Share the Love: 2018 Quilter's Planner

You could image how excited I was to get an email from Stephanie Palmer of the Quilter's Planner (affiliate link) asking if I could create a quilt for the 2018 calendar!

The Quilter's Planner photo courtesy of The Quilter's Planner

The Quilter's Planner is a spiral bound weekly calendar made just for Makers like you! 

• Look at the big picture and know what’s coming. The monthly calendars allow you to get a bird’s eye view of your year and months so you can plan ahead and stay organized.
• Manage your time. A daily appointment calendar allows you to easily keep track of where you need to be, and how you spend your time.
• Create a keepsake of your quilting and personal life. By tracking your projects and life, you are keeping a journal, a snap-shot of your life.  You can look back in years to come and see how you’ve grown and all you’ve achieved.
• Be inspired. Inspirational quotes and beautiful artwork keep you motivated and encourage creativity.
• Customize it. This planner is designed to be tailored to your life.  Whether you’re balancing work and your creative life, or setting new goals as a quilter, this planner gives you flexibility to use it in the way that serves you best.
• Follow your bliss. Manage your time and set realistic goals so you can do more of what you love!
• Get focused. Weekly and daily layouts, and room to prioritize your daily top three tasks that need to get done allow you to focus your attention on the most important things in your life.

The Quilter’s Planner is made in the USA.

The 2018 calendars feature artist is Alison Glass and is accompanied by 14 pattern contributors (including me!).

Daylily by Sharon Holland for the 2018 Quilter's Planner. Photo courtesy of Kitty Wilkin (NightQuilter)

I cannot wait for you to start making my Daylily quilt I stitched for the Quilter's Planner. I'm especially proud of the new technique I created that reduces the cutting and sewing time of the Clipped Flying Geese units by half! 

Daylily by Sharon Holland for the 2018 Quilter's Planner. Photo courtesy of Kitty Wilkin (NightQuilter)

I used fabrics from my Tapestry and Bountiful fabric collections from Art Gallery Fabrics along with the AGF Pure Element fabrics Snow white solid. This quilt was fast to piece and simply machine quilted with parallel diagonal lines and based on the traditional Lily quilt block.

Daylily by Sharon Holland for the 2018 Quilter's Planner. Photo courtesy of Kitty Wilkin (NightQuilter)

These amazing photos were taken by Kitty Wilkin of Night Quilter. Kitty specializes in outdoor photography and is located on the Maine coastline. I adore this photo of my quilt against the orange daylilies. I call them ditchlilies and this orange type was the inspiration for my quilt because my own daylilies were in full bloom at the time. 

The Quilter's Planner photo courtesy of The Quilter's Planner

Pre-orders are now available for the Quilter's Planner (affilate link). This year, shipping costs are included in the price of the planner along with four pages of stickers and quilt patterns will be in a separate magazine. If ordering outside the USA, order your planner through The Fat Quarter Shop. 

The Quilter's Planner photo courtesy of The Quilter's Planner

Sewcial Bee Sampler Finale

Sewcial Bee Sampler Finale

This is it, the finale week of the Sewcial Bee Sampler (SBS) and time for Maureen and I to reveal our finished sampler quilts! The last 27 weeks have been incredible. The response and participation to the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along has been more than my co-host Maureen Cracknell and I could ever imagine. So many new friendships have been formed through the SBS Instagram community and I love hearing how your patchwork sewing skills have been improving through our sewing techniques and tutorials. Thank you for making this so successful.

Surprisingly we still have a few new Makers joining our sew along at this late point and will continue to as they see your beautiful finished quilts being posted. If you're just finding out about us, be sure to take advantage of the in-blog tutorials for the different patchwork techniques used throughout the Sewcial Bee Sampler. Pick up tips and block variations beginning with the first blog post The Start of Something Sewcial. Both Maureen and I will leave all the SBS downloads up on our blogs for you to download long after this event is done. Also, check out the #SewcialBeeSampler hashtag on Instagram, you'll see an amazing array of beautiful blocks and quilts as inspiration overload! 

Before I get to showing you my finished quilts I want to remind you one last time about our Sewcial Bee Sampler Survey. The survey will only remain open one more week, until August 9th, 2017. To help us better understand what you're looking for in a future sew along, Maureen and I have prepared an 8 question survey. This quick questionnaire is completely anonymous and your answers will give us better insight into serving your needs as a quilter. To ensure the most accurate results, please only take the survey once. Many thanks to the 472 SBS Makers who've already participated in the SBS questionnaire! If you've not yet had a chance to take the survey, please do using this link provided. The link is the same on both Maureen's and my blog and goes to the same survey. So, if you access the questionnaire from either Maureen's site or mine, your answers are compiled to the same place.  

