Fanciful Look Book

Last week Art Gallery Fabrics published the Fanciful Look Book, showing off my new blender and debut Designer Essentials collection for AGF. The 10 new colorings plus the 2 original colors from my Bookish line make for a beautiful 12-piece blender range to coordinate with my other collections and the Look Book shows you how well they mix and match with your favorite Sharon Holland prints.

Click the Fanciful Look Book button below to view the virtual sewing catalog.

I’ve already blogged about the New Wave pillow, Scallop Bunting, and Quilted Carryall projects shown in this styled baby room photo above so this blog post will be about the Fanciful quilts.

One of my all-time favorite quilts to give as a baby gift is my Hold Tight quilt. I’ve always made the Hold Tight quilt in solids in the past because of the array of colors available to achieve beautiful transition colors where the balloons overlap but as soon as the Fanciful blender collection was finalized, I knew I wanted to make this quilt with this blender collection!

For the Fanciful version I wanted an extra lux quilt so I used Shannon Fabrics Cuddle “Minky” in white as the backing. Terri Neil of Quilting Rubies did the long arm quilting for this in a pantograph called Fanciful Flyers by Urban Elementz and I added the hand stitched quilting “strings” to the balloons after it was quilted but only stitched through the quilt top and batting so the quilting on the back of the quilt was uninterrupted.

To add a little extra pop to this Hold Tight quilt, I supplemented the different blenders with my Tiny Dancer prints and I love the scale change of this additional larger print. Above is the conversion of using less number of fabrics and upping the amount of each used to a fat quarter. Construction, background, backing, and binding remain the same as in the pattern for the throw—just the number of fabrics used to make the balloon is reduced and some fabrics show up in more than one balloon in my Fanciful version, rather than the original version of fabrics only being used once per balloon.

Evergreen Quilt

Here’s a bonus project for blog readers and one you wont find in the Fanciful Look Book! The Evergreen (or also known as Hinterland) quilt is a free pattern from Art Gallery Fabrics, designed by Sam Vanderpuy.

I took some liberties with the pattern that I will share and streamlined the number of fabrics to make cutting simpler.

To make my version I used 1/3 yard EACH of 8 Fanciful blenders and streamlined the cutting to be almost an even distribution of the 8 colors. I also chose not to add the occasional upside down strip set triangles because I wasn’t pleased with the skinny lines not lining up perfectly so I kept the quilt to all Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids in Latte for the triangles and skinny strips (background).

The beautiful fan quilting was done by Terri Neil of Quilting Rubies. To give this quilt some extra fun I used Chenille-It Blooming Bias tape for the edges in white. You can learn more about how to add a chenille edge to your quilt with my video tutorial, HERE.

I love the idea of stars over the mountains and how this quilt backing of Compass Points print from my Shine On collection gives this quilt a front and back that’s equally fun and graphic!

This is certainly a quilt that will grow with baby and would also be a beautiful wall hanging as the child gets older.

Be sure to check out the Fanciful Look Book for more sewing inspiration and looks at how lovely these blender colors coordinate with prints from my past (and upcoming) fabric collections. This is the perfect way to extend your stash of Sharon Holland fabrics!

Next time on the blog…

Another baby quilt and a hack for the Quilted Carryall bag you wont want to miss!

Lilliput Look Book

Time has flown by and I’m behind in posting about my Lilliput Look Book that was released the end of April. My apologies but today’s the day to take a closer look at the projects I made with my new Art Gallery Fabrics Lilliput collection…

Lilliput is my first fabric collection designed with children in mind but it’s not your average children’s line because there’s so many prints an adult would love as well. Think sophisticated kids collection that focuses on nature and imagination.

I wanted Lilliput to have a very magical Look Book and so I created a painted backdrop to use in my home studio and created a fantasy forest in which all my Lilliput projects could be photographed and show the versatility of this collection from crib to kid.

This mural is no little thing, in fact, it’s about 9 foot by 12 foot and was painted onto a painter’s drop cloth canvas with household and acrylic paints. I color matched as best I could the colors from the collection and just freehand painted trees, leaves, and brush. I could only see about a 4 foot horizontal section at a time as I painted this draped over a ping pong table so it was a big surprise to see it up on the wall and coming out as good as it had!

You’ll see most of my projects have used this mural as an underlying theme to help create a magical, secret garden-type of mood.

Firelight Quilt

I’ve two new grand babies coming any day now and what a better excuse to create for my Look Book and make baby gifts at the same time! This crib size Firelight quilt is made from the Firelight quilt pattern released in February and you can find the pattern in my SHOP. I used Art Gallery Fabrics Smooth Denim as the background for the perfect boy quilt. The original Firelight quilt went to baby-to-be’s big brother so both boys will have the same style quilt with different looks.

