book and we were under way before the event ended! Julie estimates her quilt shop, Patched Works in Elm Grove, Wisconsin, has bundled more than 5,000 fat-quarter 12-packs in the past few years. With that much experience, we consider Julie the expert when it comes to bundling fat-quarter 12-packs!”
Barb and Mary included a special Q & A with Julie in their book to find out how she chooses fat quarters for the popular bundles in her shop. Here are some of Julie’s words of wisdom from 12-Pack Quilts!
Barb: What advice do you give people on choosing 12 fat quarters for a quilt?
Julie: Most importantly, you want some distinction between your 12-pack fabrics and your background fabric. So, if you’re using light gray for your background, don’t use a light gray tone on tone for one of your fat quarters. Likewise, if solid white is your background, don’t include a mostly white print among your fat quarters.
Think about the overall balance of colors you’re after. Generally, we split the color mix equally. If we have six colors, there are two different prints of each color in the pack. If there are four colors, there are three prints of each. If there are three colors, there are four prints of each, and so on. Most often, we try to keep an even balance of mediums and darks, assuming the background is going to be light. With a dark background, you’d want to pair medium and light fat quarters. If we’re working within one collection of fabrics, we also try not to repeat the same print (in different colorways) too much (no more than two or three times).
Designs from 12-Pack Quilts
Mary: What’s a common mistake when it comes to assembling a 12-pack?
Julie: A rookie mistake is not paying attention to contrast. For example, choosing a beautiful, small-scale light print when your background is also light—there isn’t enough contrast. So be sure to lay your 12-pack of fat quarters atop your background fabric to see that they separate from one another.
If you include high-contrast lights and darks in your 12-pack, think about choosing a strong medium tone for the background. Or, if the pattern allows for high-contrast blocks, use two background fabrics and alternate your lights and darks to create positive/negative quilt blocks.
Caught in the Middle
Barb: What advice would you have for quilters looking to gain confidence in mixing colors for their 12-packs?
Julie: I usually start with “You dressed yourself this morning, so you’re able to do this.” More often than not, it comes back to what they’re wearing. Look at your shirt, your quilted purse; there’s a color palette that you like. And that’s often how we get started.
Bobbins
A mix of 12 fat quarters that didn’t start life as one collection is one of my favorite kinds of 12-pack. Even if you’re cutting fat quarters from larger yardage cuts, the smaller you cut it, the better it might play with other fabrics you already own. We all bought the fabric in our stashes for a reason. So mixing them with other pieces is a perfect departure point for any 12-pack quilt. Dive in and get started!
Heart’s Desire
We hope you enjoyed Julie’s fat-quarter tips! Ready to head to your stash for a dozen perfectly picked fat quarters? Purchase 12-Pack Quilts and you can instantly download the eBook for free.
Do you have a knack for mixing fat quarters?
- Nope—I stare at them, they stare at me, and that’s as far as it goes.
- Sometimes—kind of hit or miss, but I’m getting better at it.
- Yes—it’s one of my favorite parts of the quilting process!
Tell us your answer in the comments!
I’ve tried picking a few FQs to go together, and when they didn’t, I just went back to precuts. Yes, I’m chicken but then again, why mess with something that works.
—DanyseF on May 15, 2017I am good for putting together about 4 to 6 fat quarters and then it is down hill from there on. Ready-made bundles are always my go to choice – no stress and no stacks of fat quarters that I will probably never use.
—Janette Anderson on May 15, 2017I struggle picking out a grouping of fat quarters, I’m never happy with the contrast that I get, but I keep trying as my stash needs some downsizing.
—Terri on May 15, 2017Yes! I love my 5000 fat quarters and I have fun mixing and matching! I am a confirmed scrap quilter and I have more fun with small pieces tan I do wit yardage. I have a delightful stash and I have no shame!!!!
—Sharon Lowy on May 15, 2017Yes, I am very good selecting fabrics that work together. I’m the color queen in my quilting friends. Terrible thing is I can buy fabrics for their stash more easily than my own.
