Handy Baskets Pattern

Handy Baskets Pattern

Handy Baskets by Sharon Holland featuring Spirited fabrics for Art Gallery Fabrics

Sewing with my new Spirited fabric collection for Art Gallery has been such a joy—I can’t stop thinking of new projects!

With every collection I like to add a new free project to my FREE PROJECTS page and have been wanting to create a fun basket pattern for some time now. With the holidays right around the corner, it’s always nice to give and get handmade gifts. It’s even better when those gifts are practical and can be used all year round—these Handy Baskets are perfect for the job.

The Handy Baskets are a petite size of 6” high, 5” wide, and 5” deep. Just right for small items, a gift bag, or a modern-take on the traditional stocking because they have a loop for hanging.

With a fat eighth each of your three favorite Spirited prints and a half yard of Cork fabric from Sallie Tomato, you can quickly stitch up three baskets! There’s no interfacing needed because the cork adds all the body necessary to keep the baskets standing up sturdy. Using cork has the added bonus of being easy to wipe down, if needed.

Spirited fabrics pictured from left to right: Boundless Spirit Sorrel, Rambling Rose Briar, and Calico Days Aqua. See full collection HERE.

These Handy Baskets are fully reversible and they’re just, plain, handy for organizing kids toys, crayons, toiletries…

Or, for more organization in your sewing space that’s also pretty!

Spirited quilting cottons, knits, and rayons are shipping to quilt shops everywhere. I’ve started a stock lists of online shops for this collection on my FABRICS page and will continue to add links as more shops get their listings up. If your local quilt shop hasn’t ordered it yet, let them know you’d like to sew with these prints and feel the AGF difference for yourself at your favorite shop.

When you do make a project with my fabrics, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @sharonhollanddesigns because I love to see what you’re sewing! And tag the Spirited collection as well with #AGFSpirited.

—Happy sewing!

I am an Amazon Associate site and earn from qualifying purchases on the products I’ve linked below. The helpful products selected are the same or similar to materials used to make the project(s) in this blog post. Thank you!

Everlasting Look Book - Part 2

Everlasting Look Book - Part 2

Today’s post takes a closer look at the non-quilt projects I stitched for the Everlasting Look Book. A Look Book is a free, virtual magazine that Art Gallery Fabrics publishes for each new fabric line and is loaded with sewing inspiration. Many talented sewers and designers contribute to the Look Book to bring a variety of projects sewn in fabrics from a collection so you can see the prints, colors, and different substrates in use. This post will just be about what I sewed and contributed.

Myrna Purse

I wanted to make some different sort of projects this time and was looking for the right print for the Sallie Tomato Myrna Bag pattern. I have also wanted to try working with the Sallie Tomato cork fabric and again, this was the perfect time!

I love the size of this bag and all the exterior zippered pockets. The cork was amazing to sew with and the only extra care needed for sewing with it is to use clips instead of pins. My Crossed Paths print from Everlasting goes with everything from jeans to dresses. I’ll be making a second purse as a gift and when I purchased this natural cork I also picked up a teal colored cork.

The only two things I will do differently in the second bag will be to position the loops for the handle at the top of the bag rather than the sides and add an interior pocket.

Radella Mocassins

I told you I was looking to make some different sort of sewing projects and these Radella Mocassins by I Think Sew looked so cute I just had to give it a try!

My ruby red slippers are made with Everlasting Cherished Wishes print as the exterior and Art Gallery Fabrics Linen for the lining. I had left over cork from my bag so I used it for the soles of the moccasins and it worked beautifully.

These slippers turned out so well that my Mom has requested a pair. After I make the new bag with the teal cork I will have left over cork for the soles of her slippers. I’m thinking the Something Blue print will looks perfect on both the bag and the slippers with the teal cork!

Strawberry Pincushions

The reds in Everlasting are so delicious that making strawberry pincushions where a must! I found a free tutorial from Down the Grapevine Path for making these quick stitching cuties. I ended up printing out the PDF a few times and adjusting the scale of the pattern to get the size of strawberries I wanted. Just experiment a bit till you find what size you’re looking for.

These were so much fun to make I stitched one from every print in the collection. To get an old-fashioned feel and heft to the pincushions I filled mine with crushed walnut shells—I’ll put an Amazon link at the end of this post. The walnut shells make for easy filling and add nice weight to the small pincushion. These would make cute ornaments too!

Fabric Haul

Check out this fun look at my Everlasting fabric line with Melissa from Art Gallery Fabrics, it’s a great way to get a personal tour through my prints and find out which AGF Pure Solids and Blenders work well with this collection.

I don’t know about you but I can’t get enough sewing with these prints!! I’ve many more projects on my cutting table and am working on a free quilt pattern to share with you next month.

In fact, during the last half of July I’ll be hosting an Everlasting Blog Tour with 13 other amazing designers from around the world who are already busy stitching up gorgeous projects to share with you. There’ll be three weeks of inspiration and of course, giveaway prizes to giveaway! More details on the tour next month so until then…happy sewing!

Bountiful Blog Tour Week 3 Recap

Bountiful Blog Tour Week 3 Recap

The last three weeks have been a virtual feast for the eyes, as 16 highly talented designers blogged about their Bountiful fabrics makes. I love how each Blogger was inspired by the prints in my newest fabric line and the different Art Gallery Fabrics substrates to create amazing and diverse projects for this tour. Revisit week #1 and week #2 to see all the fabulous projects. 

