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If you take two charm sqs right sides together and sew them together down each side, cut down the middle of the block paralell to the seams and press open and then take these units and mix then randomly (or to a pattern such as two light/two dark) and join them in pairs you will have four-patch blocks 4" finished (4.5" pressed) with minimal cutting.

One option I am considering is mixing four-patch and plain blocks with HSTs at random. All the blocks would be trimmed to match the HST block size and just joined in a very scrappy colour arrangement.

And what size charm square are you collecting?

marcella

5" packs

I have Chocolat, Charleston, Nell's Flower Shop, Rites of Spring, Summer Days & Northern Lights, Mistletoe Manor, and Sonnet ATM. They all "go together" well.

I am hoping that's nearly enough. It's not as if I couldn't cut a couple of thousand pieces from my stash lol I just can't bring myself to cut squares out of the corners of fabric for myself. I have no problem doing it for others, and I am happy for others to come in and chop away, but I can't do it for myself. Crazy!

I have been eyeing off a design in More Nickel Quilts for star blocks, but I don't have enough lights, so I may alternate lights and darks as in the book and use a common light for every second light area in the design (maybe a Moda Marble?). I had the idea to use just Charleston fabrics (blues and browns) but I love the colours in the other fabrics so . . . . . now I am not sure. I think the basic idea would work OK in colours, with each star in many fabrics but with a similar colour.

Karen,

The Magnolia is calling out to me.

I already have a yard of the large design but I can't decide if I really want to do a quilt in Magnolia or not, but it is my favorite flower, as a matter of fact I have Magnolia dinnerware. I don't have room for a wall hanging in my kitchen. Well I guess I could make room for one but the Magnolia dishes are not what is in my china cabinet I have the first china my mother and dad owned in there. Now if I had my Magnolia, which is not china, in it I would make room for the wall hanging. I also have one bathroom done in Magnolia but I don't think with the dampness in a bathroom it would be a good idea to put a wall hanging in there. So what do I want it for? I have no idea.

Jacquel>Thanks Jacqueline.

and I am working on some patterns using those charm packs. Love them. they are addictive. But need to show them off!!

I too, like Fat Quarter Shop, also Thrifty Needle is good. Connecting Threads is good, and has been around for a long time.

Pati, > I have about 12 charm square packs of between 35 and 52

Moda is one company that has been doing "charm packs" for many of its fabric lines for a few years. It is one 5" square of each fabric in a particular line. There is also a sheet with all the fabric numbers in the same order so that you can order yardage of a specific fabric. I believe these were originally done as "designer" samples or such. A way to see and feel the fabric before buying it. They have become a real money-maker for Moda. And lots of people love the packs. So some of the other companies are now producing them for some of their lines. RJR has some out in Thimbleberries and such, and so does at least one other. I am sure that other companies will follow. There are also patterns and some books out specifically designed to use charm packs.

gr> >

I happen to like fabricdepot.com They are always 30% off regular prices and once a month they do 40% off like this Friday and Saturday.

Tamara

Karen Garza wrote:

Hmm, that's a good idea, I will go and cut a piece out of every piece of fabric that I have, and I think I go visit a friend of mine this weekend.....she has a big stash:))

I love the idea and I will buy them, there are fabrics in the packs I would otherwise never buy but I do need them but just a few little pieces:)

Mine are 5" and I try to cut a 'strip' of it from each fabric so I'll have more than one square of each.

Butterfly

Yes the magnolia fabrics are very nice. Why do you want it? Well...just to have it, silly girl ;-) I like magnolias too. I live on Magnolia lane and I have two dwarf magnolias growing in my front yard.

Karen

Yes, I can cut all of me fabric eventually too. But then sometimes I'm sad after I cut it because I used up my favorite fabric.

Karen

Yikes! And I thought some of the LQS fabric here was a bit pricey. I can't imagine having to pay $16.00-$20.00 per yard.

Karen

That's pretty expensive. Where do you live?

Karen

I was just thinking...maybe you could have one of us buy the fabrics that you want and then mail them to you. Or are the postage and customs fees expensive?

Karen

Well I'm glad somebody appreciates my efforts ;-)

Karen

Thanks Jessamy :-)

Karen

Thanks Tamara. They really do have good prices :-)

Karen

Normal price for quiltfabric (nothing fancy) overhere is 15 euro for 1 meter. That is about 17 dollars for a yard...........you realy don't want to know what we pay for our carfuel:))