Gifting Handmade Showcase Week 2

Week 2 of my Crafting Handmade Showcase on Instagram has just wrapped up for this year but you’ll get the full recap exclusively here on my blog! In case you missed last week, every day since the beginning of December, I featured a gift idea made by one of my amazing pattern testers on a post on my instagram account @sharonhollanddesigns. Each project features various fabrics from my collections with Art Gallery Fabrics. You can read the Week 1 Recap blog post from last week if you need to catch up or keep reading for the Week 2 Recap.

Let’s review what happened this week…

GIFTING HANDMADE MAKERS

Day 8

Starting out this week is Joyce Ulm from @evamaecustomquilts with these beautiful Peek A Boo Beauty Bags! You can find the pattern for these bags from More Me Know.

Joyce used fabrics from my Shine On and Listen to Your Heart collections. She also added some amazing texture with that cork detailing on the side!

Joyce is an amazing sewer, and long arm quilter! She constantly comes up with the prettiest fabric combinations and her talent always blows me away. You can find these bags and more on her Etsy shop!

DAY 9

Day 9 of the showcase featured Victoria Newmyer from @midlife_quilter beautiful quilt! This is the Retro Garden Quilt Pattern by Rose Petal Quilt Shop, an intermediate level pattern but don’t let curves intimidate you—they’re much easier than you think. Victoria always has great tutorials and projects to share on her instagram feed and blog, be sure to check them out!

Victoria used three prints to create this stunning top, Delicate Balance Six for the background, and Flueron Six with Bright Star Six for the flowers!

Wouldn’t this make the prettiest quilt to display in your home all year long! Or possibly a pillow made with one of the blocks?! It would make the sweetest gift! 

DAY 10

Day 10 kicks off with Brittany Tunison from @brittanytunison and this incredible tote bag! This pattern is the Mod Fresh Granny Tote from Fancy That Design House. I am constantly amazed with Brittany’s eye for colors and fabric combinations which she brings into her own work as a talented pattern designer! Check out her patterns at White Plains Quilts.

Brittany used fabrics from my Willow and Bookish Collections with Delicate Balance Serenity Fusion as the background.

To attach the leather straps to the tote, Brittany used brushed brass Chicago screws for the perfect finishing touch. Wouldn’t this be the sweetest gift to receive? It would be the gift that just keeps giving all year round!

DAY 11

Are you ready to be wowed?!? Marija Vujcic from @maraquiltdesigns brings us this incredible table runner with 3D flowers for Day 11 of my Gifting Handmade Showcase! Marija is always coming up with the most unique and fun patterns and tutorials. You can find the Flower Basket Table Runner tutorial on her website here, and while you are there be sure to check out the rest of her designs!!

Marija used a mix of fabrics from my Listen to Your Heart collection, as well as some prints from my new Fanciful collection.

These flowers make a great hand sewing project for a night filled with hot chocolate and your favorite Holiday movie. You could add them to any sort of project! 

Isn’t the end result so beautiful?! It really takes the flowers from my print and amplifies them in 3D form! I couldn’t love this more!

DAY 12

Day 12 of the showcase shows off this lovely pillow made by Mary Gove of @thecurlyquilter! Mary took a block from the Lottie Quilt pattern by Penelope Handmade and made it into a pillow. Isn’t that such a good idea?! Be sure to give Mary’s Instagram a follow for some serious quilty inspo! 

Mary used prints from my Bookish, Willow, and Listen to your Heart collections, and Delicate Balance six in flannel as the backing. This palette brings such a feeling of calm and serenity, and would make the perfect addition to any room!

You could gift this pillow to someone special, or make it for yourself to add to your holiday decor. Either way, you can’t go wrong!  Mary said this about her pillow:

“My go-to gift lately has been pillows. It’s such a fun way to add texture and beauty to any space, plus anything that is a quick make and has a big impact, is a win in my book.”

I couldn’t agree more!

DAY 13

I am excited to be back again for Day 13 of the showcase! These Market Bags are incredibly fast to make and I put that to the test when I realized I didn’t have a project to fill in the day’s spot! I got to work and whipped these up in no time. I also now have a video tutorial for making the Market Bag that’ll help you better visualize the folding and sewing! I used my recently updated free PDF Market Bag pattern with improved instructions and new illustrations. You can download a copy from my Free Projects page.

