I'm a prewasher :roll: and have purchased charm packs before and been very disappointed in the results. I would consider purchasing again if they were larger than the size I required but am afraid that due to shrinkage I could not get them ready to go into a project unless it was from the charm swap (they are pre-shrunk before cutting).
Like other members, I imagine your sister would have a huge tangled mess to deal with in addition to the loss. She should be able to get about a 2 inch noodle from each if they were 2.5 inches to begin with, but might not if the fabric is off. Kyiav has a noodle swap every so often, maybe your sis could find more there to coordinate with her project (she's got a schedule for '09 posted, too). Best wishes & Happy Sewing!!