Quilt 1: Bountiful 

Originally I only planned to make one sampler quilt but very early into the sew along I could see I wanted to play with more fabric and color options and decided to make two to better show the variety that can be achieved in a project like this. I think each of my quilts has it's own personality as each and everyone of the SBS samplers have a unique point of view from the makers fabric choice, block assembly, and final layout arrangement. That's what makes a project like this so much fun.

My original quilt is made with fabrics from my newest Art Gallery Fabrics (AGF) collection called Bountiful. I also added in some coordinating AGF Pure Element solids.

I decided to keep the sashing fabric the same as the block frames to make the blocks float on the white background. 

The batting for my Bountiful SBS sampler is Hobbs Tuscany Wool. This is an exceptionally fine product and makes for a lightweight quilt with extra loft than a cotton type batting. It is a little different machine quilting on wool because of the added loft and takes a little bit of getting used to handling but needle quilts with ease. I chose to do a very simple free motion stitching on this quilt to give it a modern touch. 

Photo courtesy of Alexis Wright

Visit my Shop Fabrics page to find online quilt shops that carry Bountiful.

Quilt 2: Tiny Dancer

For my second SBS sampler quilt I decided to use fabrics from my first four Art Gallery Fabrics collections with the addition of the new Fusion reprints of my prints. I call my mixed group Tiny Dancer after the Sketchbook fabrics dandelion print by the same name.

On my second quilt I used my Sketchbook fabrics Speckled Lapis print for the block frames and a medium blue Mudcloth Blue print from Tapestry for the sashing. 

Since this quilt had a decidedly feminine quality to it with the colors and floral prints, I chose to stitch a dense, meandering floral machine quilting on it. The batting is the exquisite Hobbs Tuscany Silk batting. Truly the best batting I've ever had the pleasure to work with and works and handles much like a cotton batting.

To find shops that carry fabrics from my Gossamer, Sketchbook, Coastline, and Tapestry collections, use the links provided on my Shop Fabrics page. 

It was so much fun finally putting these blocks together and I love how they both turned out! My daughter helped me photography these over the weekend and I believe she has her eyes set on the Bountiful quilt for her guest bed (it's her favorite fabric collection to date). My year and a half year old granddaughter loved the Tiny Dancer mixed prints quilt and would point out the flowers and butterfly prints. I think someday when she's ready for a big girl bed, that will be her quilt. 

This Friday we still have another Giveaway Friday and it's going to be a big one! Maureen will be hosting the giveaway from her blog and I will be hosting the Instagram giveaway. Everything will be run as normal with the exception of the giveaway being slightly different in the two social media platforms. More about that on Friday!

Aurifil      Circa 15      The Intrepid Thread      Fat Quarter Shop      Omnigrid      Llama Fabrics      Color Girl     Lady Belle Fabric      Needle in a Fabric Stash      Dritz      Knotted Thread    Needle and Foot      Stash Builder Box    Hobbs Batting   Thread Cutterz

Sewcial Bee Sampler Block #25

Last Block!

How did almost 6 months go by so fast!?!? Today we release the final block on the Sewcial Bee Sampler quilt sew along.

This is our last block and many of you are wondering about how to put your quilts together and are thinking about the finishing. Here's the breakdown: Next Wednesday my co-host Maureen Cracknell and I will post the instructions for Assembling and Finishing your quilt. This will include how to add the sashing, layering the quilt sandwich, and binding. The very first Wednesday of August will be reveal week so everyone can show off their finished quilts, quilt tops, or progress so far. There will be a grand finale prize package on the last Giveaway Friday that will knock your socks off, so stick around, we're almost there!

I know many of you would like to get your hands on the sashing and finishing instructions right away but there are many reasons why they will not be released today:

• One more week means one more week of giveaways--Yay!
• SBS Makers coming in late get another week to catch up
• Time to tweak out any oddball blocks
• Add frames and/or square up all blocks to 12-1/2'' square
• Select sashing fabric(s)

If you don't intend to add sashing between your blocks, feel free to start assembling your top, rearranging the block placement to however you'd like. Next week I will have tutorials about adding sashing and finishing your quilt plus other helpful tips. 

As we near the end of this incredible journey, my co-host, Maureen Cracknell and I are thinking about future collaborations. The success of the Sewcial Bee Sampler (SBS) has been phenomenal and mostly because of your participation and the remarkable community you've created out of this sew along.  