For these bags I used prints from my Listen to Your Heart and Willow collections. I also used sherpa fleece for the handle of the Tiny Dancer print, and leather for the Timeless Ticking Stripe print—the mix of materials add such a festive touch!

These also make great reusable gift bags—it’d be like giving two gifts in one! The roomy bag holds a lot and then folds up small when not in use.

DAY 14

Tracey Taber-Perry from @ttabes80 also made an encore make for week 2 and wowed us all again with these incredible handmade beauty set items on Day 14. Tracey’s gift set collection is perfect for traveling or use in the home and would be an amazing gift.

Tracey used fabrics from my Kismet collection as well as a cotton canvas and flannel from my Listen to Your Heart collection.

The Flat Iron - Curling Iron Travel Case was made using this pattern from Sew 4 Home. Tracey lined it with insul-fleece so you can store your hot iron in it right away! It also has a pocket on the other side to put the cord in and keep it separated from the iron.

The free Curve Top Makeup Bag pattern is from Sew Very Crafty and Tracey said it took her less than an hour to make! They are the perfect size bags for your makeup and toiletries!

The mesh bag above is actually a lingerie bag that Tracey turned into a reusable makeup remover pad bag—clever idea! You can find the free pattern by So Sew Easy HERE. For the reuseable makeup pads, Tracey said she used 3 layers of AGF flannel and serged the edges. Talk about a quick and easy gift! The pattern for those DIY Reusable Cotton Rounds can be found at Hello Sewing—I definitely need to make all of these for myself!

DAY 15

Day 15 and the final day of my Gifting Handmade Showcase. The last inspiring project was made by Leah Bruski from @lapinsta and features my Phoenix Quilt Pattern you can find in my SHOP. Leah is a very gifted quilter and is a constant inspiration to our group!

Leah used fabrics from my Listen to Your Heart and Fanciful collections. I think they make such a great holiday palette but also a palette that works all year round!

The Phoenix quilt pattern is for an over-sized throw quilt but I also love these blocks for stand alone projects like pillows or bags!

Leah did an amazing job with this quilt, and I am so blown away by her fabric and color placement! I can’t wait to see how she decides to quilt this! 

Big Thanks to My Tester Group!

I hope you enjoyed the last two weeks of my Gifting Handmade Showcase and seeing each makers projects! I’ve loved seeing all the wonderful handmade gifts my testers came up with and anticipate all the joy these items will bring to the recipients this holiday season!

Gifting Handmade Week 2 Giveaway

With all those projects to inspire and Christmas just around the corner there needs to be a fabric bundle giveaway, right??!! I think so too! So, just like last week, one lucky winner will get a bundle of my fabrics I’ve curated.

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

Congratulations to Jeifner!

I’ve pulled together the 12 quilting cotton prints from my new AGF Fanciful blender collection and added 6 coordinating hero prints from some of your favorite Sharon Holland collections to make an 18-piece fat quarter bundle.

That’s 4-1/2 yards total of fabric to dream and create with!

The giveaway is exclusive to this blog post, so make sure to read below for how to enter by commenting on the blog post (replying to the newsletter email does not enter you into the giveaway). Also, please note this giveaway is eligible to US address only—no international shipping, sorry.

Giveaway Now Closed

Congratulations to Jeifner!

*Note: This giveaway is open to US addresses only, sorry no international shipping. If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment--you can't win if I can't contact you!

1. Simply leave a comment here under this post! (Counts as entry number (1) one.)

2. Leave a comment and let me know what’s been your favorite project or projects so for in the Gifting Handmade Showcase. (This comment counts as entry number (2) two). 

3. Be following me (Sharon) on Instagram @sharonhollanddesigns and/or be signed up for my blog post newsletters (counts as number (3) three entry) when you let me know in a comment.

That’s THREE possible entries and up to three chances to win! Enter now through Monday, December 19, 2022. I’ll be drawing one lucky winner from the comment pool from this post. The winning comment will be picked at random around 4 pm Eastern. I’ll post the name of the winner on this post once they've been notified and responded to my email.

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and happiest of New Years!

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.

Delicious October

Yup, I know, strange blog post title but I love this month. Not only is it my birthday month but I love the fall colors, the baked goods, the fairs and festivals, and the cooler weather. 

