UPDATED February 17, 2019: You can now purchase a copy of the Spool Bird pattern in two sizes from Michael’s Etsy shop for $5 right here.
In 2008 Michael Fulkerson was working as a sewing teacher at Spool Sewing, a fabric store in Philadephia. The store owners asked Fulkerson if he could create a pattern for the in-store classes that would help people learn to sew by hand.
He came up with a fairly simple pattern for a cat toy: a little three dimensional bird. The owners were pleased with it and asked if they might post it as a free pattern on the store’s blog. Michael agreed.
The original photos of the Spool bird.
Glimpses of the mobile Fulkerson made that hung in Spool Sewing’s window.
Bird kits made and sold by Spool Sewing.
The bird’s design lent itself well to being part of a mobile so to help attract new students to the hand sewing class at the shop Michael made a mobile with several birds perched on sticks and the owners of Spool put it in the window. They took some photos of the mobile and used them to illustrate the pattern which they gave away for free on the Spool Sewing blog. The pattern had “designed by Michael Fulkerson” printed along the top, but otherwise stated no limitation on how it was to be used.
Michael recalls what happened next. “That photograph went viral and then so did the pattern.” The Spool bird was suddenly everywhere.
“I’ve made dozens of these birds,” Melissa Quaal told me when I posted about it on Instagram, and she’s not alone. Guilds made them. People sewed them for charity and made them into Christmas ornaments. There’s even a Flickr pool for the Spool bird where you can see hundreds of them made by people all over the world. The birds were featured in Philadelphia Home magazine, on Design*Sponge, and on Apartment Therapy. Fulkerson was nominated for a Martha Stewart American Made “Audience Choice” award for his design.
And then people started selling the Spool birds without crediting Fulkerson as the designer, or Spool as the originator. People sold them on Etsy, and they still do, in droves. Take a look here and here and here for just a taste.
The pattern along with a full step-by-step tutorial was published in Boden’s now defunct digital magazine, titled as “Boden Birdies” as though it was their own invention.
“Back in the beginning I was upset that people were copying and using my pattern for their own Etsy shops,” Fulkerson says. “Spool used to regularly ask people to stop, but no one ever did. Myself, I used to keep a list of all the shops that were using the pattern, but after a few years I realized that I was only aggravating myself and getting frustrated so I stopped.”
Get a Spool mobile from the original designer right here.
Fulkerson left Spool for reasons unrelated to the bird pattern and Spool has subsequently closed. He now works as a buyer for a museum gift shop and sells his original birds and cats in his Etsy shop, Oh My Eye. The pattern was deleted along with the Spool blog when the store went out of business, although cached versions are still around on Pinterest (that’s what you see above). Kind of a sudden end to what was perhaps the internet’s most popular free softie pattern.
“I consider the pattern kind of like my immortality,” says Fulkerson. “It’s out on the web with my name on it and that’ll never go away. In a weird way I’m being an inspiration to others to create. I like that idea. I also like that many have taken the pattern and mobile and made it their own. That they are making money on it? Eh, so what. Better to wish them luck than to harbor negative feelings.”
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What is your experience with the Spool bird? Have you seen it around? Did you have a particular idea of its history before this? What strikes you as interesting about the trajectory of this pattern?
This was actually my first time seeing it… and now I want to try make one, so I can understand (just from my own instant urge to try sew one) why it went viral!
I think birds always seem like something complex to create (at least to me), so this simple, cute pattern’s popularity and trajectory don’t shock me at all. Combined with no verbage on the pattern about use… it’s not shocking it became so popular.
I’ve always been of the mind that, as long as credit is given to the original pattern designer, patterns should be usable to make items you can sell. If I were ever to sell a pattern I created, I would encourage and enthusiastically look for folks selling what they made from it. For me, it would be half the fun of selling a pattern. (I, of course, would not be in favor of them circulating my pattern for free, though, unless it was something I put up as a free pattern)… so I was glad to read that the original creator of the Spool Bird was able to get past feeling angry.
