One Charm Pack and one yard of Fabric = a quick and easy baby quilt top

 

First, a few caveats!

I am going to tell you how I did this, but you may need more or less fabric, depending on how wide you like your borders and bindings and how wide your border/binding fabric is. You may also choose to use different border and binding fabrics.  Any of these options will change the amount of fabric needed.   The directions also assume that you know how to make binding, and how to sandwich a top to ready it for quilting.

In order for this to work with just one yard of fabric, the width of the yard of fabric needs to measure at least 40 inches AFTER cutting off the selvedges.  You also need the whole 36 inches.  You may need a bit more if the yard ends are 'wonky' after being cut off the bolt.  That is because you will need to straighten the ends.  Many quilt stores give you an extra inch to allow for this, but the big box stores generally do not.   

Sew the charm pack together in a 6 x7 pattern. Arrange the charms in whatever way you like.  For this nautical themed quilt, the colors were fairly evenly divided, so I was able to set them in diagonal rows.  

The center should measure 27 1/2 by 31 1/2 inches before the borders are added.

Cut the border fabric into four 6 1/2 inch strips for the borders and four 2 1/2 inch strips for the binding.  I like to use 2 1/2 inch binding strips, but you can use 2 1/4 or even 2 inch binding strips if desired. 

Cut one 31 1/2 inch piece from each of two of the border strips and sew them on to the 31 1/2 inch sides of the center. Save the cut-off pieces.

Cut 40 inch pieces from the other two border strips and sew them on to the top and bottom of the center.   

Sew the binding strips together with diagonal seams.  Press the seams open, then fold the strips in half lengthwise and press to form the binding. You will need at least 170 inches of binding (and probably a bit more).

If your fabric is only 40 inches wide, the four binding strips will only be 158 1/2 inches after seaming them together.  You can cut more binding pieces  from the fabric left from the side borders and add it to the binding strips in order to make it long enough.   If you use 2 inch binding, you should be able to cut 5 strips from your yard of fabric, so you will have plenty.

In addition to the charm pack and yard of fabric for the top, you need a backing fabric in order to finish your quilt.   Technically, you only need a backing that is slightly wider and longer than the quilt top, but many people choose to add about 2 inches all around to allow for the shrinkage that happens when it is quilted.   The more densely the top is quilted, the more the shrinkage.  

The selvedges do not need to be cut off the backing fabric before quilting but the fabric width without the selvedges needs to be at least 40 inches.  If you want more wiggle room, you will need to piece the backing.  Since the quilt width and the fabric width are so close, the fabric needed to make the backing wide enough is only a few inches.  Some people choose to add an extra strip of fabric on one side of the backing fabric or the other, but that can result in the seam being very close to the edge and potentially running into the binding seam.  Other people add a strip of contrasting fabric down the center of the backing.  

Another way to make the backing wide enough is to make a diagonally seamed backing.  From what I can tell, John Flynn is the one who came up with the calculation to make figuring out how much fabric you need easy.  You can find the formula here:  https://www.flynnquilt.com/free-lessons.htm.  If you don't want to use pencil and paper, there are several sites that have a calculator and all you have to do is plug in the numbers.  Just do a search for diagonally pieced quilt back calculator and you will find several options.  

My backing fabric was about 42 inches wide with the selvedges, so I chose not to add any width.  I did end up piecing the backing, but I added the extra to the length, not the width.  I had an extra quarter yard of the border fabric that I wanted to use up, so I added it across the center of the back.   I quilted it on my Bernina B590, using a gentle undulating curve with the walking foot to resemble water, or waves.

Nautical Baby Quilt, ~ 40 x 44 inches