There's nothing better then the smell of something delicious, hot out of the oven on a cool fall day. My family has a weak spot for Apple Crisp and I've already made three batches of this heaven-in-a-pan so far this season. I did a blog post five years ago, sharing the Apple Crisp recipe I use from my childhood Betty Crocker Cookbook for Boys and Girls cookbook. You've gotta try this, it's amazing!

I've been busy doing a lot of secret sewing the last two months (more updates on that soon) and really don't have any new projects to show you right now. When thinking about what I should post, it dawned on me that I already have a bunch of great free projects available on this blog and why not remake one of those projects as a little reminder to my faithful followers and the new friends following this blog to check out the Free Patterns page. 

Thinking about baking and selecting the next Fat Quarter Shop sponsored fat-quarter bundle giveaway inspired me to remake my Folded Star potholder project.

Folded Star potholder by Sharon Holland

Our next fat-quarter bundle giveaway will be Maureen Cracknell's new Nightfall fabric collection for Art Gallery Fabrics. 

My Folded Star potholder is the perfect project to stitch because only scraps are needed to make one. With just a handful of Nightfall scraps leftover from a quilt project, I needed to include three of my Tapestry fabric prints to make a new potholder. I think the two collections work together wonderfully!

This is a fun project and would make a super gift item or part of a gift basket anytime of year. Download the free pattern here. 

As I mentioned above, this month, the Fat Quarter Shop giveaway is for the beautiful Nightfall fabric collection by Maureen Cracknell for Art Gallery Fabrics.

TO ENTER:

Giveaway for the 20-piece Nightfall fat-quarter bundle begins today, Monday, October 3rd, 2016 and will end on Monday, October 10th, 2016 at 4 p.m. EDT. 

• Leave a comment on this blog post anytime between 10/3/16 and 4 p.m. EDT on 10/10/16 to be entered into drawing

The winner will be randomly drawn and notified via email so be sure to completely fill out the comment box entry form with a valid email address. If commenting anonymously or with a no-reply, be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment to qualify for the drawing. If the winning entrant does not reply to my congratulatory email or comment reply within 24 hours I will select an alternate winner's name. 

Canning Season

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It's been a great year to have a garden (at least in Ohio) and seems even with all the heat, we still got plenty of rain to make everything grow and produce like crazy! Right now I'm busy canning tomatoes and salsa every weekend. Thank goodness my husband helps me--he's in it for the salsa! 

Awhile back I did some house cleaning on my Free Pattern page because I want to update the older patterns and reformat everything for a cohesive look. Slowly but surely, I'm bringing back some of the patterns. 

With all this canning and kitchen work, it was time to dust off my Upcylce Apron pattern (formerly called Apron from Sundress) and put that pattern back up for free downloading. 

As summer is winding down, now's a great time of year to pick up a second-hand sundress at your local thrift store, or maybe you have one hiding in the back of your closet!

Selection of sundress at Goodwill

I selected this plain but feminine linen sundress.

Download my free Upcycle Apron pattern and in no time, you'll have a fun apron for covering up while cooking or other messy endeavors like painting or gardening.

When we were canning this weekend, I found a 1979 canning jar lid in the canning supplies given to me by my Mom. She was a big canner in the day and our family garden was a quarter the size of a football field. The date on the lid was exactly 37 years ago on Sunday and it gave me an idea to take some flat lay photos of canning lids and the handed down canning ephemera. I really got a kick out of doing these photos and emailed them to my Mom who also really enjoyed seeing this stuff immortalized in a photo collage. 

I hope you're able to enjoy the bounties of summer as well. If you're not much of a green thumb then hopefully there's a farmer's market near you to take in the these glorious last days of summer. 

Summer Discoveries

Fourth of July means summer's now in full swing. If you're like me you still want to be sewing projects but not a lot of big commitment ones. After all, you still want to be outdoors, weed the vegetable garden, and have some summertime fun. Here's a few ways I've been keeping creatively active and still have time to get away and play outside. 

1. Garage Sales

I honestly don't stop at garage sales as much as I used to. I was an addict in the old days but as you amass a bunch of stuff, you no longer want to have a bunch of stuff. But...I've been clearing out my basement and house and with my kids now grown and starting their own homes, that helps me clear things out rather quickly. So, I may have stopped at a few sales the last couple of week. 