Learn more about my inspiration behind the Bountiful collection in this Art Gallery Fabrics video interview.

And learn more about this week's Makers:

Monday

You all know how much I adore my Sewcial Bee Sampler co-host, Maureen Cracknell! My tour would not be complete without one of Maureen's special makes. Her fearless use of prints and on-trend style is an exciting combination. I am crazy over the tote bag Maureen stitched in her signature herringbone design. Be sure to visit Maureen's blog to see all the details inside and out on this bag!

Photo by Maureen Cracknell

Tuesday

Most of you know Lynn Harris (Little Ren Hen) for her intricate patchwork quilts and author of Every Last Piece but did you know she can also sew garments? Lynn and her granddaughter used the Haymow Stack and Vine Umbra knits from my collection to make to most comfy and gorgeous garments. See all the pieces and read about who made which piece on Lynn's blog. I adore this photobombing chicken in the photo of her grand children in the Haymow Stack print. 

Photo by Lynn Carson Harris

Wednesday

On Wednesday, Anjeanette Klinder showed us her stunning hexagon quilt design. Because of family health emergencies, Anjeanette was not able to have a finished quilt by the time of the blog tour. I highly encourage you to follow her progress on this quilt and her other makes because Anjeanette is an extremely talented designer and exceptionally skilled quilter. See more of her makes on her blog. 

Photo by Anjeanette Klinder

Photo by Anjeanette Klinder

Thursday

I knew when I asked Mathew Boudreaux of Mister Domestic to be part of my blog tour he'd make something extraordinary--even before he knew what that make would be--I knew it would be good! M.D. is always pushing the creative envelop and I love how he incorporated all the latest and greatest quilting tools and techniques to bring us something new. This guy's amazing and you need to find out what he's up to and get the tutorial for this cushion on his blog. The two cushions he made for my tour are spectacular from the Tumbling Block top to the AGF denim handle! A big thanks to his daughter Helena for letting me borrow these pillows for my Bountiful booth at Quilt Market next month. xxx

Photo by Mathew Boudreaux

Friday

Friday was a special day because we had the dynamic duo of Alexis Wright of My Sweet Sunshine Studio and Sue Stone, owner of Needle in a Fabric Stash quilt shop teaming up to blog on our final day of the tour. Each Maker blogged about their project but the two joined forces in photographing their projects, bringing us beautiful in-use photos and settings. You may remember these two pairing up during my Coastline blog tour for the amazing quilt and garments shoot by the ocean. 

Alexis is a garment pattern designer and sewer extraordinaire for Violette Field Threads. She took the Evelyn dress pattern to a higher level by adding Flying Geese to the bodice. For those of you making Sewcial Bee Sampler blocks, this Flying Geese pattern she used is next week's block #13! Too bad the weeks didn't align but Alexis's points sure did! I'm blown away by the creativity of this dress and the levels of meaning it has to myself and my friend Alexis. This is truly thoughtful design at it's best! See more of this remarkable make on Alexis's blog. 

Photo by Alexis Wright

With Earth Day on April 22nd, what better way to use your fabrics and save the world at the same time with Sue Stone's Use, Stash, and Repeat pattern. Sue brought us three re-usable shopping tote bags made from an assortment of prints from my Bountiful fabrics. I want to make all of them! Roomy totes in pretty prints make shopping even more fun. Best of all they fold up small to always have on hand. See these hard working totes in use on Sue's blog and stop (or shop online) at Sue's shop for Bountiful fabrics!

Photo by Sue Stone

In the past, I've always had a fabric bundle giveaway at the end of a blog tour. This Bountiful blog tour will be a little different in that the bundle giveaway will be an Instagram, one day only event, for Cat Callicoat's Autism Awareness drive. On Saturday, April 29th, for 12 hours only, you will have an opportunity to enter your name into a drawing for a fat quarter bundle of all 20 prints from the Bountiful collection. Visit Cat's instagram feed as she helps us to understand more about Autism through her family's struggles and triumphs. Daily prize drawings from your favorite shops and makers help to spread awareness on the month long event. Follow me on Instagram for next Saturday's prompt and how to enter your name into the drawing. 

Be watching Art Gallery Fabrics this week for the Bountiful Lookbook release. AGF Lookbooks are virtual magazines full to the brim with gorgeous photos of sewing inspiration. I can't wait to see how the creative AGF team has put together the Lookbook for this collection. 

It fills my heart to have so many people joyfully creating with my fabrics and I want to give a huge thanks to all the talented designers that made the Bountiful Blog Tour a success.

Heidi Staples - Fabric Mutt

Emily Dennis - Quilty Love

Minki Kim - Minki Kim

Heather Andrus - Quilt Story

Sharon McConnell - Color Girl Quilts

Silvia Sutters - A Stranger View

Elina Temmes - Elina Temmes

Kim Niedzwiecki - Gogo Kim

Katie Skoog - The Simple Life Company

Cindy Wiens - Live a Colorfullife

Maureen Cracknell - Maureen Cracknell Handmade

Lynn Harris - The Little Red Hen

Anjeanette Klinder - Anjeanette K

Mathew Boudreaux - Mister Domestic

Alexis Wright - My Sweet Sunshine Studio

Sue Stone - Needle in a Fabric Stash

I'm also excited for next month when I bring you new quilts and projects for Spring Quilt Market in St. Louis. I've been busy, busy, sewing and quilting. At some point I have to stop thinking of new projects to make and finish all the one's I've started--I'm having so much fun with this collection!