Utility-Style Quilts for Everyday Living Blog Tour Recap Part 1

Utility-Style Quilts for Everyday Living Blog Tour Recap Part 1

We're slightly past the halfway mark on this incredible tour for my new book, Utility-Style Quilts for Everyday Living. It fills my heart with joy to see how these talented designer/bloggers have taken my book and ran with creativity in their makes. 

Many of the bloggers are offering a chance to win a copy of my book from Landauer Publishing so if you want to get your hands on one before Christmas, check out each of their blog posts to see if the giveaway is still open and continue following along on the second part of the tour for even more beautiful makes and giveaway opportunities! I must note that the book giveaways are limited to US address only--sorry international friends.

Monday 12/4  Heidi Staples - Fabric Mutt

Tuesday 12/5  Amy Friend - During Quiet Time

Wednesday 12/6  Maureen Cracknell - Maureen Cracknell Handmade

Thursday 12/7  Amber Johnson - Gigi's Thimble

Friday 12/8  Karen O'Connor - Lady K Quilts Designs

Saturday 12/9  Kori Turner-Goodhart - Olive Grace Studios

Sunday 12/10  Silvia Sutters - A Stranger View

Monday 12/11  Sarah Maxwell - Designs by Sarah J

Tuesday 12/12  Jessica Swift - Jessica Swift

Wednesday 12/13  Lisa Ruble - Love to Color My World

Thursday 12/14  Cindy Wiens - Live a Colorfullife

Friday 12/15  Eleri Kerian - Sew and Tell Project

Saturday 12/16  Anjeanette Klinder - Anjeanette K

Sunday 12/17  Stephanie Kendron - Modern Sewciety

Monday 12/18  Christopher Thompson - The Tattooed Quilter

Tuesday 12/19  Susan Playsted - Hopewood Home

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Blog Tour Recap Part 1

Photo and pillow by Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt

Monday, December 4th was the official start of the tour. My sweet friend, Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt lead us off. Heidi has a distinctive style to the type of prints she works with (and designs!). Her fabric choices are reminiscent of feedsack prints intermixed with playful graphics and always cheery in colors. They fit Heidi's bubbly personality to a T. For the book blog tour Heidi scaled down my Cabin quilt and made a quilted pillow top that is delightfully fun and beautiful! You must put Fabric Mutt on your blog visit list and find all sorts of exciting projects and tutorials. 

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Photo and pillow by Amy Friend of During Quiet Time

Tuesday, December 5th we stopped at Amy Friend's blog During Quiet Time and saw how Amy took one block from my Tracery quilt pattern and turn it into a stunning pillow. Both of the first two post in this tour prove you don't have to make a full quilt to make something useful and beautiful for your home (or gifts) as Amy plans to give her pillow make as a Christmas present. The nature inspired prints and soothing palette make this pillow a standout. I do love the Tapestry fabrics prints I designed for Art Gallery Fabrics included in the mix!

There's still a few days left on the book giveaway on Amy's blog plus you'll always find wonderful quilting and sewing inspiration on her beautiful site. 

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Photo by Sharon Holland. Fabrics by Maureen Cracknell of Maureen Cracknell Handmade

Wednesday, December 6th belonged to my dear friend and Art Gallery Fabrics designer sister Maureen Cracknell or Maureen Cracknell Handmade. My friendship with Maureen has grown so much this year as we co-hosted the Sewcial Bee Sampler together during the first half of the year. We're kindred spirits and hardly a day goes by now that we aren't texting each other and bouncing ideas off one another. It's amazing to have someone you trust completely and know they have your back. We also have so much fun together--it's a wonder we get any work done at all! Maureen's blog post is another of our collaborations. At Fall Quilt Market in Houston, Maureen debuted her next Art Gallery Fabrics collection called Flower Child. I was at the show to debut my book and had time to sew a quilt for Maureen. Maureen's blog post shows the Goose Chase quilt remake in her new fabrics mixed with AGF Pure Elements and Prisma fabric. The quilt is stunning and just shows how different a design can look simply by switching up the fabrics and colors. I did a wavy, diagonal machine quilting that was easy and forgiving with it's organic quirkiness. Look for more about this quilt when AGF publishes the Lookbook for Maureen's new fabrics. 

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Photo and quilt by Amber Johnson of Gigi's Thimble

Thursday, December 7th Amber Johnson of Gigi's Thimble wowed us all with her version of the Cabin quilt from my book. This quilt pattern has to be my favorite from the book (shhh, don't tell the other quilts). It is such a simple quilt to make but is so satisfying and a great throw size. The graphic quality of Amber's quilt in the rustic shades of the season look right at home in her farmhouse-style home. I just want to curl up on that sofa and snuggle under her quilt--especially since she used Minky to back her quilt! This was my first opportunity to work with Amber in a blog tour and you must agree we want to see more from her in the future! In the meanwhile, you can visit her blog and see more of what Amber has made.