I did a simple diagonal grid quilting in the ditch and bound the quilt with Smooth Denim in peach and backed with the navy dragonfly print from the Lilliput collection.

Make Your Own Crib Sheets

One of the easiest ways to personalize a nursery is to make your own crib sheets. I used Dana Willard’s of Made Everyday tutorial and whipped up this Forest Friends crib sheet in a matter of minutes.

Fox and Bunny

I don’t know about you, but I’m still a sucker for stuffed animals. I loved them as a kid and still do as an adult. Now I have grandkids I can live through them with new critters to love and cuddle. So, when I saw these patterns by Willowynn I knew I wanted to make them for the Look Book then gift them to the two older grandkids, ages 3 and 5.

Needless to say I had a ton of fun setting up this little tea party.

Whole Cloth Quilt

When I designed Lilliput and the Bog Party print I immediately thought I wanted to make a whole cloth quilt from this print so that’s what I did when it came time to so for the Look Book. I used the same print front and back and sandwiched two layers of Hobbs Tuscany 100% Premium Polyester batting for an extra puffy loft. I hand quilted a simple grid quilting design and used The Willow Markets tutorial for making a quilt like this.

This quilt has already been gifted to my son who’s also expecting their first child any day now.

Pillows, and More Pillows

The Cubist Illusion pillow is a free pattern from Art Gallery Fabrics. I adore this baby block look and want to do an entire quilt in this pattern in the future.

I used my own Hidden Zipper tutorial to professionally add a zipper closer to the pillow. If you’ve never tried it you really must—it’s easy and the perfect finish to a pillow. A pillow is also a great way to test out quilt blocks without the big commitment of doing a quilt.

Making your own pillowcases, like making cribs sheets is a great way to customize a bedroom. Pillowcases are an ideal project for beginner sewers of any age. I made these two cases using AGF knit from the Lilliput collection and they are now in use on my granddaughter’s bed. I used Dana Willard’s You Tube tutorial for these easy knit cases.

Pencil Pouch

This Rectangular School Kit is made using the free Odif pattern. Part of this project’s charm is that Odif makes a product called Odicoat that when applied to fabric will turn it into an oil cloth-like fabric. This makes a pouch nice for wiping off or as a travel or makeup bag to repel spills and stains.

Stitches From the Heart

This Stitches From the Heart wallhanging is a free pattern from our friends at The Fat Quarter Shop and was delightful to stitch up. The pattern also includes a mini version.

Since this project was small I hand quilted a clam shell design across the quilt.

Just For Fun

This had to have been the most fun I’ve ever had photographing a fabric collection because most of it was done in my studio over about 3 days. It was a lot of work but so enjoyable. This hideaway tent idea was just for fun and what I pictured my kids (when they were little) wanting to play in and dream the dreams that kids do.

Lilliput prints of Fort Imagination was used for the tent and Full Bloom covers the bottom cushion. You can see I got a lot of mileage from my backdrop!

Are you inspired to do some sewing? These were only the projects I made so to see more of these and the other incredible contributions by makers and AGF Studio, flip through the virtual magazine pages HERE.

Also, if you’re looking for Lilliput prints or any of my other collections, don’t forget to check out my FABRICS page to see which of your favorite online shops have them in stock. Soon, I’ll be adding my next collection Bookish to the collection list!

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 or related items I think you may enjoy.

Firelight Quilt

Firelight Quilt

Firelight quilt by Sharon Holland

Hello, and welcome to my first blog post of 2021 where I introduce my first new quilt pattern of 2021!

I know it’s been two months since my last post—sorry about the gap but I’ve been busy creating new quilt designs and doing some secret sewing. I’ve got plenty to show and tell with you very soon and there’ll be new blog posts showing up in your inbox on a regular basis—you can count on that!

Right before Christmas I’d received a bundle of Little Forester Fusions from AGF and knew instantly this is the collection I’d use to make my grandson a quilt for his upcoming third birthday. The Little Forester collection is a fusion of beloved prints from several AGF designer, recolored and grouped into a new collection under the Fusions division of AGF offerings. FUSIONS are bite size collections featuring prints from AGF designers arranged in conceptual themes and as the name suggest, this is a playful, nature-themed collection.

Little Forester Fusions

Above is the entire Little Forester Fusions collection. I did not use every print from the collection but instead selected five of the prints and paired them with AGF Pure Solids and a couple prints from my Spirited collection below.

