Pies are baking, gifts are wrapped and our holiday sewing is (almost) finished! From everyone at Spool, we wish you a very Merry Christmas. We hope your holiday is filled with family, friends, and fun!

Spool will be closed December 24th & 25th, and we will be open from 11-6 on the 26th & 27th. We will be closed next week, December 28th- January 1st, for inventory and little R & R! Our regular schedule will resume January 2.

Enjoy the Season!

Alright, everyone, this is it! The last day of Spool shopping before Christmas! We will be open today from 11-6, and have lovely gifts at the ready. In addition to the handmade-by-us items in our sample sale, we have some last minute ideas for all the crafty folks in your life.

Sewing Kits!

We have kits ready to go for beginning sewers, garment sewers and quilters. Everything they need in an adorable handmade zipper pouch!

Books!

Adding to a stitcher’s library gives hours of enjoyment and helps jumpstart the creative process. Try Denise Schmidt’s Quilts for the modern quilter, Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross for a garment maker, or I Love Patchwork by Rashida Coleman-Hale for an all around crafter.

Fabric Bundles!

When in doubt, fat quarters are the gift giver’s best friend. Every sewist loves fabric, and always appreciates an addition to the stash. Perfect for quilters and crafters, we have gorgeous bundles in new fabrics from Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett, & Heather Bailey.

Gift Certificates!

Let your crafters choose their own project or the workshop to go with it. We have gift certificates available in any denomination that can be used for materials and classes.

See you soon!

The snow is really coming down here in Philly this morning and a cozy shipment of Valori Wells flannel arrived just in time. Not only did we get the very popular pompom flowers and butterfly prints, but we also have OWL flannel. These little guys are so cute! I know Olga is already planning to line a hat she knit for a friend with the blue owls. Perfect!

I just keep thinking of PJ pants in every color. So snuggly! Elizabeth told me that one year she made 6 pairs of pajama pants on Christmas Eve for gifts. Six pairs! While I am not suggesting anything so extreme, it is an awfully good day for a little walk to the fabric shop for a flannely treat, and then home for a day of relaxing sewing! The snow is not keeping us away, so stop by and say hello. Stay warm out there!

Still stuck on that one last giftee on your holiday list? Give something handmade…by us! How about a super cute purse, a lovely butterfly skirt, adorable child’s PJs, or an amazing colorful quilt? These are just some of the pretty pieces still available at our first sample sale in our bricks & mortar shop.

We have children’s items priced at $10-$25, women’s clothing starting at $25, zipper pouches & handbags from $8-$35, and a variety of quilts starting at $30 and ranging to $200, depending on size. Stop in to see our full selection! Happy Shopping!

I was so pleased when Jay McCarroll stopped by the shop this week now that he’s back in town after filming his latest reality show in L.A. Not only did he bring lots of silly glasses to try on, but he also let me know he’s ready to teach another class at Spool! Jay is Project Runway’s first season winner and designer of our favorite fabric lines: Garden Friends, Woodland Wonderland, and the new Germania. Jay is known for his amazing sense of color, unique point of view, and fun loving nature.

It has been a treat to get to know Jay this past year, and we are thrilled to offer you an opportunity to do the same. Jay will be teaching a mystery class in creativity on January 16. Intrigued? I thought so!

When you come to class, Jay will hand you a “mystery bag” full of materials to make a top secret project. (Here’s a hint: Whenever you see Jay around town, he is carrying a huge tote bag!) Jay will be your guide, sharing his methods of design, embellishment, and fabric selection. It promises to be a wonderful class in experimentation and color, so be prepared for an adventure!

Here’s the details:

Saturday, January 16: 1-5PM. $80
Materials: Mystery Materials included. You will need to purchase or bring one yard of fabric and thread. Use of our sewing machines, rotary cutters, scissors, mats, and rulers are included for the class session.

Class size is limited, so please call the shop to reserve your space.