That’s awesome that this is the first time you’ve seen the Spool bird. I’m so glad to show it to you, Heather. It’s a beautiful design.
I saw this pattern on spool years ago.Or I think it was Spool.I downloaded one and used my best boy scraps and made a few for my grandson,who loved them.I also made some fabric flowers and a couple birds and made a bouquet of sorts for a dying friend in the hospital,they were two love birds (of sorts) anyway she really loved them as she could not have real flowers where she was.and the birds were a nice touch!Thanks for the great pattern,sorry to hear about the bad people out there. I had never thought to sell them,I just made some beautiful gifts from the pattern.Thanks again. Oh I didn’t realize they were for hand sewing which might have been easier than a sewing machine!
So interesting! This was the first pattern I ever downloaded from the internet years ago when I first started reading sewing blogs and discovered etsy, etc. I can’t remember how I came across it but I thought it was such a cute design and looked simple enough to try. Later when my daughter was born in 2010 I made a few of them and hung them from the mobile I had used for my son. (his mobile was from pottery barn but I took the animals off it and hung the birds in their place) I still have the pattern in my stash. I did not know the back story so it’s interesting to see.
I think this was the first internet pattern for many, many people. 2008 was still fairly early for distributing patterns online. I think if it were posted today this story would be different.
What an interesting story. I made a bunch of these for Christmas years ago and it’s a great pattern. He made a big impact and I think he’s right to decide not to be bitter about it (even though that has got to be hard to do). He’s great, made a great thing and tons of people love it. Thanks for telling the back story and thank you to Michael Fulkerson for the pattern.
I made my daughter a mobile when I was pregnant. I have seen the birds all over the internet and always think, “hey! That’s that bird!” I love it. 😀
How did you attach the birds to the branches?
Try fishing wire?
I have seen his birds for sale as catnip toys made by children at a local art fair. The money raised went half to charity and half to the kids who sewed them. I’ve also seen them sold on branches and as mobiles at the same fair for higher prices. I don’t think that booth sold many but the kids sold out of their birds. I have seen the pattern online and agree with Heather’s comment that it makes a complex animal look cute and attainable.
Thank you and Michael for sharing the story behind the birds. I’m glad he’s moved on from angry to feeling good about being an immortal piece of the softie firmament. By the way – I love the new look of your header and blog!
Thank you so much for the nice words about the new look of the blog, Sharon. And I find the story of this pattern, and it’s amazing reach, totally fascinating.
I have made about 200 of these birds in the last couple of years, but I have had the pattern since not long after it was posted online. I printed it thinking, someday I’ll make one. My twist is to use vintage embroidery (from pillowcases, tablecloths, etc, that are otherwise unusable — I rescue the embroidered bits) as the fabric. I sell them (among other products) to raise money for a friend’s ministry in Haiti. They are one of my best sellers. People adore them. I donate 100% of the proceeds to charity, and I always credit the source when asked. I donate my time and materials, and every penny made goes to help support a school, a church and my friend the missionary through her 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. These birds launched a project that has raised approximately $3500 for Haiti since 2012. I’m gearing up for a craft fair in two weeks, and these birds are once again in the product line. My goal between now and December is $2000.
That sounds awesome, Colleen!
Hey! That’s me. Yes, I’ve made dozens of them…as gifts for dozens of people. It’s a very love, accessible pattern. Of course, you are bringing up a great topic that runs even deeper than just the Spool bird. Good on Michael for being able to move on and enjoy the notoriety of the his bird, that’s a very healthy attitude. The copyright issues of patterns is pretty tricky territory (as much as I understand) and I’m guessing there was little else he could do. Personally, I always credited Spool when I blogged about the birds and never even notice Michael’s name on the pattern! And, I consider myself fairly conscientious about that kind of stuff. Yikes!
P.S. THE BLOG LOOKS AMAZING! I love it so much! Beautiful job!
Thanks for the nice words about the new look of the blog, Melissa! I think Michael has the best possible attitude about the trajectory of his pattern. I like that he sees it as his little piece of immortality. That being said, I felt it was important to try to record his story so that people could find out the origin of the pattern. A big thank you to Michael for agreeing to share it with me.