—Stephanie L. on May 15, 2017I have a knack for buying FQ, then bringing them home, organizing them on my shelf or sorting by color in my fabric bins…so my trend is to un-mix them. The are addictive. I buy them more often than use them so this book would be most helpful.
—Debra on May 15, 2017I usually make large bed quilts queen or king sized.
—Marilyn on May 15, 2017How many fat quarter does that take, on average?
I’m getting better at it all the time! Practice makes perfect 🙂
—Darlene B on May 15, 2017I agree that I bought all these fat quarters for a reason, so I mix and match them until I feel comfortable with my choices. If one keeps catching my eye too much, I’ll replace it with something else so it doesn’t overpower the other fabrics.
Nope, don’t have the knack yet, but I am not giving up!
—Audrey on May 15, 2017No, I definitely need help with this! I don’t feel confident in what I put together. This book sounds like just what I need! Thank you.
—Sandy on May 15, 2017I struggle, but sometimes I get a winner!!
—Donna J on May 15, 2017Yes! I love to combine a variety of prints. Scrappy is my style! (I liked Julie’s advice to look at what you’re wearing for a palette inspiration.) There are some great designs in this book.
—Nann on May 15, 2017Whatever speaks to me at the moment
—Mary on May 15, 2017For the most part, they just sit there and look pretty… I get a ‘deer in the headlights’ look when I try to figure out how to use them in a quilt. Maybe the book will help me!
—Sharon Simons on May 15, 2017Usually we just stare at each other and nothing happens. I don’t feel confident in making mixes from my stash,so these tips are a great help. I saw some great quilts in the book that I would love to make.
—Dunlapquilter on May 15, 2017Being definitely color challenged, I stare at them and wish they would do it themselves!
—Shelor on May 15, 2017Sort of. When I see a bundle of fat quarters sometimes I have a project & design in mind & other times I just like the fabric too much not to buy.
—Kelli Marshall on May 15, 2017Nope, they just stare at me!
—VICKI SUE O'NEILL on May 15, 2017Being a quilt pattern designer myself, picking out fabrics and making sure there is contrast is so important–and picking out fabrics is probably the most fun I have when starting a quilt.
—Diane Nagle on May 15, 2017Choosing colours is one of my favourite parts of the process. I’d rather choose my fat quarters than have them all from one fabric line. Having said that, there is a charm to occasionally making a quilt from a fabric line, and just sewing and getting it done. I spend a lot of time debating colours and patterns and textures with myself and my colour consultant (husband), and sometimes I just need to sew. That’s when a coordinated set comes in handy.
—Carol on May 15, 2017I look at the selvedge for the "color dots" on the most colorful of my fabrics and use them as my guideline for choosing my additional fabrics. They don’t have to match exactly – just blend in. Always keep your background fabric in mind. Don’t over do your selection process. Your gut reaction will tell you when enough is enough!
—Bette Berlo on May 15, 2017Definitely NO!!! I use a lot of white and creams to
—Colleen on May 15, 2017balance the color nightmare effect!!!
I usually only buy fat quarters when needing small amounts of an accent color. Often I change my mind about how I am going to do the quilt before or during cutting,so I would rather have more yardage of each fabric. It isn’t always possible to get an exact match in fat quarters bought at different times.
—Sara Bates on May 15, 2017I rely on fat quarter packs, but sometimes I’m lucky on my own and get it right.
—Helen BC on May 15, 2017No, I’m a novice at putting together fat quarters unless they came from the same fabric collection. That’s why I like pre-cuts.
—Frances Claassens on May 15, 2017I have bins full of fat quarters, that I picked because I liked or were on sale and I couldn’t resist a good sale. I will go thru them if I need a certain color or pattern. Otherwise, they just accumalate.
—Vickie Keith on May 15, 2017Oh My Gosh! I love to buy them and stare at them. I dream of what they could be but have difficulty using them as a foundation for quilts. I end up cutting applique bits and pieces from them once and awhile. I’m downloading the ebook!
