It seems we’re always being told to, “Look at the big picture.” Solid advice, but sometimes… it’s the little stuff that’s more fun. As part of our S4H Tiny Trends of ’22, we took a look at some great little products available right now from our friends at Fat Quarter Shop.

FQS truly has some of the best notions out there for sewing, quilting, and cross stitch. Because they are such amazing creators and enthusiasts themselves, they are aways coming up with products that can make your projects easier, handier, and more precise. Bonus: they are also usually as cute as can be, which makes them more fun to use!

Kimberly Cuts 5.5” Square Rotating Cutting Mat

When you’re making a lot of cuts from a variety of angles, it is SO much easier to move the mat rather than constantly adjusting your fabric! This new 5½” rotating mat is a FQS exclusive. The lines are marked in 1” increments from 1½” to 5½” with full intersecting diagonals as well. The outside perimeter of the mat is 6½” square.

We played with ours to quickly cut squares and then triangles from some 1½” honey bun strips, and we sliced a charm square into two differently-sized rectangles (because not everything is cut into equal halves). It would also be perfect for quickly squaring up small blocks. The mat turns smoothly with just a light amount of pressure.

A foam base keeps the mat sturdy on your work surface. The pretty turquoise surface is self-healing but it is not designed for pressing. As part of our Tiny Trends, we love this small size, but you can also find it in a 12½” size, which would work well for layer cake patchwork. The 5½” mat retails for just $14.98; the 12½” for $24.98.

Click for more details, to see a demonstration video by Kimberly, and to order.

Enamel Charms

Enamel pins have long been a favorite of the S4H team, some commemorating quilt shows – others just because they are so adorable. If you’re a collector like us, Fat Quarter Shop has a lovely selection of sewing-themed pins.

But — you cannot put a pin through everything. That’s where the FQS Enamel Charms come in. They are just as doggone cute as the pins but feature a mini lobster claw clasp so they can be clipped to a bag or tote, hooked on a keychain, secured to your “good scissors,” and more!

There are more than a dozen from which to choose, so we had to work hard to narrow it down to our three favorites:

Just My Type – full of love, it’s a great gift for your sewing BFFs.

Good Times – features the colorful Good Times patchwork block from from Bonnie & Camille’s Quilting Bee book.

Sewcialite – a multi-colored message that lets the world know you’re a sewing power-player

Click the individual links above or click here to browse the full Charms selection.

Sew Day Magnetic Needle Minder

Since we already love enamel pins and charms, how could we leave out the Enamel Needle Minders?! Designed with strong, rare earth magnets, a needle minder holds your needle in place on your hoop, so you can always find it when you take a break from stitching. This Sew Day version by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet Co. is one of the cutest we’ve seen, combining an iron, colorful fabric bundle, and pincushion.

Click for more details and to order.

Some other Tiny Trends to Try

If you’re looking for a few more small wonders, take a look at the clever Alphabitties from FQS sister company, It’s Sew Emma. Use these small plastic squares to label your fabric pieces after cutting. They come in four colors, plus an Expansion Pack for patterns that call for pieces marked beyond A-Z or 1-9.

We’re also big fans of the Mini Stash ’n’ Store organizers. Corral your tiny tools within a web of flexible silicon pockets. Now available in nine cool colors!

And, 1” Square in a Square Quilt Block Foundation Paper for precise, fuss-free paper piecing.