Charm Packs, 5" Pre-Cut Squares

This topic was started by GimpyCat on May 15, 2008:

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Title: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: gimpy cat on May 15, 2008, 09:15:56 PM
Below is a link to the Moda fabric site, they have a little tutorial to get you started on what to do with a charm pack. Hopefully members here will add more ideas :-)

http://www.unitednotions.com/measurements_charm-pack-cutting.pdf

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: FiberBabble on May 15, 2008, 10:08:49 PM
If you place two 5" squares RST, draw a diagonal line, then sew 1/4" on each side of the line and cut on the drawn line, that will give you two 4 5/8" HSTs. That unusual 1/8" comes in handy as a bit of a cushion, so you have a sliver to cut off to square your HSTs to 4 1/2". (That's the UNfinished size, don't forget)

Now, if you want to go one step further, if you put two 4 1/2" unfinished HSTs together (nest the seam allowances so they fit snugly together), draw a diagonal line that crosses the diagonal seam, sew 1/4" on each side of the line, then cut them apart on the line, you'll end up with two 3 3/4" QSTs (UNfinished).

You can trim them down to 3 1/2" to be "normal", or just be bold and use that not-very-common measurement.

That may be a little extreme for some, but that's us quilters - it takes all kinds!!

(oh, the "math" for the QST is that finished size ends up 1 1/4" smaller than the starting measurement)

It wouldn't be a "true" charm quilt (heaven forbid, the quilt police might get you!), but a 10x10 set of HSTs plus a bit of a border will give you a nice baby quilt. It would take a 12x12 set of QSTs. Eek! 100 HSTs or 144 QSTs??? Remember that crack about it taking all kinds? I think I'd come up with a plan B. Heh.

11:00 at night and I'm doing triangle math. You might want to check this for yourself!!

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: golo on May 16, 2008, 07:01:26 AM
Good info, thanks Fbabble :afro:

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: gimpy cat on May 16, 2008, 05:33:49 PM
Thanks Tracey, thats great info. You reminded me that ages back I made a simple table runner from a charm pack. All I did was cut each piece in half diagonally then randomly sew them back together again, press and recut on the opposite diagonal. Again, I simply resewed halves together at random, put a border and ends and whallah, table runner. this is it, sorry crappy photo, I dragged it out of hte linen cupboard and was having trouble getting it all in one shot

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: quiltermarynel on May 16, 2008, 09:00:56 PM
Two 5" squares, cut in half each way, make 8 of the squares of a 9 patch, then you use another color for the center.

I was given a bunch of 6" squares which I used as the centers of stars. You can do the same thing with the nickle squares. I also bought 2 sampler packs of hand dyed charms several years ago. I paired them up and made friendship stars with contrasting centers. It worked very well.

Depending on the patterns involved, they may be just right for applique pieces.

You can cut one apple core from each.

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: FiberBabble on May 16, 2008, 10:45:34 PM

Quote :

Quote from: gimpy cat on May 16, 2008, 05:33:49 PM
Thanks Tracey, thats great info. You reminded me that ages back I made a simple table runner from a charm pack. All I did was cut each piece in half diagonally then randomly sew them back together again, press and recut on the opposite diagonal. Again, I simply resewed halves together at random, put a border and ends and whallah, table runner.

Very nice, gimpy! I love using "packaged" fabrics; whoever puts the cakes/packs together - whether it be the manufacturer, the designer or the shop owner - has done most of my work for me, all I have to do is cut and sew! (But have you noticed that frequently there's ONE fabric included that you just can't figure out how to work into a design?)

(okay, true confession: I never just cut and sew. That's way not complicated enough - heaven forbid I might just do something simple :idiot2: )

It's amazing the things that I find when I look in the linen cupboard (or what passes for that at Chez Babble).

I tend to use small wallhangings and tablerunners as "doilies" - I have them under lamps, on top of dressers, under printers, over unused electronics (oh, the dust is unimaginable!).

Oh! And you reminded me of something I can suggest for the 10" cakes thread... maybe tomorrow, when I can take a picture in decent light...

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: TxMaryQuilts on May 17, 2008, 07:34:47 AM

Quote :

Quote from: FiberBabble on May 16, 2008, 10:45:34 PM
(But have you noticed that frequently there's ONE fabric included that you just can't figure out how to work into a design?)

Yeah, how did that one deep turquiose end up in a Christmas charm pack? :idiot2:

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: gimpy cat on May 17, 2008, 02:31:43 PM
If it wasnt for charm packs I reckon great swathes of unwanted fabric bolts would be piling high in the warehouses. You look at some of the ranges that come out and you think 'why, why bother putting that horrid patterned fabric in?"

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: FiberBabble on May 19, 2008, 04:56:41 PM
I'm baaaack! Get out your pencils and play along.... (sewing info in living color)

* Draw a 2x8 layout of 4 1/2" squares. (In fabric, that's 16 charms - sew them together in a 2x8 layout)
* Draw a 1/2" narrow border along the two long sides. (Cut 2 strips 1" x 36 1/2")
* Draw half blocks (2 x 4 1/2") along the two long edges - there should be sixteen rectangles, eight on each side. (Cut 8 charms in half, shuffle if you want, then sew 8 rectangles together at their short ends, repeat with the remaining 8 rectangles)
o (Sew rectangle borders to the narrow borders. Baste and quilt.)
* Draw your 1/2" (or so) binding around the whole thing. Color the binding and the narrow border the same color. (Attach binding, finish)


You have a 15 x 37" (ish) tablerunner, ready to rock. You've used 24 - 5" charms.