The Firelight quilt pattern comes with three quilt sizes: Crib, throw, and twin. The pattern cover quilt is the throw size. Quilt kits, just like my sample quilt, are available at Midlife Quilter and include the fabrics listed below. See the PDF pattern listing on my SHOP page for material requirements for all three sizes.

Photo courtesy of Midlife Quilter

Photo courtesy of Midlife Quilter

I’ve labeled this pattern an intermediate level pattern because there are a lot of pieces per block and the need for accurate cutting, sewing, and trimming will be necessary for maintaining all those points. There are also many pieces to keep track of for orientation as well but the end results are really worth slowing down a bit and taking a little extra care.

The pattern has step by step instruction for making Half-Square Triangle (HST) units and Flying Geese units with no-waste piecing techniques. Units are purposely made oversized to allow for trimming and squaring so your blocks go together effortlessly.

For tips on trimming and squaring these types of units, read my tutorial HERE.

I love that this pattern is fat quarter-friendly and encourages mix and match, scrappy blocks. I preplanned my fabric pairing before I started sewing block so I could distribute the fabrics and make each block different.

My grandson really loves the quilts his Mimi (that’s me) makes and he’s a snuggle bug! So, to make this quilt extra special for him I added Shannon Minky in Cappuccino to the back of the quilt and quilted it myself on a diagonal grid by stitching in the ditch. It was a breeze to quilt on my domestic machine and oh, so snuggly!

I used Hobbs Heirloom 100% Cotton Batting inside and it was the perfect thickness with a thick Minky backing but still quilted like a dream. The quilt has some heft to it but still has a lovely, traditional drape and feel to it.

But wait, there’s more!

I wasn't the only one making a Firelight quilt these last two months. My amazing pattern testers have been stitching away on their own version of this pattern and I can’t wait for you to see these quilts!

Meet the Testers

Pattern tester Brittany Tunison

Brittany Tunison is a talented quilt designer in her own right and an amazing maker. Brittany curated Art Gallery Fabrics from several different designers and included AGF Denim in her quilt and the result is this stunning denim, blush, and gold throw quilt. See more of Brittany’s own work as a quilt pattern designer and blogger at White Plains Quilts . You can also find Brittany on Instagram @brittanytunison

Pattern tester Elaine Satterfield

Elaine Satterfield chose to make a crib size Firelight quilt and it’s incredible! Elaine also backed her quilt with Minky but rounded the corners which is brilliant idea since the corners of the quilt are created from large background triangle and don’t interfere with any blocks. I love the soft shades of mint, gold, gray, and peach in these assorted Art Gallery Fabrics used in her quilt. You can follow Elaine’s quilt adventures on Instagram @elaines14 .

Pattern tester Joyce Ulm

I’m crazy over Joyce Ulm’s Firelight make! Joyce stitched the twin version of this quilt and used AGF Pure Solids and my Kismet prints—a feast for the eyes! See more of Joyce’s work on Instagram @evamaecustomquilts, Etsy shop, and on her Facebook blog HERE, she’s are real dynamo and does her own quilting as well!

Pattern tester Megan Eckroth

Megan Eckroth of @cartellastudio on Instagram is a new member to my tester group. I was instantly smitten with Megan’s work and have enjoyed getting to know her and know you’ll love her, too! Megan made the throw size Firelight and it’s a beauty. The dark background is inspired and sets off the sage, clay, putty, and peach solids and spring-colored prints from Art Gallery Fabrics. Follow Megan on Instagram, FB, and her Etsy Shop.

Pattern tester Mary Gove

I wait with anticipation to see what Mary Gove will create next. Her Firelight throw quilt version is stunning and is only rivaled by the equally glorious landscape settings she uses as backdrops to her quilts. This beautiful fabric pull of Pure Solids, Homebody prints and Kismet prints is delicious and feels so fresh. Follow Mary’s quilting adventures from her Instagram account @thecurlyquilter.

Pattern tester Terri Neil

I was real excited when I heard Terri Neil say she was going to make an all AGF Pure solids Firelight throw quilt and beyond thrill when she sent me the reveal photos! Have you ever seen a prettier color palette? The juxtaposition of bright, muted, and jewel tone colors blow away all color theory conventions yet it utterly works and reminds me of museum-worthy antique Amish quilts. Terri on Instagram @quiltingrubies and you’ll be in awe of all the beautiful quilts she makes and quilts for others from her long arm business called Quilting Rubies.

Pattern tester Tracey Taber-Perry

This gorgeous jewel-toned Firelight throw quilt was made by Tracey Taber-Perry. Tracey used the AGF Marrakesh Fusions collection for the blocks and background and I love the big, bold geometric print background to add even more energy to the quilt design. This quilt looks like a beautiful spring bulb poking out of the snow. To see more of Tracey’s beautiful work and you can follow her feed @ttabes80 on Instagram.

