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.

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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?

In the Garden Layer Cake – A Bloom-Filled Fabric Collection for Spring Sewing

Some fabric collections feel pretty, some feel useful, and then there are those rare ones that instantly spark a dozen ideas the moment you see them. The In the Garden Layer Cake from Fat Quarter Shop falls firmly into that last category. From the moment I opened the pack, it felt like stepping into a watercolor garden—soft, romantic, full of movement, and brimming with detail that invites you to slow down and really look.

This collection brings together an elegant mix of florals, garden motifs, and soothing color palettes that feel like they were created for spring quilting. Instead of loud novelty prints, the designer chose a gentle balance of botanical sketches, scattered blossoms, tiny seed patterns, and larger feature florals that work beautifully in both traditional and modern layouts.

What struck me most is how thoughtfully the color stories are arranged. Each print blends seamlessly into the next, giving you a spectrum that includes soft rose pinks, leafy greens, lavender tones, fresh sky blues, rich corals, and delicate neutrals. It’s the kind of palette that instantly feels “quilty” in the best way—inviting, calm, and incredibly easy to mix and match. You can tell the designer planned this for maximum versatility.

Layer cakes are one of the most beginner-friendly precuts, but this collection elevates them with a sense of sophistication. The prints are strong enough to shine in simple patterns, but subtle enough to support more complex designs. Whether you prefer classic half-square triangles, framed squares, modern grid quilts, or something scrappier, this fabric adapts beautifully. It’s also a wonderful choice for table runners, spring wall hangings, and even quilted bags or home décor projects.

One of the nicest surprises with this layer cake is how it manages to feel seasonal without becoming locked into one particular holiday or theme. While the palette is undeniably perfect for spring, the prints themselves are timeless enough to work year-round. A floral quilt made from this collection would look just as lovely on a summer sunroom sofa as it would draped over a guest bed in winter.

The fabric quality is exactly what you’d expect from Fat Quarter Shop—crisp, clean cuts, vibrant printing, and a smooth hand that makes piecing feel effortless. Nothing is too thin or too stiff, and the colors are even more beautiful in person than they appear online.

If you enjoy sewing projects that feel light, fresh, and inspired by nature, In the Garden is a collection worth adding to your stash. It has all the qualities quilters look for: balance, versatility, gentle movement, and that spark of creativity that makes you want to start a project immediately. Whether you’re planning a gift quilt, treating yourself to a new spring project, or simply building your fabric library with a set of prints that will play nicely with others, this layer cake is a thoughtful and inspiring choice.