I've been wanting to do another charm swap but I just can't seem to find them before they fill up. Well one fell into my lap. The What Was I Thinking swap needed some angels so I volunteered. I just loved the theme of using your existing stash to make up the charms. No color/pattern restrictions. As long as it was quilt store quality quilting cottons it was welcome.
I was a bit intimidated by having to produce 120 charms but once I realized I can get 10-12 charms from a fat quarter (depending on the pattern or if I mess up--and yes, I have messed up a few so far) it made the 120 requirement not that daunting. That's only 12 fat quartes (approximately). I can definitely part with a dozen fats.
True confession, there are a few in my stash that I'm just not in love with. I can't say I "hate" them or that I'd never use them but they're just boring/bland (to me). So those went into the cut pile right away.
Here's what's cut so far:
See what I mean. That top pile is just kind of *yawn*. Not truly ugly but not my first choice. The bottom stack were cut from scraps from when I made Noel (the christmas crocodile). I like those fabrics well enough but if I can recycle some bigger scraps into charms, that's super awesome.
But don't think I'm just unloading junk I don't like. I'm definitely including some stuff I like a lot.
Yeah, bust open those stacks of 24 charms and there could be some great surprises. That's some dia de los muertos fabric I used to make a bag. I fussy cut up some of the bigger scraps. It was good practice on fussy cutting (which is trickier than I thought it would be--definitely putting a 5x5 square ruler on my christmas list!).
See, that christmas fabric is really nice and I have a few charms from each design. Pretty and shiney.
But I'm only half way through cutting. I still have 60 charms to cut.
This is what's on the cutting mat:
The print at the top is the only one in this group that I really don't enjoy. Again, don't "hate" it but it's just not something I would buy outright. It's nice as part of a mystery bundle (and I probably would use it eventually) but why not use it to practice cutting charms and share it. I bet it's going to make a really great charm.
I'm saving that brown bird print for last since I may have to fussy cut it. I'll get what I can out of it then fill in with charms from my scrap piles. I have a few prints in there I want to share. I'm saving the two christmas prints for last. I don't want to send too much seasonal stuff (and the gray snowflakes might need fussy cut, too). Maybe between the gray snowflakes nad the birds, I can get 12 charms?
This is my second charm swap and so far I've had nothing but good experiences. I should be getting my "Shades of Gray" bundle back in the next few weeks.
OH, and this cutting project is great for the next sewing project I want to do (actually, two projects). I'm making a scrappy map of the USA (and realized I don't have as much variety in my scrap bag as I thought) so some of the trimmings from this charm cut-a-thon will end up in that project (and some of the charms I get could as well!). And it's good cutting practice for the quilt I'm going to start (once I get all the fabric--part of the fabric I want for it isn't released yet--once I have it all I'll figure out a very simple patchwork pattern and get down to the getting down).
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