Add me to the list of makers! I made some for my granny for Christmas a few years ago. She loved birds, and I thought it would be nice to have some hanging inside so she could always see them. I only wish that there had been instructions on how to make them perch because my dad and uncle ended up supergluing them to the dowling I was using as the perches 😀
Yes, I’m actually surprised I didn’t find a step-by-step tutorial showing how to attach your Spool bird to a perch. Again, I think if this pattern were to have gone viral now that sort of tutorial would definitely exist.
Not sure if you already know this but your new site often doesn’t load at all or not properly. I got on today by clicking on the home link of a basic text page. Have got the same over the last few days. Could be others are having similar issues? Love the new logo by the way – very clever (gets me thinking of owls, trees and taking naps). Which makes me think of knowledge and wisdom (which you are always sharing), growth and fruition as well as tying in with the napping element of your name.
Hi Sarah,
Hmmm.. I wonder if it has to do with clicking on a link like this: whileshenaps.typepad.com? If it has the typepad.com part it will no longer load. I’m working on redirecting all of those links right now, but that’s still not quite finessed. To get directly here you need to go to http://www.whileshenaps.com
Thanks for the nice words about the new logo!
I did google your name and arrive via that. The typepad one no longer works as you say but the other one I found does load the page weirdly but is your new web site. However, typing http://www.whileshenaps.com worked perfectly, so all good. That’s what I will do from now on. Thanks for your help.
Well, I’m glad you’re here now, Sara! Thanks for hanging in there.
A few years ago, our library here had a bird theme going on. They held several hand-sewing workshops where kids and adults could make what I now know is the Spool bird. They hung all over the library. It was interesting to hear the story of the bird’s provenance, and I’m glad that the designer doesn’t feel too bitter about his loss of control of his pattern.
That’s amazing. I imagine that this kind of making took place all over the world. The impact of this pattern is truly huge.
Great post! This is a problem I see time and time again (Urban Outfitters ripping off etsy on a weekly basis, anyone?!). In a perfect world, I would love to see the original creators credited and reap any financial benefits, of course, but I think there is a point where a creator has to come to terms with this very thing. Michael’s philosophy is an inspiration and I hope I would feel the same way if I were ever in a similar situation!
I had never heard of the Spool Bird. Interesting story. Sometimes you have to let go and move on. Too much negativity can make you cranky and unhappy. But great story anyway. Thanks.
Totally. Why dwell, right?
This is really interesting, I had seen that bird around the internet before but didn’t know anything about it.
The creator has a much better attitude than I would.
His attitude is totally admirable. And I love that he still sells the originals in his online shop. That’s how I found him!
Thanks for sharing the story. This is the first time I have heard about the Spool Bird.
Regards from a COLD South Africa!
You’re welcome! And how cool is it that we’re on the other side of the globe from one another!
I went looking for patterns ages ago and saw this… I haven’t made this bird – I made one designed by Tilda (I have the book) and have tried another pattern I found that is more detailed (and I ended up adapting it a bit to meet what I wanted.) One of these days I am going to try a bird from Abby’s book but that hasn’t happened yet. I’m a little intimidated by all the pieces :-).
I’d like to get one of the Tilda books. They’ve been on my Amazon wishlist for ages.
I’d also like to adapt my wren pattern (that’s the one on the cover of The Artful Bird) to the fleece toys I’m making now. No wire legs, of course, but a bigger, cuddly wren based on the same templates. Wouldn’t that be cool!
YES, love the idea of no wire legs for a larger, cuddly wren, Abby! Look forward to getting it when you have it ready.
BTW, I also had never heard of Spool Bird prior to your current post. I started making internet-sourced softies with your patterns last year and recently subscribed to some fantastic blogs, but I don’t search elsewhere online very much: sew many ideas for sew little time!
I’ve seen the bird, too, but never knew the story or that it was a free pattern. I tried to find it after reading this post but so far all the links go to the expired site. I did find other bird patterns, including your book~
Well, I’m glad my book popped up in a search for fabric birds 🙂 Yes, the Spool site is gone. It was taken down when the store closed. The image you see here of the pattern templates are about all you’ll find.
