For those of you who use charm packs,
 

how do you buy them? I've never used precuts, but I'm beginning to think I would enjoy making up some quilts that use 5" squares with sashing and 2.5" cornerstones. Seems to me 1 charm pack makes a pretty small quilt even if I use sashing. Do you buy 2 or 3 charm packs at a time? Do you combine charm packs? Do you find a pattern first and then buy enough charms to fit? I don't know where to start.

I have thought of cutting up my stash into 5" squares and 2.5" strips (which could be cut down into mini charms). It's just that the charm pack collections are already "put together" with coordinating colors and patterns. My stash is basically a dis-coordinated assemblage of fabrics acquired over a long period of time.

Not sure if the cost of buying charm packs is going to be worth it.

Edit: Should add that I'd like to experiment with some of the newer, brighter, more modern fabric designs and I think charms would be a good way to try them out. Heaven knows I do not need to be adding more yardage to my stash!

If you look up the MissouriQuiltCo.com She has lots of tutorials with charm packs. That would give you some idea. Usually about four charm packs for a larger quilt.

I love buying precuts because of the reason you just mentioned coordinated colors. As for how many to buy like you said one charm will not yield enough for me so never less than 2 or three in case I made a mistake. You can get ideas everywhere for making quilts using them and all free especially Moda bake shop and MSQC tutorials. For me just like all my stash I just buy them whenever there is a good deal without anything in mind but I try to find yardage that coordinates with it at the same time for sashing or border.
Online and yahoo groups are excellent sources for good pricing. Fatquartershop always have some on sale for 50% like these now:
http://www.fatquartershop.com/Charm-...2&Store_id=499

Hope this helps

I find that using a charm pack can actually help me with de-stashing.

I do buy 2, usually, when my plan is to make a full sized quilt. Then I put them up on my design wall and get a feel for them. Some blocks or colorways I may pull, if they're not working for me. Then I go through my collection of small scraps and pull out anything that I think may work. I love mixing some of my old stash in with the new stuff. The resulting quilt is more unique than one that's just a working of the original charms.

Even if I do have a few squares left out, they're easy enough to use up in a future project. 5 inch squares make great bean bags or a couple o coordinating ones make great coin purses.

There are some really nice patterns specifically for use with 5 inch charms. One of my favorites for a quick but impressive gift quilt is Chain Linked. 2 packs of charms plus yardage of 2 contrasting solids, and you have a modern, graphic, easy-to-piece and assemble twin sized quilt.

I love using charm packs. Most of the quilts I make using them use several packs. Recently, I have been buying charm packs for making tote bags. One pack makes 3 tote bags. When I order the charm pack for totes, I also order 3 one yard pieces of matching fabric for the bottom, handles and lining. Usually, the quilts I make using charm packs are Jenny Doan (Missouri Star Quilt Co.) designs so I just order the number of charm packs required. I like the fact that the pinked edges do not ravel and I also like the variety of fabrics in a charm pack.

I use charm packs, they often have fabrics in the line that are not carried by the bolt. It gives me a chance to use the full line. I usually buy 3 or 4. I have even cut a layer cake down if the charm pack is not available.

I agree with the notion of adjusting the group and mixing in fabrics from your stash. That saves it from the matchy, paint-by-number look that some of the quilts have when they're totally from a single line. I know there are folks that love them, but to me, some of them have a canned look that jumps right out. Maybe the downside of adding from your stash, though, would be that some are washed.

Charlotte

I have made a wonderful table runner with a charm pack! yes by all means use charm packs and you won't go wrong!

Connecting Threads.com has charm packs for a reasonable price. They do have a smaller number of pieces than the 40 piece ones. So you have to buy two packs to equal one of the other guys, but they are about $2, so you'll spend $4. Then you could match some from your stash. I would think 4 packs from them would make a lap quilt.

I know it's shocking, but I've mixed unwashed charm packs with pre-washed fabrics from my stash, and nothing bad happened!

However, all fabrics involved were quilt shop quality, major manufacturers.

I have had the experience of some other 5 inch cuts from a certain mail order source where the fabrics shrank from steam pressing -- that made me very reluctant to mix them in with other precuts. However, they were inexpensive, so I easily used them for a tote or wallhanging or something.