Quilting

Patterns, patchworks and projects

Book review: Girl’s World

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Girl’s World: Twenty-One Sewing Projects to Make for Little Girls is Jennifer Paganelli’s debut book coming out late April 2011. Jennifer is the creator of the Sis Boom™ vintage lifestyle company. She has had several popular fabric lines with Free Spirit, the latest is Honey Child. Others include Queen Street, Poodle, So St. Croix, and Dance with Me. But back to the book in hand.

The look: Chronicle had me at the front cover. The tone for the book is set by a pretty, barefoot girl in a yellow dress reaching for a butterfly. How delightfully appealing is this scene to the little girl in all of us. Inside, the book is chock full of beautiful girls (ages toddler to tween) in and among things made of equally beautiful fabrics. Nearly a third of the book’s 175 pages holds project pattern sheets (sturdy, not the tissue kind). Throughout the book are outline fabric graphics of girls having fun doing things, like riding a pair of scissors with pigtails flying, (see pages 17, 64).

The layout: The projects are organized into three main sections. They are as follows: Dress-up, Accessories, and Home. The introduction includes a warm welcome from Jennifer where we find out what inspires her textile designs. Following this is Sewing Basket Basics. Oops, I think they meant to say Sewing Room Basics, how else would you store an ironing board and sewing machine into your sewing basket? No worries. A Sizing chart and Glossary of Techniques round out the intro.

The content: Jennifer is spot-on in her choices of projects to include in this book. Classic and trendy, take the Georgia Tulle Ballet Skirt (page 75) for instance. Tulle skirts are way hot now and I spied a plain one recently online for $32. Her version is a dream with the bottom filled with silk flower petals and leaves. An example of timeless charm is the Chloe Paper Doll Overnight Bag (page 101). She’s thoughtful too. Since when does a craft project help your circle of girls affirm each other? Hers does, check out her Girls’ “Ambassador of Goodwill” Badges (page 107). And finally, important to me as a quilter, she includes the Genevieve Patchwork Square Quilt (page 141). It’s fresh and sweet plus easy to sew.

The giveaway: I am giving away a copy of this book to a lucky Craft Gossip reader. Stay tuned for details in a future post.

Editor’s Note 3/27/2011: Go to Giveaway.

Comments

  2. Can’t wait to get my hands on this to sew up some CUTE projects for my 1-1/2 yr old daughter.

  3. Oh how cute,would love to win this and make my Granddaughter some lovely outfits.she loves it so much when her nana makes her outfits

  4. Have twin grand-daughters and could certainly use this book. Thanks for the opportunity.

  5. What a great book; I think not only would it be great fun to try projects out of, but it would look great sitting by my rocking chair in my craft room–a fun read!

  8. This book looks Perfectly Beautiful!!!!!!I would love to share this with my grandaughters!!!!!!!!

Have you read?

Woodland Whimsy Fabric Collection by Jennifer Pugh

There is something especially lovely about a winter fabric collection that feels seasonal without immediately shouting Christmas. Woodland Whimsy by Jennifer Pugh for Wilmington Prints is filled with forest animals, mushrooms, classic plaids, dots and softly textured coordinating prints.

The colours have a warm, storybook quality, making the collection perfect for quilts that can stay out long after the Christmas decorations have been packed away.

What Is Included in the Woodland Whimsy Bundle?

The Woodland Whimsy Fat Quarter Bundle includes:

  • 15 coordinating fat quarters
  • One 23-inch scenic fabric panel
  • 100% quilting cotton
  • Fabrics designed by Jennifer Pugh
  • Prints manufactured by Wilmington Prints

Each fat quarter measures approximately 18 x 21 inches.

I particularly like that the scenic panel is included with the bundle. Fabric panels are wonderful when you want an impressive focal point without spending several evenings piecing tiny blocks while wondering why you chose such a complicated pattern in the first place.

The panel could become the centre of a lap quilt, wall hanging or child’s quilt, with the coordinating fat quarters used to create simple patchwork borders.

What Could You Make With Woodland Whimsy Fabric?

This collection would work beautifully for:

  • A woodland animal lap quilt
  • A cosy winter wall hanging
  • A child’s storybook quilt
  • Patchwork cushions
  • Quilted reading mats
  • Fabric storage baskets
  • Winter table runners
  • Handmade gifts for nature lovers

You could also separate the smaller prints and use them in scrap-friendly projects. Our collection of eight fat-quarter-friendly quilt patterns offers plenty of ideas for putting coordinated fabric bundles to work.

For something smaller, the gentle woodland prints would be lovely in a seasonal mini quilt. This free mini snowflake quilt pattern could easily be adapted using the collection’s winter colours.

Is the Woodland Whimsy Bundle Worth Buying?

The bundle gives you a ready-made colour palette, a useful assortment of coordinating prints and a feature panel in one package. That takes much of the guesswork out of planning a quilt, particularly if choosing coordinating fabrics is the part that usually sends you wandering around the fabric shop for an hour.

The prints are playful enough for children but not so juvenile that they cannot be used for adult quilts and winter home décor. That versatility is probably the collection’s strongest feature.

The bundle was listed at US$62.98 when checked and is expected to ship in October 2026. Prices, availability and shipping dates may change, particularly with a new fabric release.

If you love woodland animals, gentle winter colours and fabric that feels as though it belongs in an illustrated storybook, this is a charming collection to add to your sewing list.

See the Woodland Whimsy Fat Quarter Bundle at Fat Quarter Shop.