Happy New Year!

We are so excited about many things that 2023 will bring for us.  Magazine projects, new pattern designs, classes and sew-alongs!  We are hopeful Thelma and Weezer make a few more live appearnces for you and will also eagerly look forward to seeing you in person at a few quilt shows.  

With all of that being said, we are wasting no time in kicking off the year by joining in the Moda Charm Pack Challenge!

I don't know about you, but we have developed quite a stash of charm packs over the years in the shop and our bus trips.  We talked about whether to use a new charm pack that you could still find should you really like our project or an oldie but goodie to use up our stash.  We both decided to sew from the stash.

Weezer went home and dug out a cake pan. Have you ever stashed your stash in something to hide it?  Now, some of you may do that from your spouse, others just to feel better about having less clutter around.  Me?  I hid mine from my son's little fingers.  I dug through my cake pan stash and the stash in my cutting counter drawer.  I flipped through the squares, contemplated just how many birthdays those charm packs had had decided to close the drawer and put the lid back on the pan. 

Have you ever looked at your stash and thought, meh, they just aren't quite right for this project.  It's like searching in your closet for the perfect outfit to wear on the night you decide to go out and finidng you just don't have any clothes in your closet.  Has anyone else been there?!

So, I moved on. . .to the layer cakes I had tucked away.  Now as I type this they should really be in the cake pan shouldn't they?  Cake is part of the word!  And much to my delight, found fabric that was darker colored, more appealing pattern wise and most importantly, would have an immediate home upon completion.  Victory!

I stood there looking at these (42) perfect 10" squares debating whether or not I should really cut them down for this project and in the end decided that it too had had a few birthdays in the cupboard and it was time it got used.  You have permission to cheat and cut down a layer cake if you need to :-)

Now, let me tell you.  The next thought that crossed my mind was...will I really get this done in January?  Will it be before the chosen date so I can show off my project?  And the answer was YES!

This project goes SUPER fast.  Like I pondered my fabric, cut my layer cake apart, got the squares cut to the pattern size and my triangles sewn during an hour long nap time.  If I can do it. . .you can do it!  I finished the quilt top during "dude time" that evening.   

The pattern does come with option to add borders.  I pondered this and decided I am just going to bind it as is and leave it the 36" square size.  I mean who are we kidding, we know I'll angle cut the corners because I can't follow a pattern to save my soul.  But know it can be sized up easily.

And sized down.  I plan to use another nap day during the next couple of weeks to make it out a mini-charm pack.  What can be done big can always be done small with a minor tweak in the cutting.  Stay tuned!!

We want YOU to join in on the fun!  Especially if you are storing away charm packs in cake pans like me!  Grab your charm pack, buy a new one and download the pattern here. 

Annnd when you get your project done please share it! Use your social media to spread some positivity and beauty in the world.  Use @modafabrics and #CharmPackChallenge.  Tag us @pastthymegals #shadesofthepastquiltshop