—Anita Jackson on May 15, 2017I too have bins of fat quarters and sometimes I’ll find just what I need to put in a pattern I’ve picked out.
—ANN R on May 15, 2017I have fat quarters everywhere! Occasionally I will use them for a project that I am working on but mostly I just love to look at them!
—LaVonne on May 15, 2017I am getting better but sometimes I make a mistake. Recently I tried the wrong value of a color and did not like the effect when put together. It was either abandon or resew. The
—Pam Duren on May 15, 2017Fat quarters allow me to mix and experiment with small measures without the expense of massive yardage.
—Sue on May 15, 2017I like to mix and match.
—Sandra Rosier on May 15, 2017I enjoy picking out fabrics to "play together " in my quilts. It is another link to making the final quilt mine.
—Pat on May 15, 2017I love choosing my own fabrics…one of my favorite aspects of quilting. I enjoy making a pattern "even better" than the photo, making it truly my own.
—Kathie on May 15, 2017I have a bin and large lined basket full of fat quarters, none in a bundle. I will try to put them in 12-packs someday if not sooner.
—beth daniels on May 15, 2017Not sure if I’m good at it or not! I have a lot of fat quarters I bought as collections, and I’ve done a recent baby quilt where I chose a bunch of fat quarters for a boy, but mostly I go for one or two to fill in a color I’m missing (most recently orange, a color I never buy!) I do tend to haunt the remnant bins at any store I’m in!
—Sharon Schipper on May 15, 2017Yes, it is my favorite part of the quilting process. However I do have those strays that absolutely refuse to be part of any collection. Oh well, guess I just have to go shopping to even them up.
—stephanie woodward on May 15, 2017Absolutely yes! I find the joy of finding 4 FQs that go together – let alone 12 – is fantastic. Getting them home and making something with them is the real challenge 😉
—Dianne on May 15, 2017As a FQ collector, I enjoy choosing them most of all. Many times the husband even helps! I’ve used some of them, but have a ways to go to really put a dent in the pile….
—Lynette Root on May 15, 2017Yes. I have over 100 FQs at the moment, many of lonely singles, but I’ve mixed several into quilts already. It’s not about matching them, but instead I choose them by how well they "play" together. One quilt has prints that wouldn’t work well together unless they had another fabric that could serve a bridge between them. I used 25 FQs, 12 of them were part of collection, six more were another collection, and the rest were orphans. It worked out wonderfully. Very rarely do I purchase collections because I like the stand-alone fabrics and the challenge of seeing them work together.
—Renee Boyett on May 15, 2017Hmmmmm well I like to do it! I enjoy putting fabric together, it’s like playing. How can that not be fun. Love the patterns in the book. It is easier to put the fabrics together than to find a good pattern to use.
—Vickie in Everson WA on May 15, 2017I love the idea!!
I absolutely love to put fat quarters together! I think I have put enough together that I could make about 25 to 30 all set to start. I think I need thus book!
—Helena Pennell on May 15, 2017Yes!! I love picking out different fabrics, it is my favorite part of the quilting process…my problem is when I get to the quilting part of it…deciding on how best to finish the project & enhance the fabrics, rather than diminish the work I’ve created.
—Rachel Lemyre on May 15, 2017Nope I stare at them and wait for them to blink or do something like tell me who they want to play with. Sadly, they never do.
—Kim Light on May 15, 2017I have lots of fat quarters, some I bought for a quilt, some for appliqué and some because I loved it. I love going through them for special projects, baby quilts, etc. Lately I’ve tried to use more of them in different quilts.
—Jenell Lamb on May 15, 2017Love Fat Quarters. Eye candy when I go in a quilt shop and browsing. I like what I select. It works for me. That is my rule.
—carol on May 15, 2017Nope—I stare at them, they stare at me, and that’s as far as it goes. I sure like to buy them, though! I think I need this book.
—TaraA on May 15, 2017Nope; the "just right" ones are still at the store when I go looking for fabric to add to a work in progress. They aren’t even good for a scrap quilt. 🙁 So many languishing FQs.
