Sew Long

November 22, 2013

Thank you for your interest and past support. It is with deep regret that I have decided to stop adding new content to the Sharon Holland designs blog. My role as Assistant Editor of Quilt-it...today and Sew-it...today magazines keeps me too busy to faithfully add new posts and projects to my website and quilting/sewing projects.

Look for more quilts and sewing design inspiration from myself and other talented designers on the pages of Quilt-it...today (www.quiltittoday.com) and Sew-it...today (sewittoday.com). I am a regular contributor to the great quilt designs and sewing projects, I am sure you will find many new ideas in each issue.

I will continue to monitor and answer comments left on this blog to offer any support needed with my projects here and on Craftsy.com. Thank you again for your interest in my blog and projects.

Happy stitching,

Sharon Holland

Quilt-it...today and Sew-it...today recent issues

Buckboard Quilts

April 20, 2013

After 37 years of collecting antique quilts, award-winning author and quilt historian Judy Howard of Oklahoma City, OK, is giving her collection of 19th- and 20th-century quilts and textiles away to feed hungry children. Judy's charity quilt giveaway will be donating 100% of the proceeds to charitable organizations that feed the needy. Want to help? Here are several ways for you to become part of Judy's effort: Visit Buckboard Quilts to view the hundreds of antique quilts and textiles available for purchase. Many of the items listed on the site come with family history or provenance. Some pieces even have family portraits of the quilt maker and have been published in Howard's five books (book included with quilt purchase). When you purchase a quilt or textile from Buckboard Quilts Quilt Shop, you decide which charity the proceeds will go to. Use your credit card or make your check payable to your local food bank to keep the donation in your community. Judy ships around the world and is a delight to work with. Just make your selection, then call or contact Judy to check on availability, price, and postage. Once Judy receives the payment, she will ship your selection for a no-obligation approval with a 24-hour return privilege. If you are happy with your purchase, just let Judy know and your donation will be mailed to the charity of your choice. It's that easy!

Photography by Keith RinearsonPhotoArtPhone (405) 557-0924

Another way to participate and feed the hungry is to enter a 9'' x 12'' quilted wall piece in the Children--Hope for Tomorrow traveling quilt show. Entry quilts are displayed on tour and sold to raise funds for feeding children. When you enter, you also receive the 1905 Cookbook written by Judy Howard and free advertising on a story label, as well as eligibility for contest ribbons. To learn more about how to enter, see entry form.

If your guild or organization is looking for ways to generate revenue, why not plan an exhibit with one of Judy's traveling quilt tours and book sales? Choose from the beautiful Food for Body and Soul collection of small quilts tour, the inspiring God Bless America small quilts tour or the endearing Children—Hope for Tomorrow small quilt tour. Rent the exhibit for $100 (US) and your organization can keep 10% of the quilt sales and 30% of the book sales. The remaining revenue goes to your local food charity. For more information see Quilt Programs and Exhibit Availability.

Learn more about quilt care, preservation and history at Buckboard Quilts. Watch a YouTube video interview about Judy on Sewing with Nancy to learn more about this story. Quilting has always brought people together, and here is yet another example of the power of quilts. Own a piece of history and feed hungry children. Thank you Judy for your generosity and kindness!

2013 Cincinnati International Quilt Festival

April 15, 2013

Spring is here and so was the Cincinnati International Quilt Festival! There was a lot of great quilts on display this year like usual. As I was preparing my photos for this post I recognized a few of the designer/artist names. I must like their work because I had photographed their previous work last year. It is wonderful to see a body of work by a fiber artist to get a better feel for their style. I even have a couple quilt in this years blog post that are by the same artist or machine quilter. Note: The images of the quilts from the International Quilt Festival are not to be used on any goods or ordered for images from items that may be purchased. Please respect the copyrights of these artists.

This post is only a small sample of the quilts at the show and every effort has been made to represent the quilt with the proper maker.

Here is a bird's eye view of the vendor side of the show

and a partial view of the exhibit side.

Here are some of the quilts from the show, listed in alphabetical order according to the title of the quilt.

Cutting Edge Conglomerate by Earamichia Brown and the NYC Metro Mod Quilters

I love the diagonal crazy pieced strips here, the colors too were striking. I have had an opportunity to work with Jackie Kunkel for Quilt-it...today and was so pleased to see her name as the quilter for this quilt and two other quilts I had admired and photographed. I did not read every entry in the exhibit so she may have been part of even more quilts in the show. If you want to see a truly inspiring blog and find out more about Jackie, see http://www.cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/

I loved the quilting on this, it added so much texture to all the solid fabrics

This quilt is part of the Cincinnati Modern Quilt Guild's challenge to design a quilt with a modern spin on the Dresden Plate block. You will see photos of three others I liked with Dresden Plate references.

One of the several categories in the show was Tactile Architecture (TM) 2012 sponsored by Innova. Representing architecture in quilting is such a natural combination because of all the geometric straight lines and grids found in buildings and cities. This quilt by Terry Aske is a wonderful example with the dynamic diagonal lines.

It is fun to go to a show and find your one or two "favorite" quilts of the exhibit. Well, J Rock Star by Victoria Findley Wolfe is my fave of the show! Most definitely because of the graphic quality of this quilt, the colors and the great prints and quirkiness often found in good old utility type quilts. This feels very traditional to me which I love but is so fresh and modern--perfection! It feels obtainable, an art quilt yes, but one you wouldn't be afraid to actually use and enjoy!

Another category for the show was Celebrate Spring, I think some of these quilts did an exceptional job with it.

Summer Morning was another of my faves. Sublime use of line, form and materials. I had photographed Akiko Kawata's work last year as well and the organic quality of the fiber art is delicious. I love the large scale prints used and the quilting is wonderful.

Wall Markings #2 by Valerie Maser-Flanagan

Are you inspired? I am! Sort of a different selection of quilts this year then I had posted the last two years. You can look back at the old posts, 2011 and 2012 to compare. Again, with these postings, the pictures are my preferences in quilts--usually ones based more in traditional quilting since that is the type of quilts I make rather than the true art quilts. I am sure I have not represented the full scope of the show even remotely. There are so many wonderful pieces on exhibit I hope you are able to go to the International Quilt Festival if it is close to your area and see it all for yourself.

Another Year

December 28, 2012

This year has really flown by for me! Gee it seems like 2012 just got started and now this year is in it's final days! The old saying, "Time flies when your having fun" is very true. Working on the Quilt-it... today and Sew-it... today magazines has been fun and challenging. We currently have two issues of each magazine out and the third of each in the works. I measure my time by issues now.

I haven't had a chance to design any new projects for my site since I have taken on my new position with the magazine. Not that I haven't been making things, you will find plenty of my projects in the issues. I do want to share an on-line projects we have posted on our website. This project is called Single Wedding Ring. I had made this quilt for my daughter Anna when she was a baby and now have the instructions for the project in a free PDF download on the Quilt-it... today website.

Some of you may remember my daughter, Anna from my Wildwood Throw project. Her and her boyfriend Ben were my models when I photographed that quilt project.

And I used them again as models for my Weekend Picnic quilt seen in the premier issue of Quilt-it... today.

Aren't they adorable!?! Well, over Thanksgiving, the two of them got engaged! So, 2013 will be an extra special year for my family because there will be a wedding this coming spring!

Plenty to do between now and then as you can imagine. I am sure this new year will fly by even faster than 2012 had!

My best to all for a wonderful 2013 filled with love, happiness and lots of quilting and sewing projects!

Cheers,

Sharon