charms, jelly rolls, or layer cakes?
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Tulsa, Ok
Posts: 4,582
I bought a few charm packs when I first started quilting because the easier free patterns seemed to use them, I was very unsure about selecting fabrics and I did not have a stash to "fill in" with fabrics to make a quilt. But very soon I found I loved browsing and selecting fabrics and the modern style quilt patterns that caught my eye were no longer pre-cut friendly so I never buy them now.
#3
Depends on what patterns I have in mind. I have bought all, plus turnovers (triangles), but mostly jelly rolls. I don't buy them often, just if I want more variety of colors or find a great sale. It is usually more economical to cut my own. Don't count on them all to be perfect size...seems no matter which brand, some can be off a bit. Also, keep the quantity in mind when figuring the price. Some brands have smaller quantities in each pack. For example, Moda are usually 40-42, Riley Blake can be half that amount.
#4
I've only bought jelly rolls, from Connecting Threads who charges the same price as if it were yardage. It was to get the variety in the pack. And then I bought 2 or 3 of the same one. They were for a specific type of quilt. But I really like looking at yardage. I usually buy at least 1/2 yard of each fabric, more if it's a lighter color or color tht I use a lot. Plus, cutting 2.5" strips isn't that difficult.
#5
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Utah
Posts: 8,847
#8
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
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#9
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,148
Depends on the pattern. I wanted to make a pattern using 2 1/2" strips of 40 fabrics. Just the thought of choosing 40 different fabrics gave me a headache. I bought a 2 1/2" strip pack from Keepsake and was delighted with all the different fabric/colors in it. I probably never would have found or choosen the fabric let alone asked the clerk to cut 1/8 yd. Each different package cut has its own use. Just beware to check to see how many pieces are in the package. also be mindful that "jelly rolls" may contain 40 different but charm packs may only have 5-6 different patterns with the pattern being in different colors (as I found out when I bought a charm pack).
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