A Simple Charm Quilt Tutorial 2.0

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

As I write this blog post, the halls are decked (except for my
Christmas tree) and I am curled up under a new, large, 
Minky-backed Christmas quilt.  I wish I could say I had
some hot cocoa in hand but you're girl has got
to start laying off the treats!


Making this quilt was a necessity.  
You see, I made one just like it a few years ago 
and then one day my big sister was in town and started snooping
through my quilts.  She's never asked me for a quilt before 
but she said she loved it and had to have it!  But I actually had just given her 
another quilt as a gift so I told her she could have this one for $200.
It wasn't one I had intended on parting with as it was made to
go with my Christmas decor.  But how can you say no
when someone gets excited about one of your quilts?
She tells me all the time that she uses it every day
(the Christmas prints are subtle) so that makes me 
extremely happy.  

[This one was made in 2018.]

I started missing that quilt (probably because she kept talking about it :)).
So I collected some similar fabrics and recently finished this other one.  
I used my old tutorial called A Simple Charm Quilt.
(You can see the original post HERE.)
This pattern is so simple but it's perfect when you 
want a quick, easy project to show off some pretty fabrics.


I used parts of 2 French General Layer Cakes (Bonheur de Jour and
Fleur de Noel) plus a few fat quarters from the line 
Old Fashioned Christmas by Riley Blake (the Santas,
Candy Canes, and the text print).  They added the "Christmas"!


It's backed in beautiful cream Minky and quilted with one of my
favorite wintery pantographs, Even Simpler Cable.


My quilter, Jen Ostler in Highland, UT did her signature move and 
quilted a hidden object into the quilting.  Do you see it?


I have updated my original pattern to include 4
more size options plus info for using different cuts of fabric
besides 5" squares.  Click HERE for the free PDF.

This pattern is so simple but now all the math is done for you!
I hope you find this useful and if you decide to make
A Simple Charm Quilt please tag me on 
Instagram @gigis_thimble and use the hashtags
#gigisthimblepattern and #asimplecharmquilt
so I can see your version!

Oh, and in case you're wondering this is the twin-size quilt
finishing at 77" x 86".  I can't wait to snuggle up with it this holiday season! 


Feel free to pin this photo so you can come back to it anytime!

Happy quilting friends!

26 comments:

  1. So pretty! Unfortunately the link to the pattern does not work.

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    1. It's just 5" squares sewed to each other. You can do it!

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    2. I was able to download mine. Keep trying or pm me on IG or FB and I can send the pic of the instructions.

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    3. The link works now! :) We just had a little hiccup when I first posted it (last year). But it works now. Thanks for stopping by and I hope the chart was helpful!

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  2. Beautiful quilt!! Is it me, though, or is there a technical error with the PDF link? I’m getting a “sorry, that page doesn’t exist” message.

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  3. I can’t seem to get the link to work for this pattern?

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  4. Gosh the link doesn’t work! It’s a beautiful quilt and often simpler is better.

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  5. You are so sweet and generous to share this with us! Thank you! I tried the link to the PDF but it didn’t work. Not sure if it’s on my end or yours but wanted to let you know just in case…Again, thanks so much for sharing the pattern with us. Happy Thanksgiving.

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  6. Wow so beautiful. This is definitely a Christmas snuggle quilt.

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  7. Oh My Goodness! I finally found the link to download this great pattern. Thank you!

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  8. This is simply perfect - I have a friend with arthritis and she really can’t use a rotary cutter much anymore but this is a great example for using charm squares. I know what I’m giving her for Christmas!

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  9. This looks lovely. I will definitely have to try it. I'll have to see if I can get the same or similar fabric. Thanks for the pattern.

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  10. Just beautiful! An inspiration for using my little collection of French General fabrics.

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  11. Oh my! This quilt is just so beautiful. My son has wanted a red quilt for Christmas, and this has inspired me. The softer reds, gray, and low volume fabrics will be easy to work with. Thank you for the free pattern. This will certainly be a repeat pattern and a keeper quilt.
    D. Weeks (aka Momma Llama)

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  12. What kind of batting did you use that made it cuddly and not stiff? Thank you.

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    1. I always use 100% cotton batting. I think the minky on the back helps it to drape really nicely and it's sooo cuddly!

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    2. I am so excited about this pattern…I am not a quilter but I made one Christmas quilt and have been feeling the need to make another so that each of my children can have one in their home someday! The first quilt is just the quilt top and monkey batting—with my homemade “quilting” along the blocks! I am going to use your recommendation and doing 100% cotton batting and the minky for this one!

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  13. So beautiful yet so simple. Thank you for doing the math and for the free pattern. I have one charm pack of Mama Said Sew, 2012, by Sweetwater that I just have not been able to cut up. Mixed with a bit more of their lines plus some others I think this is the perfect pattern for it.
    Debbie Brugman quiltshopemails@gmail.com

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    1. I LOVE that line! I made a quilt from it when it first came out! It would be really cute in this pattern.

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  14. Hello. How did you randomize the squares? And could I sew strips and then cut? Thanks!!!

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    1. Hi there! Sorry, I just now saw your message! If you want complete control over where the prints/colors are you could lay out all the squares first. Just play around with the layout until like fabrics and colors are spaced well and balanced. Or (if you like it to look completely random - some like prints could end up touching) you could just "grab and go" when you're sewing the squares together into rows. Also, you can sew strips and then cut but the cutting directions would be a little different. I like to cut squares because then I have a little more control over where fabrics go and how scrappy it is. Best of luck! Amber

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  15. I am confused with the directions. In the batting and binding section for a twin-sized quilt, you specify only 2/3 yard of binding??? The quilt is 77” x 86”.
    Also you specify, in batting and binding, 9 strips of 2 1/2” x 40” strips. In your photos, i can’t locate where you used these (unless you used them for binding). Please help! This will be my first ever quilt!

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    1. Hi there! I'm sorry, I just now saw your message. From the 2/3 yards of fabric for the binding, you will cut 9 strips, 2 1/2" x 40" each. Yes, those strips are for the binding. Sew the strips together. Press the seam allowances open and then press the long strip in half lengthwise with wrong sides together. Sew the binding to the front side of your quilt, aligning the raw edges and mitering the corners as you go. Join the beginning and ending points and then turn the folded edge of binding to the back side of the quilt. Hand stitch in place using a blind or running stitch and coordinating thread. Best of luck with your first quilt ever!

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I ♥ to hear from you so please feel free to leave a comment. I read each one and try to respond as often as I can. Thanks so much for stopping by! ~Amber