I had not heard of spool birds before, but I certainly think that the birds I have made from the pattern in your book look MUCH better.
Ha! Thanks, Nelda. I like the simplicity of the Spool bird. Being able to make something with just two pattern pieces is pretty great.
What an interesting story. It’s great that the pattern’s creator can see the upside and be positive about his contribution to so many people’s enjoyment. As always, though, a big boo to those who used the pattern without a word of acknowledgement or attribution……
Also, Abby, I love the new look of your site – gorgeous design!
I thought this story was really interesting, too! I’m so glad Michael shared it with me.
And thanks for the nice words about the new site! Yay!
I’ve had and made the spoolie bird for a long time and made some…… but never knew its origins before your article
Im so glad someone took the time and set the record straight and who was the original designer of the little birdie. Its great that he has
such a positive attitude to what is abuse by some yet he sees what great enjoyment that a simple softie brings to others
.. but I find it so sad when others copy a design and say its their own, its even worse when someone says its there own then uses the designers own
photos…. this has happened to several designers I’ve purchased from on Etsy and found their pattern in other places for sale
Thanks Abby I love your site and come often with a cuppa
oh thanks for the heads up to his shop on etsy
First of all, congratulations on the move to Word Press! The website looks absolutely amazing! You must be thrilled to have finally made this change. I know you’ve mentioned it frequently.
I actually didn’t know this bird, or if I’d seen it I’d never noticed that it had gone viral. I can understand its popularity. The colors and form, however simple it is, are stunning. Now I want to make some, too, with fabric scraps I have hanging around, but obviously not for selling. It’s so frustrating when people take your work and show it off as their own. 🙂 Lisa
p.s. I guess I hadn’t read closely the last part about the pattern being deleted from the original source, so I guess I won’t be making these after all! 🙂 Lisa
You could still make it. The designer has the pattern for sale in his Etsy shop.
Abby, I love your blog and thoughts. You remind me of that one great teacher we all hope to have in elementary, showing us a class lesson then asking us questions such as “What is the moral of this story?”. Reading the comments is akin to flipping to the back to read the answers!
I think it’s great how Michael handled it, because let’s face it – what are his choices? I see it as a learning lesson and have certainly learned mine the hard way as well after having my images stolen before watermarking everything.
Thank you so much!
Abby, great story. I am still wondering though, what should he have done differently? You mention that he didn’t limit the use of the pattern, but how does one do that? And if he had done that, how enforceable is it?
I’m not entirely sure he could have done anything differently. I think it would have been nice if Spool had indicated that the pattern was for personal use only, but I think it’s been made clear that this isn’t an request you can enforce. I do think if the pattern had been published on the internet today things would have unfolded in differently. Although the number of sites and users has dramatically increased since 2008, the online craft wold has gotten smaller in some ways. People would call makers out for copying today in a way that they didn’t then. That’s my thinking.
Hi! I am actually the owner of the first Etsy shop named in this article the droves of sellers using the pattern (Unaccustomed Earth), and I thought it might interest readers (and perhaps the author!) to hear a first-hand account of how the pattern was appropriated. I made my first mobile for my own room decoration a few years ago when I was 18, and was told by my friends that I should sell them online. I tinkered with the pattern a little to make a version of the bird that was slightly easier to sew, and got to selling. I was (and still am) naive to the complexities of artistic license and intellectual property, but I assumed that because it was a free pattern I found in the vast expanse of the internet, I was not crossing any lines. It saddens me to hear that the creator of the pattern feels hurt that his work is being used so liberally. I am glad to have learned this, and will certainly be adding credit to him and a link to the pattern on my page. However, the reality is that most of my customers are paying for my quality of sewing, my ability to engineer a balanced mobile, and my skill at mixing patterns in an aesthetically pleasing way – I sell a product that extends beyond just the pattern alone. Also, it may be of interest to note that I am a 21 year old special education teacher, and I rely on this shop, quite frankly, to make ends meet and buy groceries!
