Buying Charm Packs

[Margo C.]

I've been collecting charm packs and was curious about the differences in the packs I recieved. Most of the packs came with two patches of the same fabric which was nice to have. But what I found curious was the packs that came with several of the same fabric pattern pattern, just in different color waves, which was not so nice to have. Some of the sites showed what fabrics were in the pack, but not all sites did this, so it was hard to see what fabrics were actually in the pack. It is the usual practice for charm packs to have the same design, just in different color waves, in the pack? Or is this something just certain shops do?

[Nancy R.]

From what I've seen, the charm packs compiled by the fabric manufacturers contain 2 squares of each fabric in a line. Lines of fabric generally contain several colorways of the designs, so these types of charm packs would often have multiple patches in different colors of the same fabric. The same is true for jelly rolls and other pre-cuts from manufacturers. Packs compiled by stores could have anything that interests the store owner.

Nancy

[Nancy R.]

So it depends on who makes them. I didn't know that this happens in jelly rolls too. The ones that I bought from sites that showed the fabrics in the packs had two patches of each, which I liked. I'll have to check for this in the future so I know what I am actually buying.

[Nancy R.]

It also has to do with the fabric line itself. Some designers now make sure to have at least 20 different fabrics in their lines so you would then get two of each. Some designers have lines with only perhaps 5 different designs but they come in a few different colorways. So that's why sometimes you get only a few designs but at least one in each colorway to make up the 40.

[Nancy R.]

"Some designers have lines with only perhaps 5 different designs ..."

I didn't even know that you could buy charm packs from a single designer. That would be cool! Guess I didn't search long enough!

[Nancy R.]

If you go to some of the online quilt shops that sell precuts, you'll see many designers work! Often you'll see them listed like this:
Name of the fabric line by Susie Designer for Such and Such Fabric Manufacturer.

If you want to browse, try:
Missouri Quilt Co. http://www.missouriquiltco.com
Green Fairy Quilts http://www.greenfairyquilts.com
Fat Quarter Shop http://www.fatquartershop.com
Fabric Depot http://www.fabricdepot.com

There are lots of places that sell precuts so this is just a few. And for tons of free patterns that use precuts go to http://www.modabakeshop.com

[Nancy R.]

Thanks for the info, Michelle -
BTW really like your new pic...

[Nancy R.]

Thanks for the links! One of them was new to me and I enjoyed looking around on the site.