I finished a new quilt! In record time, might I add! Seriously, I started this on a Saturday afternoon and it was washed and hanging on the wall by Wednesday morning. And yes, I did sleep and eat and do all the other things I like to do! The pattern is called Piano Keys from Rangoli Designs. It’s no secret around the shop that I am in love with Laura Gunn’s new line Poppy, so when I saw that this pattern recommends mid to large scale prints, there was no question what fabrics I would be using!

I had the pleasure of meeting the pattern’s designer, Sujata, and she showed me a sample she had made. Using just 10 fat quarters, you can make a completely unique work of art! The pattern’s instructions are clear and the cutting is simple. All the blocks are the exact same size! Arranging the cut blocks is so fun, mostly because you really can’t go wrong. Sujata recommends laying out the quilt and sewing piece by piece, so you see the quilt forming before your eyes! It’s not often that you get instant gratification in quilt making but this definitely fits the bill.

I finished off the the quilt by backing it with a Kaffe Fassett woven check, and quilting with a variegated thread. I chose the wavy line design that I had seen in the sample. This was surprisingly simple and very relaxing. Normally, I am a stitch-in-the-ditch kind of girl, and quilting this way was very freeing. I highly recommend it!

I made the baby quilt size, which is 44″ x 48″, but the pattern also includes instructions for a 72″ x 80″ version. I love this so much, I made up kits for the shop. Each kit includes 10 fat quarters in the fabrics shown and the pattern. I am so pleased that Sujata will also be teaching a class on this quilt in May. Please check our class page for details!

This has been a fantastic fabric delivery week for Spool! Laura Gunn’s new line, Poppy, has arrived and I am swooning! I fell in love with Laura’s first collection, Lantern Bloom, last Summer, and her sophomore effort does not disappoint. These colors are glorious!

Giant poppy and dogwood flowers mingle with painterly stripes and polka dots- my favorite! The visible brushstrokes from Laura’s original paintings lend a lively and personal feel to the designs. You can just tell she had a wonderful time creating these. A light and airy palette is perfect for Spring projects. These cheerful prints would be amazing as home decor. Just walking into a room with these flowers would make you smile! We’ve already started making a swoopy circle skirt in the larger than life orange poppies. What would you make?

I know that there is still 2 feet of snow on the ground outside the shop, but I am looking forward to Spring in a big way! The recent completion of these Simple Tanks are a big part of the reason! I made a one using Kwik Sew 2498 last summer, and it quickly became a wardrobe staple. I am not a big fan of stretchy, clingy tanks in the warm weather, and I love that with one yard of cool cotton you can make a breezy top in different styles.

Elizabeth sewed up these versions in a rosy pink Shot Cotton, and one in Kaffe Fassett’s Serape Stripe. I thought the rosy one needed a little something extra, and since we recently got some gorgeous embroidery floss in at the shop, I decided to embellish! I carefully stitched a row of little french knots along the neckline. They were easier to make than I thought, and I love the shine of the mercerized thread. Sparkly!

If you’d like to get a little dose of Spring this weekend, we will be having a Simple Tank class. Here’s the details:

Saturday, February 20: 10AM -2PM
$45 plus materials

Materials: Pattern, thread, .75- 1.5 yards of fabric depending on size. All materials are available for purchase at Spool. Use of our sewing machines, rotary cutters, scissors, mats, and rulers are included for class sessions.

Please call the shop to reserve your space. See you soon!

The groundhog has predicted 6 more weeks of winter, and the weather forecasts a TON of snow in Philly this weekend! Despite this news, a temperate Spring breeze has wafted through Spool in the form of Dolce. This delicate, art deco inspired collection is the latest from Freespirit designer, Tanya Whelen. It has me thinking of warmer days, open windows and, of course, pretty new projects!

I would love to see these fabrics as a new dress, a set of curtains for a french door, or a simple throw for a porch glider. The soft colors would even make a sweet, but sophisticated, choice for a baby girl’s nursery. What would you make?

Spool staffer, Elizabeth, is a fashion student in the midst of her senior collection. Needless to say, she is a very busy girl; designing and sewing constantly. When this new dress pattern fabric arrived from Alexander Henry, she just had to have it!

