Using those cute little mini charm packs

Who loves those adorable Mini Charm Packs from Moda.....go ahead, you can admit it. Now you can get all of those little squares, with all of those great colors & fabrics....for $4.00. You almost have to buy one! So now you have it in your house, and you ask the question..."Now what"?

Well, that is how many of my patterns come to be....I buy a precut package of something and ask myself..."What can I do with this ONE bundle"? I like to use one bundle of a precut and one additional neutral fabric to make fabric selection quick and easy. That way people who don't like to pick out their own fabric don't have to pick it out! (I don't like to pick out my own fabric...).

I have three patterns out for the mini charm packs, so here is my first one. I got addicted to making drawstring bags from my stash. I gave a bunch out for Christmas presents to my kids teachers. I thought, what a perfect project for the mini charms!

The pattern is available in my Etsy Shop, here is the PDF: Mini Charm Drawstring Bag
There are two sizes. The small uses 18 2 1/2" squares and the big one uses 32 squares. This pattern is great for scraps as well. For the bags on the right, I used my scraps from a jelly roll.
These are very easy to make and they are a great first bag to make if you have no experience making a bag. They have a multitude of uses, from just looking good on a dresser or shelf to holding your toilet paper roll!

Here is my next pattern. I absolutely love the baskets made out of fabric, with the little handles on each end. These 2 1/2 squares are perfect for that!! If you want to use scraps, really you only need 4 or 5 different fabrics for the squares. You also need fusible interfacing for this project. You need your baskets to be stiff...the fusible interfacing is great. My husband came up with the name for this pattern: Basket of Charms This is the PDF, but there is a paper version in my shop as well.

I made the above baskets with Family Tree by Deb Strain for Moda. I love those cute little handles!! The pattern is written for three sizes. Check out the listing in my Etsy shop for fabric requirements. These are great of organizing. I use mine as a place to put my outgoing mail.

This basket was made with scraps I had left over from a fabric called "Jungle" by Andover Makower/UK This would be PERFECT for a baby shower gift filled with diapering accessories and some diapers!! I can hardly wait for my next baby shower invite!!






Okay, here is my last pattern. I love this bag!! It measures 10"wide x 10"tall x 4"deep. I have a larger tote, but when I use it I feel like it is mostly empty, so I wanted a smaller tote. I use this one for my Post Office runs to put all of my mail and small packages in. I also think it is perfect for running errands...I put my wallet in there and anything else I need. It also fits magazines and books for when I go out with my kids.

 This is my Sophie Jane Bag. The bag on the right was made with mini charms (Front Porch by Jan Patek for Moda) and the bag on the left was made with Modern Folkloric fabric by Andover Makower/UK. I am truly in love with the grey/yellow bag. Truly.

 This bag was made to be scrappy, also from a mini charm pack. You need 26 squares. The fabric is Sunnyside by Kate Spain for Moda. I experimented with whether to use interfacing or batting for the outer bag section. This bag has interfacing on the outer section and the other two bags I quilted with batting. They both work, but I like the batting/quilting better. It is softer and has more body. They both stand up just as nicely. The interfacing was easier and quicker. So six of one half dozen of another.

I hope you enjoyed this post and got some good ideas to use up
2 1/2" squares, whether it be from mini charm packs or scraps!!
Visit my Etsy shop for many more precut patterns and my book, Quilts From Sweet Jane, which contains 10 quilt patterns for precut fabric!