Each month we meet up with a variety of quilt and fabric designers, new book authors, notion developers and more! It’s fun to get to know them a little bit better. Let me introduce you to Monika Henry of Penny Spool Quilts.

How did you get your start in sewing?
I grew up in Switzerland and textile arts is part of the primary school curriculum, so I learned to sew, knit, crochet, embroider etc. starting in grade 3. I learned to quilt when I was at uni, my local seniors’ center had a class and they let me join. Before that I didn’t even really know what quilts were.
What inspires you?
The most random things 😉 It can be a wrought iron gate, a tiled floor, or a lego lollipop one of my kids made. I’ve taken pattern inspiration from gift wrap and color combinations from sweaters I’d seen advertised. I never know when inspiration strikes.

Do you have a favorite or a few favorite notions? What are they?
I’m a very minimal quilter, so I don’t like having too many gadgets. But there are a few I would miss a lot if I had to do without. One’s my rotary cutter, and a couple of different sized rulers, and another is my fabric snips from LDH scissors.
Tell us about the project your currently working on.
I’m in the middle of developing the next scrap buster pattern. It’s going to be a “gem” of colors 😉 and I’m aiming for an April release.

Have anything fun coming up or just happening that you’d like to share?
I just released Scrappy Love, my first scrap buster pattern of this year. A lot of quilters are looking to use up fabrics they have and buy less new fabric for projects this year and Scrappy Love can help with that. I’ve included instructions for just about any size fabric you might have sitting on your shelf, including a scrappy background, and it comes with five quilt sizes, so you can really use what you have (or justify splurging on that fabric collection you’ve been holding out on). Plus, it’s a really fun pattern to sew up.

Give us a quirky fact about yourself 🙂
I’m learning to play the bagpipes, and hoping I’ll be good enough by the summer to be able to play with the band at the highland games.

Where Can I find More?
Website: https://www.pennyspoolquilts.com/
Instagram: @pennyspoolquilts
Monika will be joining us this month inside the quilt group for a guest chat. Not a member yet? You should be! Come join us for a wonderful, fun and inspirational year of quilting. More info here.

Becky Jorgensen is the creative quilter behind Patchwork Posse, the Patchwork Planner and her online quilt group Patchworkers Plus. You can find her patterns in books, magazines, and her quilt membership. Gather your quilting supplies, organize your sewing space, explore the process of disappearing quilt blocks, or finish a free quilt pattern. I'll help you use what you have, finish what you start and make your quilting journey fun!
Follow me here: Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube
Leave a Reply