—Sandy May on May 15, 2017I’m in the hit or miss group. But I love them all.
—Carolyn S on May 15, 2017Years ago I worked in a quilt shop. One day a lady who’d never made a quilt before, came in and asked for help choosing fabric. I told her to wander around the shop and come back with a bolt of fabric that really caught her eye.
Soon enough she was back with a multi-coloured floral fabric. We spent quite a bit of time wandering around, pulling out fabric that picked out the colours in that bolt. Some were subtle, some were ‘in your face’.
Little by little, she was tuning her ‘eye’ for colour.
Eventually, we looked at her pattern and started to work out which fabrics she’d use. Out of about 10 bolts, she chose 5 or 6 and then she realised, "I’ve discarded the fabric I started with?!" I laughed and said, "That’s how it’s done. Start with an idea and then refine it."
Two days later another lady came in and asked for me by name. The first lady had told her about me and she’d come into our shop especially to have me help her get over her fear of choosing colours?! I’ve never felt so proud.
I like to think that I set two quilters on their way that week 😀
—Kayt Deans on May 15, 2017What a great story, Kayt – love that you took time to wander the shop with them and show them the ropes. Or the threads, I guess! Thanks for sharing your story! –Jenny
My stash is HUGE, and almost all of it is fat quarters. I love all of them but am having trouble pulling together some personal bundles. I think this book will be so helpful! I NEED this!
—Sarah Evanko on May 15, 2017I’m getting better at mixing fabrics on my own, but I still could use some help!
—Jackie Trembley on May 15, 2017Kind of hit or miss, but I’m getting better at it. I love the bright, happy colors in your fabric collections. 🙂
—Debbie K on May 15, 2017I do think I’m getting better, I learn from my mistakes
—Rho on May 15, 2017Nope – I stare at them and they stare at me. It is a skill I sure would love to learn!!
—Kris Valle on May 15, 2017I love fat quarters but putting them together is very hit and miss. Sometimes it is wow and other times it blah.
—Jill on May 15, 2017I do love to collect a bundle of fat quarters when at the quilt shop. My challenge is finding a quilt pattern I want to use once I get that lovely bundle home. So I am excited about this new book.
—Lisa Zook on May 16, 2017I usually buy FQ bundles so the fabrics all play nicely together, but I STILL have a hard time putting certain pieces next to each other or using them in the same quilt!
—Nicole Worthington on May 16, 2017I mostly buy kits or precut because I am not good at choosing fabric for a quilt. This book sounds interesting!
—Ruthie on May 16, 2017Sometimes I know I have it…others, not so much! I need to buy more fat quarters and keep working on it!!
—TeresaB on May 16, 2017Yes! I’m good at it and I love to mix and mingle with abandon! Sometimes I only need to shop for backing, because my fat quarter stash has all the components I need.
—Linda Towers on May 16, 2017Sometimes choosing is an issue. Your book is a resource for me to choose fabrics wisely…even some bundled fat quarters can present problems.
—Marilyn F on May 16, 2017I have a knack for picking fabrics for quilts. I love the freedom of choosing colors I don’t wear. There are so many beautiful choices of color that I can’t pull off wearing that are stunning in a quilt or fabric project!
—Ellen Levesque on May 16, 2017I love to go into a quilt shop and combine fat quarters. I love the books suggestions for arranging and planning a quilt. I often just buy fat quarters that go together with no quilt in mind, but later use them in a project. The book is on my list.
—Donna K on May 16, 2017I have NO trouble putting colors together. In fact, until recently, I didn’t realize it was a problem for people since it came easily to me. Many of my volunteers for Quilts of Valor have me choose their fabrics and then they sew the quilts.
—Barbara Winkler on May 16, 2017Love this article! I have a "few" fat quarters that I would love to make a quilt from. I am going to try to use these suggestions.
—Susan on May 17, 2017Most of the time.
—Barb on May 18, 2017Love making santa and yes I give than away.
—Susan on May 18, 2017I usually buy either all of a collection or most of it in fat quarters. In the past, I would buy just one fat quarter because I liked it. Now, I have a bunch of orphans. Sometimes they go into a grouping and other times not. Trying to be more careful in my choices.