During a particularly hectic school week, she stopped and took a little time for herself to stitch up this adorable tote. She used Robert Kaufman’s Fusions for the lining, and did the contrast stitching in a pretty fuchsia to match. It is so cute, and she says it was a great pick me up. She has something fun to cheer her up wherever she goes!

I think this a great reminder of how simple crafting, even for an hour or two, can make us feel accomplished and happy. Now Elizabeth can get back to high fashion with clear head! Great job, lady!

Amy Butler’s Nappy Bag pattern is a favorite among moms. It has plenty of pockets for toys, bottles, and of course nappies. Everyone’s favorite feature is the cute cell phone pocket on the shoulder strap!

We’ve made ours using Amy’s Laminated Cotton fabric for the exterior and her Home Dec Solids for the interior. Using the heavier fabrics eliminates the need for interfacing, making this bag come together more quickly. Moms know that inevitably their bags end up on the floor or in the grass. The laminated fabric makes it easier to keep your bag looking fresh and clean. Of course, Amy’s gorgeous print makes it stylish and fun!

The Farmer’s Almanac has predicted a very cold winter this year, and judging by the temperatures in Philly, I’d say it’s on the money! My eyes keep turning towards the super soft, warm bolts of flannel we’ve received recently. On a cold winter’s night, you can’t beat flannel PJ’s and a cup of cocoa. If you agree, perhaps you’ll want to sew some of your very own in our Pajama Pants class this weekend!

Class starts this Sunday! Please call the shop to reserve your space.

The details:

Sunday, Jan 17 & 24: 12:30-2:30PM
$45 plus materials

Materials: pattern, 2.75 yards fabric,thread, 1 pkg. 1″ elastic. All materials are available for purchase at Spool. Use of our sewing machines, rotary cutters, scissors, mats, and rulers are included for class sessions.

You should be familiar with sewing machine basics to take this class. Please stop by the shop prior to class to pick up your pattern and select your fabric. Fabric should be laundered, and the paper pattern pieces cut out for the first class.

See you soon!

New designs from Alexander Henry have arrived! I have long been a fan of this fabric company, and I am so excited to have them in the shop. I chose prints that I thought would be great for kids, but not so child-like that grownups with a whimsical nature couldn’t use them as well!

I’d love to see some Bedtime Story Pajamas, for a boy or girl, in the little elephant print. Crib bedding using the alphabet & car fabrics would be just darling! Any of these would be so much fun to use in our Quick Start Quilting class, where we make a small quilt suitable for a child’s playmat.

Personally, I would make a skirt from that lovely giant polka dot, and make a hem facing of little elephants. What would you make?

We are in Love with Amy Butler’s Frenchy Bag! Since our Frenchy Bag models sold out in our sample sale, I thought it was time for some new ones in new fabrics! When Amy’s new line arrived, Elizabeth was especially taken with this lacy, paisley print. Aubergine and pale chartreuse is one of her current favorite color pairings! Seeing them together, I think they may become one of mine too!

Elizabeth got work stitching up the Shoulder Bag and Handbag versions, both of which are included in the pattern. I think they turned out beautifully, and she did an amazing job of centering the patterns. The contrast between the wild paisley and the more traditional medallion is just lovely!

If you’d like to try your hand at making your very own Frenchy Bag, we are having a workshop on March 7 & 14th. This is great class for getting more confident with sewing patterns. Plus, you know you’ll be dying for a new handbag when Spring rolls around, so why not make your own? Please call the shop to reserve your space. See you soon!

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Although I thoroughly enjoyed all the festivities, I have missed my sewing machine! I am ready to reset, renew, and reinvent, and this new fabric line, Revive, is just the thing to get me started.

Art Gallery Fabrics is a new-to-Spool company, and I couldn’t be happier to have them in the shop. Revive’s prints are soft, light, and full of movement. An exceptionally fine cotton hand makes this lovely for skirts and blouses, as well as quilts. Feminine prints coordinate beautifully together, and look amazing with my favorite Shot Cottons. Aquas and blues make for a refreshing start to the new year, don’t you think?

I have one thing on the brain for this year – quilts! I want to make so many! I have already started cutting out a new quilt using Revive, and I’ll be sure to show you how it turns out. What will you be sewing this year?