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Photo and quilt by Karen O'Connor of Lady K Quilts Designs

Friday, December 8th the blog tour continued with Karen O'Connor of Lady K Quilts Designs. Karen is not only the nicest person you'll ever meet, she can sign like you wouldn't believe! Be sure to visit her on her to see more of her quilt and get links to her Instagram feed to listen to her Christmas carols. Seriously, that girl needs to make a record album! Okay, back to Karen's quilt make for my book tour...she stitched this stunning remake of the Night and Day quilt from my book and instead of making it queen-size like the pattern called for Karen simply reduced the number of blocks in her quilt and made a size she felt comfortable quilting on her domestic sewing machine. Absolutely stunning and I of course, love all the AGF prints she used in this make. This quilt is as lively and full of energy as Karen is and it was so much fun having her part of this tour!

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Photo and runner by Kori Turner-Goodhart of Olive Graces Studios

Saturday, December 9th we were treated to this table runner by Kori Turner-Goodhart of Olive Grace Studios. Kori and I go way back but this is the first time we've aligned the stars and moons to work together. It was so much fun seeing what Kori would choose to make from my book and I adore her version of my Viewpoint table runner. Kori used the cheery print Petally Sweet from my Gossamer fabrics for Art Gallery Fabrics as the focal print on the runner. You know I love these colors but what I also love is that this runner fits Kori's sweet, feminine, and graceful style. Her blog or better yet, shop is a must visit to see more of what Kori has to offer in quilt design patterns.

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Photo and quilt by Silvia Sutters of A Stranger View

Sunday, December 10th I cannot deny it, I wish I'd have made this quilt the way Silvia Sutters of A Stranger View has done! Silvia chose the Cabin quilt and an analogous color palette of cool teal with a tiny hint of coral. Both the quilt pattern and the colors are hands down my favorites and pair those with a stunning photography setting and you've got my heart--forever! Silvia and I "met" via the internet and her wonderful personality and talent shine through in everything she does. I've been lucky to have her and several of my blog tours now and she's a powerhouse of talent. If you're not already following this incredible lady, you must! See more of this beautiful quilt on Silvia's blog post for the tour. 

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Photo and quilt top by Sarah Maxwell of Designs by Sarah J.

Monday, December 11th we had the pleasure of visiting Sarah Maxwell of the Designs by Sarah J blog. Sarah cleverly scaled down the Midsommar quilt pattern from my book to make a baby quilt sized project. She incorporated prints from her own fabric lines along with Alison Glass fabrics to create this gorgeous and graphic top. Sarah is a soon-to-be author with Landauer Publishing and an avid designer and quilter. It was fun having Sarah as part of this tour and she has a giveaway of my book open until December 19th so hurry over and enter to win!

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Be sure to continue following along as the rest of the tour unfolds amazing remakes, tutorials, and insights into my new book Utility-Style Quilts for Everyday Living. You can purchase this book from my newly set up STORE on this website AND get a signed copy (copies are limited)! Or, you can order through Amazon (affiliate link), purchase directly from Landauer Publishing, or from your local quilt shop to name just a few resources. 

Cover Quilt

Cover Quilt

Used with permission from Quilts and More™ magazine. ©2018 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

Yup, that's my quilt in the large photo with the chair on the cover of Quilts and More magazine! Not only is my quilt on the cover of this issue but I have two quilts in this Quilts and More Winter 2018 magazine. 

Both of the quilts are made using my Bountiful fabrics for Art Gallery Fabrics and both are super easy to make. 

Used with permission from Quilts and More™ magazine. ©2018 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

The cover quilt is a mix of simple foundation paper-piecing (FPP) and traditional patchwork. I had originally called this quilt Barnstorm because the diagonal FPP sections made me think of barnwood panels. The radiating design has so much energy and makes for a graphic quilt. In the magazine this project has been renamed (editors do that) to: Bursting with Energy.

Photo and quilt by Sharon Holland

The second quilt in this same issue is also made using Bountiful fabrics with the addition of Art Gallery Fabrics natural linen and Shannon fabrics faux rabbit minky. This projects is technically not a quilt but a throw because it has no batting and is tied instead of quilted. The drape on this piece is absolutely amazing and the faux rabbit makes it so luxurious and a high end designer piece. 

Used with permission from Quilts and More™ magazine. ©2018 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

I made both these quilts for Spring Quilt Market to display in my Bountiful booth. I was thrilled when the All People Quilt editor snatched them up for their publications. It's so hard having to wait to share my makes and it feels like all my work since spring is now coming out at once. 

This was a purely for fun project and something completely different than I've ever done before. I wanted to showcase my hide print from Bountiful but interject texture and Farmhouse-style into the project. The answer was the faux fur and pompom ties!

