What's a Bali Pop?    Hoffman's precut 2 1/2" x WOF strips packaged as Bali Pops.  There are 40 strips per package and colors, prints and textures are deliciously selected palettes.  Cappuccino is shown here.  Beginning quilters are attracted to this product because strips are precision cut, making cutting fabric in the quilt-making process easier.

WHAT'S A JELLY ROLL? A Jelly Roll (by Moda) is made up of 40 strips of fabric, each 2 1/2" by the fabric width (usually 41- 44").   The 40 strips of fabric which make up a Jelly Roll preview fabric lines and usually all of the fabrics in the line are represented.  Sometimes multiple strips of a single fabric print are included (this usually depends on the number of fabrics in the line.)  Once the fabric manufacturer decides which fabrics and how many strips are to be in the product preview, it is rolled up so that it looks like . . . . a Jelly Roll.

WHAT'S A CHARM PACK? On the market for a little longer period than Jelly Rolls, a Charm Pack is a package of 5-inch square fabrics.  Like Jelly Rolls, they preview new lines and give the quilter a sampling of that fabric line.  Precision cut, they provide accuracy and simplicity to cutting and, as a result, are attractive to beginner quilters.  Quilts designed for Charm Packs can often use additional fabrics for more complex quilt blocks, sashings, borders, backing and binding. Unlike Jelly Rolls, Charm Packs vary in the number of five-inch squares included in a package, so check the label for that information.  Because of this variation,  prices may  also vary.

FAT QUARTERS . . . WHAT ARE THEY? Most quilters are familiar with this fabric product because it has been around for the longest.  A fat quarter is a 1/2 yard of fabric which is then cut in half (so there are two fat quarters in a 1/2 yard of fabrics).  Fat quarters measure 18" x 21-22", depending upon the width of the fabric used. Fat quarters offer the quilter the option of purchasing smaller pieces of fabric that are required in many patterns, wider fabric choices for scrappy quilts, and generally a more inexpensive way to expand the quilter's STASH!

WHAT'S A CHARM PACK? On the market for a little longer period than Jelly Rolls, a Charm Pack is a package of 5-inch square fabrics.  Like Jelly Rolls, they preview new lines and give the quilter a sampling of that fabric line.  Precision cut, they provide accuracy and simplicity to cutting and, as a result, are attractive to beginner quilters.  Quilts designed for Charm Packs can often use additional fabrics for more complex quilt blocks, sashings, borders, backing and binding. Unlike Jelly Rolls, Charm Packs vary in the number of five-inch squares included in a package, so check the label for that information.  Because of this variation,  prices may  also vary.

HONEY BUNS. . . A SWEET TREAT Good enough to eat, Honey Buns are another new Moda fabric product.  Precision-cut and representing all fabrics in a line, the Honey Bun is made up of 40 strips - 1 ½" x WOF (width of fabric).  Our new pattern, Squares and Stripes uses the Honey Bun from the Snippets fabric line by American Jane for Moda.  Check it out on our 'What's new?' page and our 'Pattern Catalog' page on the website.

WHAT'S A LAYER CAKE? A Layer Cake is a Moda product made up of 40 - 10" squares of a fabric line.  Another fabric product beginners are sure to love, and,  because of its larger size, offers more options to make quilt blocks.  For a quick quilt, they can be use without cutting. . . check out our #101 Charm Square Quilt in the 'Pattern Catalog'.  Instead of using a Charm Pack, substitute 10" square and adjust the length of the sashing and border to fit the larger size square.  Like the Jelly Roll before it, the Layer Cake previews 40 squares of fabric line is the prelude to yardage of the fabric line.

Bali Handpaints Fat Quarter packs are packaged fat quarters in selected color and texture palettes.  A fat quarter is 18" x 21" cut of fabric.  Many fabric manufacturers create packaged fat quarters to help quilters with fabric selection or to showcase latest fabric lines.  Unlike some packaged fabric products, there is great variety in the number of fat quarters in packs.