Garage sales can be a great resource if you're redecorating. They're phenomenal at saving money if you have kids (clothing, toys, etc.), and also offers an interesting array of crafty materials and inspiration. 

I found these goodies for a steal with photography in mind for the trunk and chair. The mug was total impulse because I love funky coffee cups. I'm always on the hunt for fabric and totally scored with this 6 yards of vintage blue fabric. 

Sometimes you see stuff at sales and you wonder, where the heck will I put that. Well, if you love it and it's a good price ($10 vintage drafting table), then buy it! You'll figure out where it goes later and not be kicking yourself for leaving it behind. I'm glad I bought this table. It now is set up in my basement art studio and I love it!

2. Painting

A great way to stay creatively active in the summer and maybe even do so outdoors at the same time is painting. Watercolor, acrylic, or oils, painting is low-commitment on your time and fun to do. It's also great to get the kids involved although they will lose interest before you do. Some of you may know that I used to paint. I mainly painted in oils and loved landscapes and landscapes with barns. It's been way too long since I've picked up my brushes and they have been calling. You can see some of my past art work on my new Instagram feed sharonhollandart. Follow along as I post new stuff.

Blue Shade by Sharon Holland 20'' x 20'' oil on canvas

Blue Shade is my second canvas upon my returning to painting and it turned out pretty good. The first attempt was definitely a warm up exercise. It's amazing how much you forget! I have a long way to go but now that my studio is in order I can pop down to my basement when I have a little free time or need a break from my normal workflow and work on a new piece. It feels good to be back.

3. Discover New Books

Visit your local library or browse a bookstore. Finding new books is a great way to invigorate your creativity. I just purchased a super exciting craft and hobbies book called Wise Craft by Blair Stocker for "turning thrift store finds, fabric scraps, and natural objects into stuff you love". Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Not only is Blair the sweetest person, she's an amazing talent and highly creative designer. I cannot get enough of her quilts and sewing projects. Go see more about Blair at Wise Craft Handmade.

The projects in Blair's book Wise Craft are arranged in four sections, one for each season. With 60 amazing projects of varying involvement, you could fill your (and your kids) summer with endless crafting pleasure.

4. Go Online

Summer is definitely a time to slow down a bit and enjoy life. But, it may also be a good time to work ahead on projects for gifts or the holidays ahead (way ahead, I know, but those holidays have a way of sneaking up on us when life gets busy). Why not start some of those projects early? 

I like to start Pinterest boards for all my projects. I'm currently wrapping up a fabric collection for fall Market and before I even drew one line, I had a Pinterest board started with mood board inspirations. Maybe start (secret) boards for all the ones on your gift list. That way when you come across something you think so and so would like, pin it and when you need to buy or make for them you have all your thoughts in one place. 

Going online is also a great source for sewing projects. Of course, you already know that, you're reading this blog post! My friend and Art Gallery Fabrics 'sister' Maureen Cracknell has a wonderful blog that you absolutely must visit. She is currently posting projects that are great for everyone to love like this small, quick summer projects the Herringbone Backpack. Maureen also teaches a Craftsy class about Quilt As You Go which is great if you've hesitated about getting into quilting because of the finishing part. 

Herringbone Backpack by Maureen Cracknell

5. Win

FAT QUARTER BUNDLE GIVEAWAY!

What better way to liven up your fabric stash for summer sewing then with new fabric! The fabulous Bari J., another dear friend and AGF sister has designed a stunning new fabric line called Joie de Vivre which means a cheerful enjoyment of life. Read below on how to enter this months fabric giveaway.

This blog is sponsored by the Fat Quarter Shop and we've teaming up to bring you a chance to win an Art Gallery Fabrics fat quarter bundle giveaway every month! Yes, a bundle of fabulous AGF fabrics every month. 

TO ENTER:

Giveaway for the Hivernal Cloud Joie de Vivre bundle begins today, Monday, July 4th, 2016 and will end on Monday, July 11th, 2016 at 4 p.m. EDT. 

• Leave a comment on this blog post anytime between 7/4/16 and 4 p.m. EDT on 7/11/16 to be entered into drawing

The winner will be randomly drawn and notified via email so be sure to completely fill out the comment box entry form with a valid email address. If I cannot reach the winner within 24 hours I will select an alternate winner. Check back on your comment after 4 p.m. EDT 7/11/16 to see if you are a winner!