Used with permission from Quilts and More™ magazine. ©2018 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. Photo by Sharon Holland

This project has it all and could actually be one to get the kids involved in. Truth be told, I'm not sure how well this project would launder. But I do suggest using tapestry wool for the pompom as it's very hard wearing and I would launder by hand if needed. But who cares, right? This is such an amazing tactile throw blanket and talk about wow power--you just have to make one!

I was so thrilled that Meredith Corporation (All People Quilt publisher) bought all my pompom step out photos for this project. I had so much fun making, writing, and photographing this one and then to have the validation of being paid for the photography is a big deal for this gal. So, when you see the article, take note of my name there in the photo credits :)

I'm heading off to Houston tomorrow to attend Quilt Market. There I'll be having a trunk show of quilts from my book at a Schoolhouse session 1:55-2:25 on Friday and three book signings:

Saturday - 11:00 - 11:45 in the Hobb's Batting booth #347

Saturday - 3:00 -3:30 in the Landauer Publishing booth #2040

Sunday - 10:00 - 10:30 in the Brewer booth #734

I hope you'll stop by and say hi if you're planning on attending.

The All People Quilt booth with have both of my quilts on display so I will snap some pics and show you those on my Market Review post when I get back. Otherwise, be watching my Instagram feed @sharonhollanddesigns for postings while I'm at Market. 

Looking ahead: Starting November 1st I will be hosting the Bountiful Holiday Blog Tour and have lined up some super talented Makers that will be bringing you fast, fun, and fabulous sewing projects for the holidays, gift giving ideas, and home decor sewing. Plus I will have a Harvest colorway fat quarter bundle giveaway at the end of the tour courtesy of the Fat Quarter Shop. 

Stop back soon, there's so much more to share with you!

My Creative 2016

My good friend Sharon McConnell of ColorGirlQuilts is hosting a fun Instagram event to post pictures of "My Creative 2016". The postings started on December 1st and will run until December 14th. Anyone can join in on the fun and post pics based on the daily prompts. 

Not only is this a great way to review and appreciate all you've created in the span of a year, you also get to see what others are doing and posting about in the same theme. Sharon McConnell's aim in starting the celebration of My Creative 2016 is to: 

"Share all the positive energy that we have in this wonderful Maker community…I hope we can recognize inspiring makers, favorite finishes and ways we have learned and grown this past year."

Several awesome sponsors have generously joined in to offer giveaways, including Pink Castle Fabrics, Hoffman Fabrics, Art Gallery Fabrics, and Color Girl Quilts.

Read more about the prompts, how to participate, and using the hashtag #mycreative2016 in your IG posts to enter into the giveaway drawings on the Color Girl Quilts blog.

DAY 1 - My Creative Passion

The first day of the My Creative 2016 was all about introductions and talking about your creative passion(s). 

This photo of me was taken around February of this year and shows me surrounded by my passions. I love being a textile designer, quilt designer and sewist. I also love painting, drawing, and gardening but everything has a common end result of being useful, pretty, and joyful to myself of others. 

DAY 2 - My Color of the Year

This was an easy one for me. All I had to do was look through my IG feed to see what color kept popping up in my work. Peach, coral, orange, and sienna. An analogous range of warm peachy tones runs through my designs.

DAY 3 - Proudest Finish

Another easy one for me. Over the last four months I've been doing a ton of secret sewing and it was finally the time to let the cat out of the bag with my big announcement. My proudest finish of 2016 was making 12 quilts in just under four months for a quilt book that comes out next year!

I'll be debuting my Utility Style Quilts for Everyday Living book for Landauer Publishing at the spring Quilt Market in St. Louis and the book will be in the warehouse by August next year. This is only a placeholder image for the cover as we needed to get something together for the spring catalog. Believe me, I'll keep you posted on the progress of the book when I can show more. But for now, it's only this sneak peek. 

DAY 4 - I Learned Something New

I found this one somewhat challenging for me to pin down. Yes, I could post a pic of my recent obsession for learning needlepoint (see one of the coasters I've been stitching in the My Color of the Year photo) but I feel I've got so much more to learn about that handcraft. Instead, I think I learned more about myself this year then a particular skill. I've learned it's okay to get old and to wear it (stopped coloring my hair in June) like a badge of honor like it is rather than to hide from it. I've learned to be true to yourself and let your inner artist call the shots. Do what makes your heart ❤️ sing. Although I didn't have as much time this year to paint as I would've liked, I did dust off my brushes and play on a few canvases. I was rusty but it made my heart sing! And lastly and most importantly put your family first! This is a fabulous community but social media is no replacement for the real family in your life. Make time for family.

Blue Shade by Sharon Holland

I hope you'll stop by @sharonhollanddesigns on Instagram to say 'hi" and play along by showing us what you've created in 2016. Be sure to use the #mycreative2016 hashtag and you could also win some awesome prizes!