I love charm packs. In fact I love all the different fabric bundles from, jelly rolls, layer cakes, mini charm packs, and fat quarters. In this post I’ll help you figure out how many charm packs you need to make patchwork quilts.
To find a big collection of charm packs, I like to look on Etsy. And I love the moda fabrics for yards of fabric or pre-cut fabric bundles.
The great thing about pre-cut fabric bundles is that all of the fabric in them is coordinated. So, whatever background fabric you get to match one fabric it’s sure to match all the fabric.
Using pre-cut fabric bundles is a great way to make a quilt top. Not only do they have different fabrics in them. They’re cut up in smaller pieces, so it’s easier to cut them in the shapes you need. Or, use them as they already are.
And using pre-cut bundles to make a quilt is the easy way to make your first quilt. Plus, they’re the perfect thing to add to your fabric collection.
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What are charm packs?
First let’s talk about what charm packs are. Charm packs are bundles of 5-inch squares of fabric.
The number of squares can vary, but most of the time there’s 42 fabric squares in a bundle. And each square can be a different fabric or there can be a couple pieces of the same fabrics.
You can get charm packs that have just one color, usually white or black. Or, in a variety of fabrics with different designs and colors.
What can you make with them?
Most of the time you’ll use them for making beautiful quilts. But, they can also be used for table runners, place mats, pillow covers and quilted tote bags. And I know there’s a lot more you can do with them.
If you don’t know what to make with them, look on Pinterest, that’s where I like to look when I’m looking for a free quilt pattern. There are tons of free patterns on Pinterest.
How many do I need to make a quilt?
That depends on the quilt size you want to make. Because different sizes take different amounts of fabric. A lap quilt won’t take as much fabric as a king size will.
I’m always afraid I won’t get enough fabric for my quilt. But, most of the time you can always get more of the same fabric. Unless it’s a discontinued fabric. So, it maybe a good idea to get a little bit of extra fabric just in case.
Okay, here’s a list of how many charm packs you need for each size charm pack quilt. And this is just for simple quilts.
Simple Baby Quilt
For a baby sized quilt that is 30″ x 40″ you’ll need 2 charm pack. A baby blanket is one of the best smaller quilt sizes you can start with. There’s also a size of quilt called crib quilts.
Throw or Lap Quilt
A throw or a lap quilt are kind of the same size quilts. For a 50″ x 65″ throw quilt you’ll need 5 charm packs.
Twin Quilt
For a twin-size quilt that is 70″ x 90″ you’ll need 8 charm packs.
Queen-sized Quilt
A queen size quilt that is 90″ x 108″ will need 12 charm packs.
King Quilt
A king sized quilt that 108″ x 108″ will use 14 charm packs. And there is some great unique patterns out there for you to use for any size of quilt.
I just wrote the standard sizes of quilts. Which is just the most commonly used size. And if you’re following a pattern it will tell you the finished quilt size and how much fabric you’ll need.
How do you figure it out?
Now, you may wonder how I figured it out. So, in case you want to make a different size of quilt than any of the size above or the quilt dimensions you have in mind is not a standard size. Here how you can figure out how many charm packs you need.
Write down the measurement of the quilt you want to make. I’ll do the throw size again, which is 50″ by 65″.
The squares in a charm pack are 5 inches, and you’ll take the seam allowances away. Which quilting project usually have a 1/4 inch seam. So that means you’ll end up with a 4.5 inch finished square.
Now take the width of the quilt (50) and divide by 4.5 = 11.11111 and round up to 12.
Take the length of the quilt (65) and divide by 4.5 = 14.44444 and round up to 15.
And 12 x 15 is 180, so that’s the number of charm squares you’ll need to make a throw size quilt. So, you’ll take 180 and divide it by the number of squares in the charm pack (42) = 4.285714 and round up to 5.
So, that means you need 5 charm packs for a simple throw size quilt.
If you get a number with a period that’s seems to go on forever. In that case you always round the number up and not down.
And the more you practice figuring out the quilt fabric the easier it gets ( and the less confusing it’ll seem). And you can also figure out how many of a certain size squares or rectangles you can get out of a yard of fabric.
Making a quilt out of the precut charm squares are great for beginner quilters. And it’s also one of the fastest way you can make a quilt. You can also use the five-inch squares to make half square triangles.
Quilting questions
Can you make a quilt by hand? Yes, you can make a quilt by hand. Or, you can use a sewing machine. A sewing machine is faster than hand sewing, but they’re both enjoyable ways of making a quilt.
What are mini charm packs? They’re like regular charm packs, but are just smaller squares. Instead of 5 inch squares they are 2.5 inch squares. These are another great pre-cut pack of fabric.
Where can I find fabric bundles? You might can find fabric bundles like a fat quarter bundle at your local quilt shop or online. I like to look on Etsy for my fabric bundles and also sometimes for my additional fabrics I need that I can’t find at my local fabric store.
What is a quilt sandwich? A quilt sandwich is the layers of the quilt. The quilt top, quilt batting, and the quilt backing fabric. These layer are usually pinned together so you can start the quilting process.
What is the best tool for making quilts? I think the best tool you can use to help you make a quilt is a rotary cutter and cutting mat. A rotary cutter really helps you cut perfect strips of fabric. And for cutting a really straight line.
Thank you for reading this post on “how many charm packs do I need to make a quilt”. I hope that it helped you figure out how many you need for whichever size quilt you want to make.
If you’re stuck on what quilt pattern to use be sure to check out Pinterest for easy quilt patterns. Because Pinterest has a ton of beautiful patterns to choose from.
