If I had to pick a “lucky” charm out of a charm pack, I’d choose any one that gets my attention, good or bad. If it’s really good, it can go anywhere. If it’s really bad, I’d want to plan where it goes.
In Charm School, you learn the social graces. But in Quilter’s Charm School you learn that a light background can show off the darks (or the reverse).
To download and print a PDF of this pattern, go to www.epub.ShopMartingale.com/b1403
Tire Tracks by Carrie Nelson and Tammy Vonderschmitt
FINISHED QUILT: 57¾" x 70½"
CHARM PACKS NEEDED:
Simplicity in both the layout and color palette gives this easy quilt its gentle beauty. The scrappy pieced rows are balanced by faded red cross-weave cotton that adds subtle texture. The blue striped binding adds a special finishing touch.
Materials
Yardage is based on 42"-wide fabric. Charm squares are 5" x 5".
3 charm packs of assorted blue, beige, and cream prints for pieced strips (you’ll need 120 squares)
2⅛ yards of red cross-weave cotton for background
⅝ yard of blue stripe for binding
4¾ yards of fabric for backing
64" x 77" piece of batting
Cutting
From each of 120 charm squares, cut:
4 squares, 2¼" x 2¼" (480 total)
From the pink cross-weave cotton, cut from the lengthwise grain:
2 strips, 14¼" x 70½"
5 strips, 2¼" x 70½"
From the blue stripe, cut:
7 strips, 2½" x 42"
Assembling the Pieced Strips
Press the seam allowances as indicated by the arrows or as instructed below.
Join 40 squares; press the seam allowances open or in one direction. The pieced strips should measure 2¼" x 70½". Make 12. Join two pieced strips along the long edge. The pieced strip should measure 4" x 70½". Make six pieced strips.
Assembling the Quilt Top
Press the seam allowances as indicated by the arrows. Lay out the pieced strips, 2¼"-wide red strips, and 14¼"-wide red strips in vertical rows as shown. Join the red strips and pieced strips; press. The quilt top should measure 57¾" x 70½".
Finishing the Quilt
Go to ShopMartingale.com/HowtoQuilt for more details on quilting and finishing.
1 Layer the backing, batting, and quilt top; baste the layers together. Hand or machine quilt as desired. The quilt shown was machine quilted with a swirl and flower design in the background and with an allover Baptist fan pattern as a counterpoint to the many squares and right angles in the quilt.
2 Use the blue 2½"-wide strips to make the binding and attach it to the quilt.
Charmed, I’m Sure!
from CARRIE NELSON
Now that Carrie Nelson has moved to Moda Fabrics’ hometown of Dallas, Texas, she’s kicking up her heels in cowboy boots and working on her Southern charm.
What charms me most about charm packs is the variety! Fat quarters are so “yesterday.” With charm packs, I can mix so many more collections, colors, and styles of fabric.
Same or different? If you’re making a project with multiple charm packs, are you more likely to use two or three of the same collection or from different collections? Different.
This works like a charm for me every time: Sizing or starch prep. It works like prewashing with the benefit of crisping up the fabric.
About those pinked edges, here’s my advice for taking them into account when you sew: Wait for it . . . it depends. For accurate piecing, cut them off. For anything where you’ll be trimming after piecing or making subcuts, leave them be for now.
Besides a 5" charm square, my other go-to precut shape is . . . It’s all about the cake—Layer Cakes! 10" x 10" squares.
If I taught at Quilters’ Finishing School, I’d teach the students to experiment! It’s fabric, not brain surgery. Have fun, make mistakes, and don’t worry about what anybody else thinks. And don’t forget to add a label.
If I had to pick a “lucky” charm out of a charm pack, I’d choose a medium-scale text print, preferably in a color on a cream or ivory background. I am a girl who likes words . . . lol.
Spinning Tops by Jen Kingwell
FINISHED SIZE: 21" x 26¼" (fits a standard bed pillow)
FINISHED HEXAGON: Length of 1 side is 2⅝"; approximate height is 4⅜" (flat edge to flat edge)
CHARM PACKS NEEDED:
Select three charm packs with a combination of bright and neutral prints to make a showstopping pillow cover that will brighten any seat or bedroom in the house. Jen hand pieced the intricate blocks for accuracy, but you can piece them by machine if you prefer.
Materials
Charm squares are 5" x 5".
2 charm packs (77 pieces) of polka dots (called “bright”) for hexagons and pieced pillow back
1 charm pack (30 pieces) of geometric prints (called “neutral”) for hexagons, background, and pillow back
1 strip of tan polka dot, 2" x 21½", for pillow back
Template plastic
21"-long gray or taupe polyester zipper
Cutting
Use the patterns on page 77 and refer to the cutting layout below to cut the hexagon pieces from template plastic. Transfer all dots to the fabric pieces.
From the bright charm squares, cut:
32 hexagons
92 small triangles
From the neutral charm squares, cut:
14 large triangles
92 small triangles
Piecing the Hexagons
Press the seam allowances as indicated by the arrows. The front panel contains 28 blocks and four half blocks. For each block, select one hexagon, three neutral small triangles, and three bright small triangles. For each half block, select one hexagon, two neutral small triangles, and two bright triangles.
