Batik Charm Squares
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Orchard Park, NY (near Buffalo, which is near Niagara Falls)
Posts: 3,884
Batik Charm Squares
Just wondering (it's my stupid question of the day)... is there any point to charm packs of batiks?
I understand the appeal of charm packs of prints. Particularly smaller scale prints.
But with batiks, the color in one 5" section of fabric probably does not capture the essence of the fabric.
What do you think?
I understand the appeal of charm packs of prints. Particularly smaller scale prints.
But with batiks, the color in one 5" section of fabric probably does not capture the essence of the fabric.
What do you think?
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Nawth o' Boston
Posts: 1,879
I just did a table runner from a pattern which was all for charm packs - cute little prints with a bias check binding - but I did it in batiks (I had to pick a fabric from the place where I take the classes and I didn't like their charm selection in prints...).
I have to say that the Mango Tonga treats package I used was pretty but there was a lack of variety once done. Solids with depth, sort of.
It was my first time working with charms, and it was irritating to find that they were not all correct in size. Fortunately it didn't matter because they all had to get recut to 4 -plus-a-fraction anyway. Net net, the only reason to buy charms was that 1/8 yard is only 4" so I got the benefit of not having a lot of extra material.
I have to say that the Mango Tonga treats package I used was pretty but there was a lack of variety once done. Solids with depth, sort of.
It was my first time working with charms, and it was irritating to find that they were not all correct in size. Fortunately it didn't matter because they all had to get recut to 4 -plus-a-fraction anyway. Net net, the only reason to buy charms was that 1/8 yard is only 4" so I got the benefit of not having a lot of extra material.
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
Posts: 3,572
I've specifically looked for batik charm packs more than once - they can be hard to find! I'm a scrap quilt lover, so like the variety. The specific reason I was looking recently is that I want to do a few Lil Twister table toppers. The Lil Twister is so popular right now, I thought they'd be easy to locate. Not so!
#5
FYI- I have been ordering precut squares from [email protected]. I have COPD, and standing for long periods cutting is difficult. I wanted almost 200 5" and 300 2 inch squares. Her price was fantastic!! So worth it for me. She has nice prints too.
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,312
I'm not a charm pack kinda gal... even less inclined to buy batiks that way. There are some really dud batiks and I would think it would be hard to display what the charm pack contains. That is the same issue I have with Jelly rools of batiks , you really don't get a good look at the contents , even less with a charm pack ... because typically on line retailers don't show the what in it. I was really interested in a Moda charm pack once ... had to go to 10 different sites to get a real picture of the contents.
But the other side of that coin is that I have seen so many struggle trying to put together more than a few batiks , that pre-grouped fabrics are popular for that reason. So the other side of me says that if you have a market for charm squares in general , there would be a market for batik charm squares.
But the other side of that coin is that I have seen so many struggle trying to put together more than a few batiks , that pre-grouped fabrics are popular for that reason. So the other side of me says that if you have a market for charm squares in general , there would be a market for batik charm squares.
#8
I am doing a quilt in tonga treats batiks charm packs in the gelato colorway, I did HST's with solid white, and arranging them in a diamond pattern. The patterns are small enough scale, I think it looks fabulous. If I can get a good picture, I'll post it later, the lighting is kind of bad right now.
#9
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 20,306
I think it would depend on the pattern on the Batik- a lot of them the design is bigger so with a charm you are not getting enough of it or you are cutting the design- I do buy charms but would have to think about buying a Batik charm pack - I do see where the strips catch the essence , so maybe once I saw what it looked like when cut ?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
craftybear
Links and Resources
12
06-17-2010 06:36 PM