If you want to make it wider for something like a table topper, you could do a 7x8 layout initially: You should end up with a 37" square (you wouldn't need any extra half blocks). You'd use 56 charms for the layout, plus the same 8 for the borders = 64 charms. The amount of fabric you'd need for the binding & narrow border would increase, don't forget.

I think the hardest part of this for me was deciding what binding fabric I was going to use before finishing the runner so I could use it in the narrow border.

I can't find a pic of mine anywhere, but I found a picture of something similar (and pretty cool) here:
Click here!

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: golo on May 19, 2008, 05:36:15 PM
Cute!!! may have to try this...

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: FiberBabble on May 27, 2008, 07:38:14 AM
I just ran across this apron http://www.indygojunctioninc.com/store/images/product/ij785.html pattern that's written for 5" charms...

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: gimpy cat on May 27, 2008, 03:23:58 PM
Thanks for sharing, funky aprons, I know a lady who would love one of them, maybe after I move I might make her one

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: FiberBabble on July 17, 2008, 09:04:25 AM
Hey, kids - remember this thread? I can't imagine that I had ALL of the answers <snort> - anybody have any new inspiration for charm packs??

Look what I ran across this morning: Don't Call Me Becky http://dontcallmebecky.typepad.com/rebekah/2008/07/charm-square-quilt---check.html

Can I just say? YUM!

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: FiberBabble on July 17, 2008, 09:10:29 AM
Well, golly-gee, I posted too soon. Clicking one of the links in Rebekah's post took me here:
http://dontcallmebecky.typepad.com/rebekah/2008/04/baby-quilt-boot.html

A double whammy! Charm squares AND half-square triangles! (heh. I'm so easily entertained...)

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: finisher on July 17, 2008, 01:34:41 PM
Wow! I liked the half square triangle one so much I sat here and sketched it out. Her quilting is wonderful..and those baby booties..the cutest I've seen! Thanks so much for sharing this.

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: TxMaryQuilts on July 17, 2008, 02:41:58 PM
I am sure that many of you know this but for other newbies or folks just new to charm packs, here is a little tidbit---
Not all charm packs are created equal.

Don't assume that just because one charm pack worked with Pattern A that another charm pack will also work with pattern A.

There can be a difference of 10-12 charms. The packs are based on how many fabric patterns a company came out with for a certain line. Always check the back of the pack to see how many are in there.

Ask me how I know all this.

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: finisher on July 17, 2008, 03:18:14 PM
Hmmm...it sounds like there's a story here..we didn't hear. Do tell?

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: TxMaryQuilts on July 17, 2008, 03:24:00 PM
I bought a Christmas charm pack last year with a pattern for a table runner. After Christmas I bought a different charm pack on sale. I just got around to doing the table runner. The second charm pack I bought was 11 charms short to do the pattern.

I had to do a bit of fancy footwork to finish the second one since of course there was no more of last years Christmas fabric and the red and green was kinda of old fashioned darker shades and NOTHING in the LQS matched it.

And that is how I learned that not all charm packs are created equal.

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: quiltermarynel on July 17, 2008, 11:06:19 PM
I was in the LQS yesterday and considered charm packs, then decided DH would be justified in having a fit, considering how many things i have going at the moment. What I was thinking of was putting a charm piece on point in the center of a foundation, then string picing around it. I've forgotten who just did that to great effect.

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: finisher on July 18, 2008, 06:13:26 AM
Well..I guess it's a good thing you pointed out to check those charm packs! I just hate it when I have fabrics I want to use..and can't find a darn thing to go with them! (where's that betching smiley when I need him?)

Marynel..I like your idea for the charm square in the middle. Maybe you could do that with some fabrics you have on hand? I'm a big fan of string quilts.

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: FiberBabble on July 18, 2008, 06:45:51 AM
(Warning... math ahead!)

Picture this: 12 friends, each with 5 fat quarters. One fat quarter yields 12 5" charms (plus a couple of strips). 5 FQ x 12 charms = 60 charms.

Sounds like a swapportunity.

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: finisher on July 18, 2008, 07:47:01 AM
Hmmmm...it sure does!

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: FiberBabble on August 08, 2008, 10:11:39 AM
Field trip! Check out Ulla's Fiber Blog for a stunning 5" charm possibility:

Ulla's Blog http://textilejoy.blogspot.com/2008/07/rainy-monday-but-postbox-full-of.html

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: golo on August 08, 2008, 02:12:26 PM
I like Ulna's quilt.... :afro:

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Title: Re: Charm Packs, 5" pre cut squares - what can you do with them?
Post by: Polska on August 12, 2008, 08:49:47 PM
Not sure what to do with them, but I know some ladies in my guild that love them.

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