Although it did make the designer sad at first to see his pattern used for profit, I think he really came to the conclusion that it was okay, or even a positive thing. I was happy to tell his story from his perspective, and I’m equally glad to hear yours!
Found the story you tell looking for “spoolsewing” (I’ve just sew 9 of this birds for my daughter’s room) : I’ve made a few “spoolbirds” in 2008 for me and some friends, when I found it, don’t know how… but didn’t know the whole story. Creating (and creators) is still stronger than copists, always a step farer (oups, my english is a bit hesitating : “more far”??). Very interesting how he managed to deal with that. Thanks for telling us!
Thank you for the back story!
I have made and sold over a hundred and fifty for all kinds of causes, from Relay for Life, to Chippewa Falls Happy Tails Dog Park, to The Center in Eau Claire.
I have a rule, no buying fabric for birds, I need to make out of scraps, or what I have on hand, or what people give me.
I didn’t know there were kits! I love the idea! Putting that on my Christmas list for myself!
Hey Abby, I love that you wrote about these birds. I’ve been making them into mobiles for a couple of years now. Friends and family love them! They’re so fun to handsew whenever I’m away from my machine. In fact these little birds got me started on my fabric love and sewing journey. Thank you so much for putting the interesting background story out there.
The Spool bird! Such a great pattern… I actually enlarged the pattern and modified it quite a bit to make an almost life-size quetzal, which was the mascot of my kids’ school. A lot of labor went into those tailfeathers, for sure! This was back in… maybe 2009? Now my daughter’s requesting a cockatiel. I looked in my various sewing boxes and found the old enlarged pattern and am ready to get started again. One more Spool bird joins the worldwide flock!
I’ve made 3 or 4 of these–gifts, and a couple experimenting with scraps from my machine-quilting practice. I love them! My grand kids kidnap them when they come, and now that they’re beginning to sew they want to make some for Christmas gifts.
Oh what a shame, that the pattern was pirated by others, and that Michael Fulkerson was cheated that way, and that Spool is now closed. I went to Spool just once when I was visiting a friend, and they had a Christmas tree decorated with the charming birds. They pointed me toward the free pattern online, and I have made dozens of the birds, both as Christmas ornaments and little gifts and also as a wall decoration sitting on a branch. I always called them “Spool birds” and shared them in the Flickr pool and pointed my friends to that online pattern too. Thank you, Michael, for making such a lovely thing for us.
Also, I never knew they were originally cat toys, but that makes sense. I had a little basket of the birds as I was working on them, and my cat kept coming to steal them away.
A couple of years back, when I was learning to sew on my new sewing machine, this was the pattern for me. When they were finished, I really didn’t know what to do with them. Well, my brother had a stroke and his hand used to hurt from the lost of movement. Guess what? I took a couple of finished birds to him and he grabbed on the one and it fit perfect and the pain was gone. I like to say I gave him the bird! It made his hand feel so much better that it still brings tears to my eyes knowing that such a simple pattern made such a big difference in his pain level. He’s already worn two or three out. I made one in camouflage colors and one in bright orange so he can find it. He asked me to make some more for the guys in his therapy session. I don’t sell them, I just give them away all the time. Thanks for making a difference.
God bless you, You have changed peoples lives
Some of the comments detailing how this pattern was used were wonderful. The comment of the poster who made some of these birds for his brother –who had suffered a stroke–to help alleviate the cramping of his hands was awesome. So I hope Michael really basks in comments like these. To know that something initially small that he put out there has had such a life of it’s own and has helped so many.
Would make a great show at a folk art or craft museum. The story, the design, how it has rippled out….who is making it and why….
Also, think some of the appeal is the non particular simplicity of the pattern–combined with the ability for a crafter, home sewer, person of limited sewing skills, even a person who’s never sewed but is trying to sew these birds for a charity event, to use scraps of fabric to construct a successfully attractive product right out of the gate.
I agree with you, Nancy. I wanted to share the story of this pattern because it truly has had such an impact on so many people and their experiences with it are wonderfully diverse. I think it speaks to all kinds of aspects of internet culture as well.