Pattern tester Victoria Newmyer

Victoria Newmyer is the genius behind the Midlife Quilter shop where you can find beautiful AGF fabrics and get personal help curating your next bundle for a quilt project. I love this spring-fresh bundle Victoria pulled for her crib size Firelight quilt. The addition of Chenille-It Just Peachy faux chenille binding is the perfect finish and a product she stocks in her shop as well.

Don’t forget that Victoria is stocking kits for the Firelight cover quilt and you can find all the details on her online quilt shop Midlife Quilter and beautiful Instagram account @midlife_quilter.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this virtual quilt show and have been inspired to discover new Art Gallery Fabrics you may not have seen yet or new color combinations to spice up your life and energize your creativity. Be sure to stop by my testers social pages and say “Hi” and tell them how amazing they are!

Find the PDF pattern for the Firelight quilt in my SHOP and 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 or related items I think you may enjoy.

Prairie Flower Quilt

Prairie Flower Quilt

Prairie Flower Quilt by Sharon Holland

There’s a new pattern in my SHOP called Prairie Flower! This 80” x 88” quilt is made with prints from my Art Gallery Fabrics Spirited collection and AGF Pure Solid in Chocolate for the little pinwheels and border strips. What I love about this quilt is it can fit a double (full) size bed if the border strips are at the head and foot of the bed or if rotated 90 degrees and the border strips run the sides of the bed it’ll fit a queen bed—it’s like getting two for one!

This quilt design’s celebrating it’s nine year anniversary with me. It was the companion quilt pattern for my very first fabric line when I first started designing and licensed my prints to Paintbrush Studio in 2010 (the quilt was finished in January 2011). Now, in 2020, I’ve given the quilt a fresh new look and added the pinwheels blocks and border strips in the all new updated pattern.

I almost hate to post the pictures from the first quilt because the quality of my photos were so poor back then—I didn’t know nearly as much as I do now about photography and file size. But, in all fairness, I’ll show you so you can see how far I and my quilts have come in nine years.

Original Prairie Flower quilt in Blue Skies collection by Sharon Holland for Paintbrush Studio

You can just detect the same furniture and furniture placement in my bedroom! Yeah, I really have no time for decorating, lol, only the bedding, lamps, and bench (at foot of the bed) have been replaced.

The original quilt had smaller Prairie Flower blocks that were set next to each other. The new and improved quilt has a little larger blocks to show off the prints better, sashing, and small pinwheel blocks.

Pinwheel blocks by Sharon Holland

I like how this new layout opens up the field of flowers (blocks) and the scale change between the big and little blocks has movement and energy just like a field of wildflowers blowing in the wind.

Prairie Flower blocks in Spirited by Sharon Holland

The incredible quilting on the updated Prairie Flower quilt was done by the talented Brooke Becker of Lady Belle Fabric. Brooke has numerous pantograph designs to choose from and I had about five I was considering until I saw this Abstract Rose design and new immediately it was the one for my quilt. I selected cream thread because it blended beautifully with the Spirited - Bright Star Washed print used for the background.

The batting used in my quilt is my all-time favorite, Hobbs Tuscany Silk blend batting. The excellent drape, warmth, and light-weight property of this batting also has beautiful stitch definition for machine or hand quilting—I love it! For the backing I selected Spirited - Delicate Balance Sienna and am obsessed with how beautiful it is!

To celebrate the homecoming of the Prairie Flower quilt I’m having a PDF pattern giveaway here on the blog and on my Instagram feed @sharonhollanddesigns! See how to enter below…

Giveaway now closed

Congratulations to Cindy G, Linda S. Zlogar, and Rita Dowd!!!!

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! 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 get a hold of you!

1. Simply leave a comment here under this post! (First comment entry).

2. My followers get a third entry! If you follow via subscribing to my posts, through Bloglovin (or other service), or on Instagram, just let me know by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (Separate comment counts as second entry). Note: I'm no longer on Facebook.

3. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Spread the word about this giveaway on YOUR instagram, facebook, tweet, pin, blog post, etc... (separate comment counts as a third entry). 

That’s THREE possible entries! Enter now through Friday, March 6, 2020. I’ll be drawing names for three winners. The winning comments will be picked at random around 4pm Eastern. I’ll post the name of the winners on this post once they've been notified and responded to my email.

Be sure to visit my Instagram feed @sharonhollanddesigns for a chance for you and a tagged friend to win PDF patterns from my SHOP. Winners can pick a substitute PDF pattern if desired for the blog and IG giveaways.

Happy sewing,

Sharon

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.