—barb h on May 18, 2017Yes, picking fabrics is one of my favorite parts of making quilts.
—Laurielyn on May 19, 2017Yes….it’s one of my favorite parts of the quilting process. That’s probably why I own so many fat quarters and larger cuts of fabric. I never buy kits.
—Sue Smith on May 19, 2017What a great idea for a quilt book!!! I have purchased fat quarter bundles and just hand picked two or three on quilt shop hops and then wondered what to do with them. IMHO (in my humble opinion), the Q & A section of the book would offer many of us FQ Snatchers the opportunity to learn how to USE THEM UP in our quilts. Thanks for the possibility of winning a giveaway!
—Judie Harron on May 19, 2017Choosing the fabric for a quilt is one of the things I really love in the quilt making process, and that goes for choosing FQs, too. FQs are probably what I buy the most often. Your book looks interesting.
—Nancy A on May 19, 2017I normally by novelty FQs that can be the focus to charity quilts or sewing projects. So I’ve got a number of themes gathering in the bins, only sort them by dark or light. When i get ready to use them I’ll have to pull the neutrals from the larger stash or buy some 🙂
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—Kay on May 19, 2017I love fabric. My time in the quilt shop is always a delight. I have more in my stash than I will ever have time to use, but the new fabrics call to me! I start with a focus fabric and build a color range from the palette of colors that are in that fabric. Those fabrics are always prints or tone on tones. Each fabric is a favorite or it doesn’t go into any of my quilts. I only purchased a fat quarter bundle once and was not happy with some of the prints in the bundle. I prefer to choose my own. And then my efforts are truly my own.
—Donna on May 19, 2017Making a lot of scrap quilts, there is no wrong choice when buying far quarters. Now if I could get my hubby to quit being so insistent on buying yardage and get me more variety with fat quarters, I’d really be a happy quilter.
—Cindy on May 19, 2017What a neat idea. I’ve never made a 12- pack, but I am game to give it a try.
—Carol Smith on May 19, 2017What grabs me are the beautiful, bright colors. I am definitely not a collector of subdued colors. Those bright colors scream "Stop! Look at me (or us)! Stroke us!" Then next thing I know, I’ve bought them. The next question is "what do I do with it?" I love looking at them, but I need to sew them up!
—Patricia Ottem on May 19, 2017Sometimes. And then sometimes I look at it later and wish that I hadn’t.
—Pearl Dennis on May 19, 2017Hit or miss, still.
—Kathy on May 20, 2017Nope I have not master fat quarter, I usually buy full yards on sale. May try to use some of the tips given to take a better look at my stash for a quilt of different colors.
—Linda Christianson on May 21, 2017Yes – it’s one of my favorite parts! I almost never make a quilt from a single fabric line, preferring instead to mix & match prints, collections, tone-on-tones, etc and come up with something beautiful that I can be sure no one else will have the same exact thing. I usually design my own quilts, anyway, rather than use a pattern so this is just one more step, and a fun one at that!
—Heather V on May 22, 2017As a newbie to quilting, my stash consists of mostly fat quarters picked up when shopping with true quilter friends. Now and then, I can get the colors to line up … usually 4 or 5 fat quarters and a background fabric for a lap or baby quilt (well, I’ve done it twice so far)
—bookboxer on May 22, 2017I love picking fabrics for my projects but because I favor scrap quilts, I tend to choose too many. Whittling down to twelve would be tough but I’m sure they would end up being my most favorite of all the fabrics.
—Mary Smith on May 25, 2017Nope, unless they come in a pack or for a fabric series.
—Maria Goetz on May 26, 2017I also have hordes of FQ bought singly cause I loved them. Now they need "mates" to grow into a quilt. As far as colours ‘going together’ – I thnk that is very individual. Some fabric combos that other people love, I don’t care for. So I’m sure not everyone would like the ones I put together, either! If you love it, embrace it! LOL
—JanG on June 4, 2017