I have made these birds for years. I downloaded the pattern off the Spool site when it was originally posted there, and have made dozens. As ornaments, as a mobil, as decorations, as gifts. I still use the same pattern I printed and cut out years ago. A friend asked for it, and I said I’d find it online for her. I knew it was popular when it first came out, but I never realized it was viral. Thank you to Michael for such a perfect little bird. I plan to make it for years to come.
That’s great ot hear, Carly. I’m so glad I was able to share Michael’s story here.
Amazingly, I have not seen this bird before. I am so happy that Mr. Fulkerson made this pattern and would like to use it.
I promise to always cite his name as the creator of this beautiful stuffed bird whenever I show the ones I make or whenever I give one away.
I am not interested in selling anything I make, mainly because I love being able to share my interest and passion for sewing with others, and also because I don’t want the responsibility of having to manage a business.
It is too late tonight to start making my first Fulkerson bird, but come morning, I’ll be at my table, sewing machine at the ready, bag of scrap fabrics on hand, and a smile as I anticipate the first of many of these birds.
Again, thanks to Michael Fulkerson for a beautiful pattern and to you, Abby Glassenberg for sharing it here so I could find it.
You’re welcome!
This is the first time seeing this bird! It’s beautiful and I want to make some myself! I am however so sorry that all this happened to to you!
I saw the original pattern from spool naming Michael Fulkerson as the designer. I fell in love and made some for my soon to be daughters baby room as a mobile. I still have it up. She loves it so much she’s ripped a couple off to play with them. I made so many for the Mobile I had leftovers and stuffed it with catnip for my friends cats. I will never sell them or claim it as my pattern. Thank you for an awesome pattern that is clearly well loved.
I found the pattern online and made one or two for myself. I could see many were selling them implying the pattern was theirs. As an artist, this struck me as so wrong. . . and yet there the pattern was Free Online. It was refreshing to read the originator took the higher road. Good for him! And yep, your bird inspired me so Thank You!
My sister saw this or some variation of it because we made bird ornaments that hung on branches for her wedding center pieces in 2009.
Hi,
I make these birds for my etsy store and for festivals and had noted when downloading the pattern that it did not specify for personal use only. I would love to get in touch with Michael to see whether he would like for me to include a note on my Etsy listings stating that he created the pattern. I’m more than happy to give credit where credit is due. Can you put me in touch?
I found a link to the pattern (that didn’t work of course) today looking for birds to make to hang from a vintage bird cage to make a mobile for my baby girls’ room. I would love to be able to get the pattern!
I made my own simple version of the bird mobile (3 birds on a twig) in 2009. It hangs in my office and I still love it. I used embroidery floss to stitch the birds to the stick, so it sort of looks like they have feet, and then secured them with some carpenter’s glue. Hats off to Michael Fulkerson for a great design.
I would like to know how to get the free “Mister Blue Bird pattern on Spool sewing but did not know how to get it. Let me know how I can get a copy of the bird pattern template. It is lovely. My daughter is having her first baby and her name is going to be Wren. I thought it would be fun to make her a bird mobile for the baby’s room. Thank you for your time.
Babs
I’m not in charge of Spool sewing. I’m sorry I can’t help.
I think this was the very first pdf pattern I ever downloaded! Now to find it again (I recall seeing it a few months ago – collector’s item??)
Pár éve megtaláltam ezt a madarat és nagyon megszerettem. Készítettem pár darabot és a szeretteimet ajándékoztam meg vele. Most mindenkinek van madara akit szeretek. És ők megbecsülik, olyan helyre tették ahol látják mindennap. Mindet kézzel varrtam, ezzel is megtisztelve az új tulajdonost. Örülök hogy megtaláltam a történetét, mindenkinek elmesélem és varrok egyet magamnak is.
I tried make one of the mobiles. I had a HECK of a time getting it to balance. The birds kept wanting to turn upside down. I ended up putting BB’s in their tales to add weight. Anyone else have this problem????