charm packs | Wasn't Quilt in a Day

Welcome back to Quilting 101 – since we’re all novices around here! Well, at least I am.

Charm packs.

Charm packs are cute 5×5 inch pieces of fabric grouped together as a collection. (Be careful when you are buying, sometimes they are 6×6 inches.) They are easy to use (yes, they are already cut!) and affordable (you can get an entire line on the cheap – HEY). I haven’t used a charm pack yet, but I have quite a few bookmarked on Etsy that I want.

There are so many great uses for charm packs because you can literally open them and just start sewing. One pack can make a super cute baby quilt. Before you know it, you’re a quilter with a charm pack!

Here are some great quilts that are either made with charm packs, or could easily be made with charm packs. Again, I’ve linked to the tutorials where I could. Onto the charm pack inspiration:

Fun fact: I’m making this baby next! A friend is preggers and I can’t wait to surprise her with this goodie. Red Pepper Quilts is basically my quilting hero. There isn’t a tutorial for this quilt– I’m just obsessed with her fabric selection, so I basically plan to copy many of her fabric selections. Hey, don’t reinvent the wheel if you don’t have to!

Here’s a baby quilt and a tutorial for piecing, basting, and binding. She has great steps and pictures to help you out. This quilt was made with just a charm pack!

Here’s another charm pack quilt from Fresh Lemon Quilts where ya just sew the rows and you’re a quilter before you know it. Again, I love charm packs because they’re a great way to have an entire collection of fabric on the cheap! Check out this site. There are some amazing quilts there!

Ok, now that you’ve seen what you can EASILY do with a charm pack, let’s spice things up – just a tad. Once you get a hang for sewing those quarter inch seams, it’s time to break out some Half Square Triangles. These babies are thebomb.com because you can arrange them to make one million designs. Don’t believe me? Google image search, “Half Square Triangle Quilts”. See, I’m right.

Before we can get to the goodies, here is a great tutorial on making half square triangles where you get 4 out of 2 charm squares or you can do it the traditional way (number 2) in this tutorial. Now we’re ready!

If you’re looking for an amazing HST quilt, I’m obsessed with Red Pepper’s Quilt because of the statement piece in the center. No really, click on it!

SEE?

Basically, how easy is that? Buy some charm packs in white and some charm packs in a color scheme, follow the tutorials above, and BAM, you’re a quilter! (Ok, it’s harder than that, but still…)

Here’s a pattern on Etsy that I love – click the picture!

I want to make the next quilt from Christa Quilts because I love some good solids. Sigh, I need these as stocking stuffers… for me! This quilt is stunning and beautiful and she lays out so many options to make it unique. Plus, her tutorial is AWESOME for beginners!

Finally, this is a little advanced, charm pack- half square triangles – chevron quilt. Say, WHAT?

Don’t let your mind be blown… but once you learn the half-square triangle technique and you buy a few charm packs, you can make all of these designs. The picture is also linked to a quilt along of this quilt!

MIND BLOWN!