1 Place a neutral small triangle on the top edge of a hexagon with right sides together. Sew a partial seam along the hexagon upper edge between the marked dots as shown.
2 Working clockwise, sew a polka dot small triangle to the adjacent edge of the hexagon as shown. The blocks will eventually be joined using a Y-seam, so it’s necessary to leave ¼" unstitched beyond the marked dots.
3 Sew the remaining small triangles to the hexagon as shown and complete the seam of the first triangle.
4 To make a left half block, sew two neutral and two bright small triangles to one hexagon as shown. Trim the block, leaving a ¼" seam allowance along the left edge. Make two.
5 To make a right half block, sew two neutral and two bright small triangles to one hexagon, working counterclockwise as shown. Trim the block, leaving a ¼" seam allowance along the right edge. Make two.
BY HAND
To make this project portable, hand piece the hexagons like Jen did. Cut out the pieces and then pack them in a project bag to take on the go.
Assembling the Front Panel
Press the seam allowances as indicated by the arrows.
1 Lay out the blocks in five rows as shown. Fill in the sides with the right and left half blocks. Make sure the orientation of all blocks is the same in order to complete the pattern. Join the blocks in each row, sewing only between the marked dots.
2 When joining the rows, the intersections of the blocks require sewing Y-seams. Place the rows with right sides together. Sew the blocks between the marked dots, and then pivot the fabric to align the adjacent edges and sew between the next set of dots.
3 Press the seam allowances open to reduce bulk at the intersections.
4 Fill in the top and bottom edges of the front panel with the large triangles. Sew the triangles to the top and bottom edges using Y-seams as shown in step 2. When complete, trim the edges of the triangles even with the edges of the front panel. The panel should measure approximately 21½" x 26¾".
Assembling the Back
Press the seam allowances as indicated by the arrows. The back consists of two panels made from 30 of the remaining ch
arm squares, one fabric strip, and a zipper.
1 Join five of the remaining charm squares to create a pieced strip. Reserve the strip for step 4.
2 Lay out five rows of five charm squares. Join the blocks in each row, and then join the rows.
3 Fold the tan fabric strip in half lengthwise with wrong sides together; press. Lay the pieced square right side up. Place the folded strip along one edge of the rectangle, aligning the raw edges. Place the zipper right side down on the strip, flush with the right edge of the rectangle as shown; pin. Using a zipper foot, sew through all three layers close to the zipper teeth.
4 Press the strip away from the pieced square. The strip will now conceal the zipper.
5 Fold the tan strip out of the way, and place the pieced strip from step 1 right side down over the free edge of the zipper; pin. Sew close to the zipper teeth, and then press. Trim the back panel to measure 21½" x 26¾".
Assembling the Pillow Cover
Place the front and back panels right sides together; pin. Make sure the zipper is unzipped 3" to 4" to allow the cover to be turned right side out. Sew the perimeter. Clip the corners, and then turn the cover right side out; press.
Charmed, I’m Sure!
From JEN KINGWELL
Jen Kingwell (JenKingwellDesigns.blogspot.com) is a real chah-mer, which is to say she’s an Aussie charmer with a delightful Aussie accent!
What charms me most about charm packs is the scrappy quilts I can create from a collection of them.
Same or different? If you’re making a project with multiple charm packs, are you more likely to use two or three of the same collection or from different collections? Different.
This works like a charm for me every time: Always saying, “I’m on a deadline,” so my husband cooks dinner!
About those pinked edges, here’s my advice for taking them into account when you sew: They always end up in the bin (wastebasket) as I cut up my charm squares.
Besides a 5" charm-square, my other go-to precut shape is a 10" square. We roll them up and call them lollies in my store. Calorie free!
If I taught at Quilters’ Finishing School, I’d teach the students hand quilting. It’s my favorite! I definitely know it wouldn’t be labels. I never get around to putting those on my quilts!
If I had to pick a “lucky” charm out of a charm pack, I’d choose a good polka dot! I love me a good polka dot. (But you know me, I could never choose only one!)
In Charm School, you learn the social graces. But in Quilter’s Charm School you learn to play nicely with lots and lots of others, even if they are the “squares” at Quilter’s Charm School.
To download and print a PDF of these patterns, go to www.epub.ShopMartingale.com/b1403
Beehive designed by Deb Strain, made by Carol Doolin
FINISHED QUILT: 36½" x 51½"
FINISHED BLOCK: 9" x 9"
CHARM PACKS NEEDED:
Make a quilt that’s as sweet as honey from three yellow and black bumblebee-print charm packs. Carry through the theme with a neighborhood of busy beehives alternating with honeycomb rows.
Materials
Yardage is based on 42"-wide fabric. Charm squares are 5" x 5".