Heather Bailey’s new line, Nicey Jane has arrived! Isn’t it just so darned pretty? I love how the graphic prints contrast with the softer florals to create a delightful vintage feel. I can definitely see myself in a Liverpool Dress made from the barkcloth inspired stripe with a Parisian Purse in the leafy print to match. Or, I would cut lots of strips and make a perfectly girly Roman Stripes Quilt. Lovely!

Fat quarter bundles are now available in the shop in two colorways. What would you make?

Our class schedule is now up and ready through March 2010! Take a little time for yourself in the New Year to learn to sew, make your first quilt, or stitch up a pretty purse. We have new dates of our most popular sessions, as well as all new offerings. Classes are a fun way to improve your skills and enjoy crafty company!

Still wondering what to gift to give the sewing enthusiast in your life? I’ll bet that a gift certificate to one of our classes would be well received. Better yet, you could take a class as well and spend some creative time together. We are happy to mail gift certificates anywhere they need to go, so please call the shop for details.

See you in class!

Kaffe Fassett’s Shot Cottons are some of my most favorite fabrics. Soft, lightweight, and rich in color, they match up wonderfully with my preferred accessory: scarves! Our Scarf Kits are now back in the shop, just in time for last minute holiday sewing.

If you’re unfamiliar with Shot Cotton, this project is a great way to get acquainted. There is no “wrong side” to this fabric, because the warp and weft are dyed different colors and then woven together to create an amazing depth of color. Our scarves show this feature to it’s best advantage, by leaving the edges raw for fraying. The scarf will have two distinct bright colors running along the edges. Lovely!

Plaids are everywhere this season, so we matched our favorite colors with Kaffe’s woven checks in our scarf kits. Each kit contains two 22″ x 36″ cuts of fabric. Stitch them together along the short ends and press the seam allowance open. Then stitch the seam allowance down with a brightly colored thread. Run through washer & dryer and you have created a super stylish scarf! We have a gorgeous range of colors that will work (quickly!) for everyone on your gift list. Happy stitching!

We are having our first sample sale! Our sample storage is overflowing, so it’s time to part with some of our favorite pieces. We have all manner of quilts, purses, and housewares, not to mention beautiful clothes for women and babies. Each item was made by a Spool staffer and has been very well priced! This is a wonderful opportunity to give handmade holiday gifts, even if you don’t have time to make them yourself!

The sale starts in our bricks & mortar shop today and runs through the end of the year. See you soon!

It’s true! Every sewist eyes up these beautiful Gingher scissors, and then maybe thinks, “Next time I’ll get them. For now, my kitchen scissors will do.” This is where you, the gift giver, will reign supreme! This one purchase lasts a lifetime and makes sewing much more enjoyable. Any of these scissors will please a stitcher so much, don’t be surprised if suddenly there a plethora of sewn goods with your name on them!!

Located in North Carolina, Gingher has been the premier brand of scissors for over 50 years. The blades are forged from high carbon cutlery steel, and are then ground and polished by hand. The points, blades and tension are also hand tuned to ensure the best quality in each pair. Should the blades dull, which is bound to happen after years of use, you can send the scissors back to them for sharpening. Each pair comes in a brushed metal gift box, with a point protecting sheath.

The Gingher 8″ Dressmaker Shear is the best all purpose scissor. The bent handle makes for easy cutting along any flat surface. Perfect for working with multiple layers of fabric in long, clean cuts, this scissor is a must for garment sewers. Plus, the handle design is so pretty!

For the all around crafter, the 5″ knife edge scissor is the best. It has a strong blade that can cut through multiple layers of felt & fabric, and can even cut through leather. Small enough to trim threads in tight corners, and to fit into your on the go sewing kit.

These 4″ embroidery scissors will live right next to the sewing machine. They are invaluable throughout a sewing project for clipping all those pesky threads as you go. Tiny and portable, these keep all your needlework projects nice and tidy.

Help point your loved ones in the right direction, or treat yourself! All styles are available in the shop and online. Happy Sewing!