Announcing the Sew Scrappy Spools Quilt Along!

33 comments

1. Question: Since I’m allergic to tiny blocks (LOL!) can you tell me the size of the spool block, please? I’m interested in participating since I love Lori Holt projects — BEAUTIFUL fabric!
   Thank you!

   1. The inside portion of the blocks are 5.5 inches square.

      1. Are there tutorials for Sew Scrappy Spools??? And where?

         1. Hi Karen, there are not tutorials for Sew Scrappy Spools at this time. The pattern includes the detailed directions on how to make each of the fourteen different blocks and Kimberly will share her progress, but she has not made any tutorials on them.

2. Can you do this if you have never quilted anything before?

   1. My first few quilts were ones where I repeated the same block throughout which was just the thing I needed to perfect my piecing technique. What you’ll find with this quilt is a variety of blocks, so it’s a little challenging for a first-time quilter. That said, if you’re a confident beginner with a consistent 1/4″ seam, can follow the pattern in the book, and feel like you would enjoy the challenge and variety of this pattern, then I would say YES.

   2. Is this all traditional piecing? I do not like to applique. I love piecing quilts.

      1. Hi Leah Lee!

         It is all piecing there is no applique!

3. Someone said if you preorder the Book, Scrappiness is Happiness that you get the book Sew Happy Spools. Is that true.

   1. The book has been out for a while now. The only way to get the spools pattern is to buy it.

      1. Liz, That was true, I pre-ordered my book and the spools came with it, I think you now have to buy it, It’s so cute it will be worth it, (Just my opinion)

   2. If you pre-ordered the book, a paper pattern of the spools was included. I don’t think it’s included anymore.

4. Thank you.

5. I am so excited for this Quilt Along!

6. I’m totally in love this pattern and am looking forward to the quilt along. I love the month of January because it means lots of quilting.

7. Where can I get the pattern?

   1. Fat Quarter Shop 😊

   2. Hi Mary! It’s linked in the supplies above, but you can also follow these links below.
      Sew Scrappy Spools Downloadable PDF Quilt Pattern:
      https://www.fatquartershop.com/sew-scrappy-spools-downloadable-pdf-quilt-pattern-its-sew-emma?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=qal-sew-scrappy-spools-announcement
      Available as a paper pattern: https://www.fatquartershop.com/sew-scrappy-spools-quilt-pattern-its-sew-emma?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=qal-sew-scrappy-spools-announcement

8. Is this a foundation pieced pattern? Will we need the special foundation paper to complete the blocks?

   1. Hi Jane!

      You won’t need any special papers to complete this quilt. There are some papers that could help with some of the blocks, but there’s nothing that’s required. The pattern is designed to be completed without any papers.

      Hope this helps!

9. If I order the Calico fat quarter bundle, what other fabric will I need?

   1. Hi Amanda!

      Our Fabric requirements also recommend to have a background fat quarter bundle for the blocks and cornerstones. You’ll also need a background for the spools backgrounds, something for sashing/borders, and backing.

      Hope this helps! Happy quilting!

10. I have the pattern and received the spool, background and sashings fabric. So we go to Lori’s UTube on 1/12 for the quilt along, what time or can we get it anytime on recording?

    1. Hi Carolyn, just wanted to clear things up. As far as we know Lori isn’t sharing a video on this 1/12 or anytime soon.

       On 1/12 if you come back here to our blog we will have a post with more details. You can also check out the linked Livestream to hear Lori and Kimberly talk about this sew along.

11. I love the polka dotted fabric used on the spool ends on the picture shown on the pattern. Where can I find that fabric?

12. I just discovered information about the quilt today, January 13,2023. I see it started yesterday, the 12th. Is it a zoom webinar, are the videos available after the fact for the entire year, is it start to finish including binding and backing? I am participating in Quiltfolk Patchwork and Prose which involves creating blocks based on books and prompts are given to help us select our books. Our finished quilt will be a wallhanging. This would be my second BOM because it’s too cute to pass up. Because it’s scrappy, I am assuming I can use what I have on hand. Is it possible to make a wall hanging instead of a full quilt? So many questions. Haven’t made a quilt in forty years. Trying to get back into the swing of things. Thanking you in advance for your response. Pat

    1. Hi Pat! We’re so excited to hear you’re getting back into quilting!

       This particular quilt along does not have tutorial videos. You can get the pattern which has detailed cutting and piecing directions. However, if you’re looking for a scrappy sew along with tutorials you might want to check out the Scrappiness is Happiness quilt along. It started late 2022, but there’s no reason you can’t join we’ve only made a handful of blocks so far. You can find the details on that here: https://blog.fatquartershop.com/announcing-the-sew-scrappy-spools-quilt-along/

       Happy quilting!

13. Help! My comment is more of a question, really. I have just finished the Sew Cabin blocks and am disturbed to see that my 5 1/2″ blocks are really more of 5 1/4″ blocks. Am I using more than a 1/4″ seam allowance? I am using the 1/4″ sewing foot that came with my machine. I tried to finish out the blocks with the spool and background fabric, and while the edges are 8 1/2″ the insides are only 8 1/4″. (They are really spool shaped!) Am I going to be able to compensate for this in the overall quilt, or should I just redo these blocks, maybe cutting my pieces a little larger or using a smaller seam allowance? I am not a new quilter, but I consistently see this problem with my blocks. So maybe it is my 1/4″ foot? I am trying to cut my fabric to size. Any advice would be appreciated.

    1. Hi Jane!

       You could fix this with cutting the pieces a little larger and trimming down after sewing (Kimberly does this in a lot of videos and probably did this on this block) or use a scant quarter-inch foot. The scant foot is just a hair narrower than the true quarter-inch and gives enough room to account for the fabric folding when pressing seams.

       1. Thank you for his helpful information. I will try cutting my strips a little larger. I appreciate your answering my question.

    2. Jane, As a suggestion – cut (3) strips 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches sew them together into a 3.5 inch square, press. Measure the block and focus on the center strip. The center strip should be an even 1 inch from beginning to end. If it is less than 1 inch repress and remeasure. If it is still too narrow, make another block using a slightly narrower seem. I found on my machine I could adjust the needle position to a point I was happy with my seems. My other machine, the needle position is set and can’t be changed. On that machine I mark my seem line with painter’s tape.

       1. Thank you for this advice. I will try this process and check out my seams. I appreciate your answering my question.

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