3 charm packs of assorted black, yellow, gray, and white bee-themed prints for blocks and rows (you’ll need 15 black, 47 yellow, and 48 light squares)
1 yard of black honeycomb print for blocks, rows, and strips
⅓ yard of gold honeycomb print for beehives and binding
2½ yards of fabric for backing
42" x 57" piece of batting
Fusible web
Cutting
All measurements include ¼"-wide seam allowances.
From each of 32 yellow charm squares, cut:
4 squares, 2" x 2" (128 total)
From each of 15 black and 15 yellow charm squares, cut:
2 rectangles, 1¾" x 5" (60 total)
From the black honeycomb print, cut:
4 strips, 2½" x 36½"
32 rectangles, 4½" x 5"
From the gold honeycomb print, cut:
5 strips, 2½" x 42"
Assembling the Honeycomb Rows
Press the seam allowances as indicated by the arrows.
1 Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the wrong side of the yellow 2" squares. Place one square on each corner of a black rectangle with right sides together. Sew on the drawn lines. Trim the yellow squares ¼" from the line; press. Make 32.
2 Join eight Honeycomb blocks in a row, sewing them along their 4½" edges. The row should measure 4½" x 36½". Make four.
Assembling the Beehive Blocks
Press the seam allowances as indicated by the arrows.
1 Select 48 light charm squares. Lay out two rows of two squares. Join the squares in each row, and then join the rows to make a Four Patch block. The block should measure 9½" square. Make 12.
2 Join five black and yellow 1¾" x 5" rectangles along the long edges; press. Using the pattern on page 83, trace a beehive onto the paper side of the fusible web, and then roughly cut it out. Fuse the beehive to the wrong side of the pieced panel. Cut out the beehive along the traced lines. Make an appliqué door using the pattern on page 83 and the leftover charm pack scraps. Fuse the beehive and door onto one of the blocks from step 1 as shown, and then blanket stitch the edges. Repeat to make 12 beehives and appliqué each to a Four Patch block.
3 Join four Beehive blocks side by side. The row should measure 9½" x 36½". Make three Beehive rows.
Assembling the Quilt Top
Press the seam allowances as indicated by the arrows. Lay out the Honeycomb rows, Beehive rows, and black strips as shown. Join the rows and strips; press. The quilt should measure 36½" x 51½".
Finishing the Quilt
Go to ShopMartingale.com/HowtoQuilt for more details on quilting and finishing.
1 Layer the backing, batting, and quilt top; baste the layers together. Hand or machine quilt as desired. The quilt shown was machine quilted with an allover swirl and loop design.
2 Use the yellow 2½"-wide strips to make the binding and attach it to the quilt.
Charmed, I’m Sure!
from DEB STRAIN
Deb Strain (Facebook.com/DebStrainStudio) is as charming in person as her quilts are!
What charms me most about charm packs is that I can see the entire fabric collection at a glance. And, having downsized our home, charm packs are nice because they don’t take up a lot of space!
Same or different? If you’re making a project with multiple charm packs, are you more likely to use two or three of the same collection or from different collections? Same.
This works like a charm for me every time: I have a glass of wine in the evening as I’m picking out the color combinations. It helps me relax and not rush the process of putting colors and patterns together. Great way to spend an evening!
About those pinked edges, here’s my advice for taking them into account when you sew: I just pretend they aren’t there and each edge is a straight cut. When I was little, Mom had me pink every edge, so this seems pretty natural to me.
Besides a 5" charm-square, my other go-to precut shape is a 10" Layer Cake square. I paint all my fabric designs by hand. A Layer Cake seems like 42 pieces of 10" x 10" finished artwork to me! Oh, so many possibilities!
If I had to pick a “lucky” charm out of a charm pack, I’d choose one that had a monotone swirly pattern on it that would work well with simpler or more complicated patterns.
In Charm School, you learn the social graces. But in Quilter’s Charm School you learn that it’s all about color and color combinations, using warm and cool colors to make one pop, or colors of the same value to make them blend. Colors can add dimension and interest, simply by how they are used together.
To download and print a PDF of these patterns, go to www.epub.ShopMartingale.com/b1403
Flying Geese by Bonnie Olaveson
FINISHED QUILT: 51½" x 57½"
FINI
SHED BLOCK: 6" x 6"
CHARM PACKS NEEDED:
Make a fanciful flock of geese flying every which way. Combine a variety of printed charm squares with a white background to add cohesion.
Materials
Yardage is based on 44"-wide fabric. Charm squares are 5" x 5".
3 charm packs of assorted bright prints for blocks (you’ll need 108 squares)
3½ yards of white solid for background
½ yard of red print for binding
3¼ yards of fabric for backing
58" x 64" piece of batting
Cutting
All measurements include ¼"-wide seam allowances.
From the charm squares, cut:
216 rectangles, 2½" x 4½"
From the white solid, cut:
6 strips, 2" x 42"
6 strips, 6½" x 42"; crosscut into 144 rectangles, 1½" x 6½"
27 strips, 2½" x 42"; crosscut into 432 squares, 2½" x 2½"
From the red print, cut:
Moda All-Stars- Lucky Charm Quilts Page 5
