Tutorial: The Single Charm Pack Quilt

I like the idea of charm packs. I like the instant scrappy-yet-coordinated look. Unfortunately, it's hard to find charm packs in the quilt stores closest to me and when I do, it's either not my style or there is only one of each fabric. What on earth can you do with one charm pack? Well, that got me to thinking and that led to taking a quilt I had already done and translating it into charm pack size. Don't like using charm packs? You can just use 5" squares (substitute 1/2 yard of 2 prints each for the charm pack and you will have a cute quilt like this with only 2 fabrics (pics below of this option).

Your players:
1 charm pack (Moda Origins)
2 yards solid (Kona Stone for this quilt)
1/2 yard binding (something I found at Hobby Lobby because I totally forgot to purchase binding with the charm pack)
Backing: 3 3/8 yd (I pieced from stash vs. buy new)

What you do:

Separate your charm pack into 2 categories: Busy prints and subtle prints.  You will be using your busy prints in the center of your blocks and the small prints will be cut up for your "chain".

 Remove selvages from your solid and cut 21 9" squares from your solid.  You have just finished half your blocks...don't you feel accomplished?

 From the rest of your solid, cut 21 5"x5" squares and 42 2.5"x5" strips.

Cut your 21 "less busy" charms in half...these will become your chain.

You can go scrappy like me or you can match up your charm halves if you like.

 Sew 2.5"x5" solid strips on both sides of the "busy" charms.  Sew "less busy" charm halves into either side of the 5" solid square.

 Cut your pieces of solid bordered by charm halves in half to give you two pieces like above.

 Attach the strips you just made to either side of your "busy charm" section.  This is a Puss-in-Corner block...actually it's one of the many blocks named "Puss-in-Corner", and probably the easiest version of the block.  Alternate your Puss-in-Corner blocks with your solid 9" squares. 

 Voila, a 51.5" x 60" lap quilt (and it's sooo soft because I didn't stipple but I don't like the look as much).  It has an argyle look to it.  Don't like it with all the patterns?  Try this making it with 2 coordinating prints (quilt on the right):

The quilt on the right is one of my all time favorites.

And then my youngest asked me to take a pic of his shoes with the quilt...and I did.  His shoes are awesome and it distracted him from asking me to drag out the power wheels.  Woo-hoo!

And this quilt has a special purpose.  I see my quilting as a ministry where I can spread the love of Christ because God can use EVERY talent we have for His Glory...something I realized after seeing my son's Bible study sheet about Dorcas, the seamstress in the Bible.  I picked out these fabrics that are really not "me" but then I started thinking "well who am I gonna give this to."  A thought popped into my head of someone who (to be honest) doesn't care for me.  At one time I did not care for them either, but I'm older now and I'm just indifferent about that and wish them the best in life.  I really wrestled with God because while I don't dislike them there are many many people who DO love me that haven't received a Mary quilt yet because the time is just not right.  I sat in church that Sunday and heard this coming from the pulpit:

^{Matthew 5: 46-47 46} If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

And it hit me like a ton of bricks that this personal ministry of mine is for helping ME learn to be more Christ like and not just helping others feel the love of Christ.  It hit me that I have just been loving those who love me...and what's so special about that?  And then I said "Ok, God...I get it."  After I decided to follow what He had laid on my heart I looked at the fabrics again and realized it was the color of the person's alma mater.  God works in mysterious ways and it is always a blessing to me when I catch a glimpse of that mystery.   I hope they like the quilt but my goal was to do what God led me to do and I know He will manage the back end.