Asked for jelly rolls; received 10 pkgs of 5" charms. What should I do?
 

When DH asked what I wanted for Christmas, I told him I'd really like jelly rolls, from which I'd make quilts for our future cabin in the north woods of Minnesota. He's much more artistic than I am, so I asked him to choose colors and patterns that appealed to him.

Alas, I received nothing but 5" charm packs. What should I do? I've been collecting great scrappy patterns that use jelly rolls. Can anyone recommend really nice scrappy patterns for 5" charms?

Thank you!

I like the Falling Charms quilt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KkpbFKBaKA . I will likely make this quilt again, but will reduce the 2.5" strips to 2". I just think the balance would be better with the sashing strips not being so wide.

You could also do a scrappy DP4 or DP9:
http://living4quilting.blogspot.com/...-that-ive.html
http://www.conniekresin.com/2012/02/...ver-quilt.html

Disappearing 9 patch works great with 5" charms. Add a solid to the center of each nine patch and you will have a lovely quilt. Good luck!

make 'Nickel' quilts! there are a number of books out that use 5" squares- Nickel quilts, more Nickel quilts and Charm quilts are 3 that I have and love. there are others- just do a search for 'charm quilts, or Nickel quilts you will be able to find lots of uses for those 5" squares. :) I love using charm squares over jelly rolls.

Take a look at Nickel Quilts by Pat Speth. She is legendary using 5" inch squares!

Disappearing 9 patch!

Sandy

I was just going to say that! I did a DNP for my sister with charm packs and it turned out very well.

I love the disappearing 4 patch

Go to Gourmetquilter.com. It's amazing what all she does with 5" squares!!

I have a friend that made a beautiful Nickel quilt. They have about 3-4 books just using 5 inch squares.

I second the Pat Speth books! She recently published a combo of several of her previously released titles:
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-Nicke...ords=pat+speth

Did he order jellyrolls and you received charm packs? If that is the case, then I would contact the Company and inform them of the mistake and ask them to rectify the problem, JMO

I could not agree more ! I have 3 of the Nickel quilts books and they are my "go to" for scraps and 5 inch squares.

I am also in coooold MN! What about the Arizona Crossroads. I plan to make that for a scrappy quilt soon. If you cut your charm squares each into four 2 1/2" squares, you should be able to make a good sized quilt with this pattern.

You are lucky that you got fabric. If I had told my husband that I wanted jelly rolls...he would have headed to the bakery. lol

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/009...atches.pdf?324

I like this FREE pattern on gourmetquilter site. It consists of easy snowball blocks and nine patches made into snowball blocks. Just have to the consistent background fabric. Saving pattern myself.

Nan

They can easily be cut into 2 1/2" squares. That's what I'd do, and if you look at patterns that use jelly rolls, Lots of them will call for them to be cut into 2 1/2" squares or rectangles. If you also need larger still pieces, you could supplement from stash of scraps.

Carpenters star is cool

Same here. I laughed out loud when I read your post, and then had to explain (for about 5 minutes) to my husband why I was laughing, what precuts were, etc.

You will more then likely have to cut the jelly roll for most patterns. You can cut the 5" squares in half and get 2 1/2" 5" strips or cut again and get four 2 1/2" squares. I'd buy a jelly roll of the same fabric line for longer strips.

You sound as though you had your heart set on the Jelly Rolls. Can you take them back and trade them? The other ideas for the charm packs are great if you just don't have the heart to take them back.

My sincere thanks to everyone who responded! You are the BEST!

I was disappointed (but did my best to hide it) when I opened charms instead of jelly rolls (for which I had been collecting patterns). I quickly realized that my husband didn't know the difference. He had done the best he could, and his gift was very loving.

You all made the difference! Thanks to you, I'm now very excited about making quilts with these charm packs!

Working from your suggestions, I spent several hours online today checking out your resources and following the links. After bookmarking a number of great sites, I concluded by ordering all of Pat Speth's books! (Fortunately, my husband and I have developed a very acceptable "to him, from him"/"to me, from me" tradition, so this won't be a problem.)

Again, THANK YOU!!! I can't imagine what "better advice" would even look like!

FWIW, we're Xmas Eve celebrators, like most northern Europeans. But we live in Minnesota, which used to be in Scandinavia ;-)

Check out Moda Bakeshop.com

Don't despair there is always another quilt pattern around the corner and another idea on the board you have a lot of good suggestions so enjoy your squares they are better that worms!

I made the MSQC Window Pane D9P using 2 charm packs and a few extra squares......turned out awesome. Also, my friend made a table topper with Chrismas fabrics and sashed with a rich gold. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfnR8K9rCs

I would return them.

I want to make this one someday:
http://www.modabakeshop.com/2010/10/...ars-quilt.html

here's all of their charm pack quilts (some may require other fabric)
http://www.modabakeshop.com/search/label/Charm%20Pack

I like her and her tutorials. :-)

Marysewfun

There are great books called Schnibbles - they have patterns for 10" layer cakes then another corresponding pattern using 5" charm packs - tons of different patterns - I love the books - there are two or three of the series of books. Look up charm pack quilts - you will find a lot of free patterns as well as many books you can purchase.

I am also from this years snowy and cold Minnesota by Duluth. Most of the quilt shops that we have would gladly exchange the charms for jelly rolls. They understand that husbands don't always understand. Good luck

Loads of great ideas for using charm pack's, but-if you have your heart set on a jelly roll, would your husband know - if you exchanged the charm packs for the exact same fabric jelly rolls? that way you both win if he wouldn't see you quilting and wouldn't know the diference in the shapes if the fabric/pattern was the same, he would just recognise the colours and patterns as the ones he picked, don't ask how I know this :thumbup:

me too! and they are so easy and quick!

My DH has gone to fabric stores with me, so he knows about precuts, but the first time i showed him a jelly roll, he was baffled by it. The strips looked too thin, compared to a bolt. Plus, they were already cut up. I'll bet the charm packs looked more solid and substantial to him, and if the same fabric came both ways, it could seem a better choice.

hugs, charlotte

What great ideas that everyone is posting. I am inspired!!! Off to my sewing room.