As soon as August arrives I can’t help but turn my thoughts to fall, the possibility of cooler days, and back to school. Even though I no longer have kids in school I can’t help but drool over the pristine notebooks and school supplies in the store. I always buy myself one new thing each year like a new folder or pens just to acknowledge this passage of time and reflect on past memories of excitement of a new school year.

Soon to be stocked in your favorite local and online quilt shops is my newest collection for Art Gallery Fabrics called Bookish. This collection is for all the sewing/book lovers out there that want to combine both there passions in one media—fabric!

I just received my advance yardage for the collection and am so thrilled with every print and busy sewing fun new projects for the Look Book scheduled to release September 3rd. I’ll have some fun new free projects and a new quilt pattern to add to my pattern libraries.

As well as Look Book sewing, I’ll be making a Bookish version of the Sweet Home quilt. If you haven’t already signed up for the Sweet Home Quilt Along that starts August 25th, then be sure to sign up and join the over 640 others that will be stitching along with Maureen Cracknell and I for the 6 week event.

Quilt Along members should have gotten an email earlier this week giving a heads up that next week there’ll be a very special giveaway prize from out sponsor Midlife Quilter to kick start the QAL. Check your inbox or spam folder to make sure you’re getting those special QAL Member emails.

Sign up now, if you haven’t already, and the first to know about the giveaways, weekly posts, and piecing tips and tricks. There’s also a Kit Directory available to members that lists all the available kit options for the Sweet Home quilt, including my Bookish version available at Lady Belle Fabric.

I’ve been busy secret sewing over here and already have the first of two Sweet Home quilts made. This Holiday Mix version is available as a kit from Chenille-It and will be finished with faux chenille binding was expertly long arm quilting by Terri Neil of Quilting Rubies. I love how this “Dainty Lady Floral” panto mimics the look of snowflakes without being truly wintery. Same with the prints—the colors say Christmas but there’s not an actual holiday print in the mix. You’ll see more of this quilt during the QAL.

Free Back to School Projects

tote and pencil pouch by sharon holland.jpg

Whether you have kids going back to school or are just like me and have an overwhelming desire to have new school supplies this time of year—I’ve got some free project ideas for you to try your crafty hands at.

Looking through my Free Projects page I have a few oldies but still goodies to (re)share.

Above is a tote bag and pencil case made from my Signature collection. The tote bag is a free project from Dritz sewing and the pencil case is a free project found right HERE on my blog.

A bucket bag is a fun alternative to a backpack and is also a free pattern on the Free Projects page. This sample is also made with fabrics from my Art Gallery Fabrics Signature line.

My free Market Bag pattern is a great idea for college-bound kids as it can be used for groceries, sorting laundry (yeah, right, but one can hope), or an extra carryall tucked in a backpack.

And, lastly I have a fun way to freshen up or protect a notebook, book, or journal with a scrappy cover. There’s something so comforting to hold a cloth-bound book you’ll want to make one for all your books and notebooks! Find this free pattern on the Free Projects page.

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 or related items I think you may enjoy.

Behind the Signature Look Book Projects Part 1 - Baby Room

There's so much yet to share about my new Signature fabric for Art Gallery Fabrics. It's such a fun collection I want to take extra time and a more intimate look at my projects that went into the AGF Signature Look Book (plus the ones that never got their time to shine on the virtual pages).

First, the Hexie Turtle, come on, how adorable is this!!!!

I picked up this homemade footstool at a garage sale. This footstool was really pretty ugly when I first saw it and actually left the garage sale without it only to think about it more and return later to still find it there. Once I thought about making a hexagon patchwork cover for the stool THEN I could see it's value!

After taking off all the UGLY upholstery and heavy fringe, I spray painted the brown painted wood copper for a little bling. I used Red Pepper Quilts Hexagon Tutorial for how to sew hexagons together and made a large enough patchwork to cover my turtle.

A little bit of vintage fringe in a more appropriate scale for the stool and the results are nothing less than magical!

Another footstool makeover happened to a piece I already had around the house. It too is a vintage, homemade stool I picked up at a yard sale years ago. It's now looking fresh and new with it's Signature Extempore Gala canvas top and vintage pompom fringe.

Cute, huh?!!! For a tutorial on how to make the Hoop Art hanging above the chair, see my Signature Butterflies post.

You may have noticed the fun floor lamp with the Flora and Fauna Hidden fabric lamp shade? Yup, I recovered a vintage lampshade for the most adorable coordinate for this baby room.

This is my second time recovering this shade and it's even more special this time being finished in my own print. For an idea of how I made a new cover for this shade, visit the Craft Stylish tutorial.

What a great way to customize the look of a room!

This adorable tote bag made in Small World Sprightly print from Signature is a free pattern from Dritz Sewing. My bag is based on one of 20 different ways Dritz has used a basic tote bag and jazzed it up with their incredible assortment of bag hardware and Dritz sewing accessories.

Discover oodles of amazing projects on the Dritz blog. I'm so honored they have featured my free Bucket Bag pattern on their Make Something Dritz blog: Favorite Finds: Bucket Bag Sewing with Signature Fabrics from Sharon Holland.

I'm so pleased that Dritz and Omnigrid will both be sponsors of the My Signature Sampler sew along!

Instead of using the canvas from my collection I sewed my tote with quilt-weight cotton. To give the bag more body I made two exterior bag shapes per the Dritz tutorial and used one for a lining which I added a big pocket before assembling into a lined bag. I simply slipped the lining, wrong sides together into the exterior, added a ribbon loop with Dritz D-ring to the upper edge and sewed the seam allowance turned-under edges to close.

The fun coordinating Pencil Pouch is a free pattern on my Free Patterns page. It's the perfect size for supplies and fits into a 3-ring binder with the Extra-Large Eyelets from Dritz Sewing. I love their antique brass finish! For even more fun, add a tassel with the easy-to-use Tassel Cap, also from Dritz.

Photo by Sharon Holland Best Children's Books.jpg

There's more Signature Baby's Room to share by I'll save that for next week's Part 2.

If you're wanting to sew with Signature fabrics ask for them at your local quilt shop or shop online. Hawthorne Threads just restocked their supply and has the full collection plus bundles available. Other favorites like Fat Quarter Shop and Needle in a Fabric Stash also carry the full line. Find these fine shops and more listings on my Fabrics page.

See you Friday when I post my next block in the My Signature Sampler and announce the next great giveaway!