When is a Square Not a Square?
I was flailing around in the mess that is my sewing area for an idea for a baby quilt for Michelle that had a dog theme since the quilt for her son Arjuna was also dog themed.
Flash! I just happened to have 3 charm packs of Moda's Pampered Pooches that I'd picked up here and there at shops and shows over the last couple of months. So I found a little book of
patterns for charm, Hooked on Charms Two that I also bought and began to cut out a simple
little quilt made of double four patches.
Simple, right?
What do you do when two different sets of the small four patches won't fit together? All I had to do was cut the charms into quarters and shuffle them up, how hard can that be? (See photo at right as an example of how hard it was...)
I haven't felt well for a week and thought maybe I was just off my game, but then I went to trim down the alternate squares from the charms into the 4 1/2 inch squares required. Lo and behold, the charm squares were not 
all exactly 5 inches by 5 inches. Some were 4 3/4 inches! (Click the photo at left to see for yourself)
I'm ticked off because this means that one whole set of the squares (that I've already mixed with the others) can only be used in the position of solid block and not in the 4 patches.
So, ladies, here is your tip for the day:
If you want to buy one of those darling little charm packs--feel free--but be sure and measure the thing first!
Rant over.
7 comments:
Ouch -- what an unhappy discovery! I've had problems with fat quarters that didn't measure as big as they should have, but errors on smaller pieces cause bigger problems. Bummer!
Bummer! What a frustrating waste!
Some days it just don't pay to pull out the rotary cutter:0)
Add into that mix some Thimbleberries/RJR charms and you'll find they're another size! Yeah, I LOVE charms but I never plan on actually making anything using the full 5". But you could go ahead with your 4-patches and trim them down a little smaller than you originally planned. Frustrating though!
Snarl! Moda should be scolded and chastised. As Mammy would say, and literally true, "It ain't fittin'! It just ain't fittin'!" [GWTW, unknown page].
I've had skimpy FQs which can be blamed on the shop that cut them, but I would think Moda would have quality control.
I urge you to contact them just to see what they say/do!
n, np, who always appreciates a good rant
Hey, I never knew that about those dern charms. I'll be more vigilant from here on out about those suckers. Thanks for sharing this important tidbid.
Undersized Love, *karendainne.
What a drag. I'd be telling them about it too - they might send you another pack that you can use for the other side of the block. Not good enough I say. It isn't as if they're cheap packs.
i had this happen too with a pack of Moda Chocolat. couldn't figure out why my quilt was out of whack
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