To help us better understand what you're looking for in a future sew along, Maureen and I have prepared an 8 question survey. This quick questionnaire is completely anonymous and your answers will give us better insight into serving your needs as a quilter. To ensure the most accurate results, please only take the survey once. Many thanks to those who've participated in the SBS questionnaire already. If you've not yet had a chance to take the survey, please do, we're only keeping it open now through the end of the SBS sew along and then we'll close the survey. The link provided on both our blogs will link to the same survey. So, if you access the questionnaire from either Maureen's site or mine, your answers are compiled to the same place.  

I'm not sure how many new Makers we've got joining our sew along at this late point but anyone just starting may want to take advantage of the in-blog tutorials for the different patchwork techniques used throughout the Sewcial Bee Sampler. Pick up tips and block variations beginning with the first blog post The Start of Something Sewcial. Both Maureen and I will leave all the SBS downloads up on our blogs for you to download long after this event is done. 

Time to get sewing this week's block #25--Prairie Queen. Download the free PDf for the blocks on my Sew Along page.

Our final block will be made using the 2-at-a-time Half Square Triangle (HST) technique combined with basic Four Patch units. Refer back to our past tutorial if you need a refresher on how to make your HST units. We will be making 3-1/2" (unfinished) HST and Four Patch units for this block. Be mindful and accurate with your seam allowance for maintaining the points of the units when assembling. 

I have all the blocks made for both my Sewcial Bee Sampler quilts. In the mixed collection quilt made from fabrics from my first four Art Gallery Fabrics collections I chose to stitch our Prairie Queen block as given in the instructions, using only two fabrics (not counting the frame). 

I've used fabrics from Sketchbook (the frame), Coastline (pink), and Tapestry (blue) and love the way the design pops out in this block. 

For my SBS quilt made just from Bountiful fabrics and Pure Elements from Art Gallery Fabrics I went with a three-fabric variation. Whichever way you stitch this block you will want to pay special attention to the placement of the squares in the Four Patch units to maintain the correct design of this block. 

To find shops that carry my various Art Gallery Fabrics collections, visit my Shop Fabrics page.

If you'd like to make this three fabric variation for this week's block you will need to cut the following:

(2) 3-7/8" squares and (4) 2" squares fabric A

(2) 3-7/8" squares and (8) 2" squares fabric B

(1) 3-1/2" square and (4) 2" squares fabric C

Don't forget that this Friday's Giveaway Friday and this week I will be hosting the giveaway from this blog. We've got a great giveaway planned from Needle and Foot you won't want to miss!

Aurifil      Circa 15      The Intrepid Thread      Fat Quarter Shop      Omnigrid      Llama Fabrics      Color Girl     Lady Belle Fabric      Needle in a Fabric Stash      Dritz      Knotted Thread    Needle and Foot      Stash Builder Box    Hobbs Batting   Thread Cutterz

Sewcial Bee Sampler Block #11

Hello SBS Makers, it's Wednesday! With Easter coming up and spring break, I thought you'd enjoy having an easy block this week so you can enjoy the holiday and maybe have more outdoor time. And no, we didn't plan for this to lineup this way, but it will be a nice break from the more complicated blocks we've done the last two weeks. 

My co-host Maureen Cracknell and I are thrilled with all the blocks being made and the awesome virtual community that's been created by this sew along. We're still seeing new SBS Makers joining us every day so please be sure to welcome the new members and help out where you can with encouragement and any tips you've learned along the way. Thank you for being such a wonderful, supportive community, I know many new friendships have been made because of the SBS. 

If you're just joining, you may want to start at the beginning of the community sewing bee with my first post The Start of Something Sewcial and work your way up to the present. I've included tips and tutorials with each new block and they can be helpful, especially if you're new to quilting. 

Download the free Four Square block from my Sew Along page.

Block #11 is called Four Square and reminds me of the school playground game where a ball is bounced back and forth between four squares painted on the cement. The block is easy, in that there's no units to sew, you just cut and start putting the block together. 

I am making two sampler quilts. This first block features my new Bountiful fabrics from Art Gallery fabrics and AGF Pure Elements solid in Grapefruit in the block and Snow white for the frame. 

There won't be any tutorial today but I do have one thing I need you to do to prepare for this block.

Raise your right hand and repeat after me:

I, (your name goes here), do solemnly swear, that I will cut my block pieces out carefully and use a true 1/4" seam allowance!

If you need a refresher on using a rotary cutter and ruler to cut pieces as well as how to check for an accurate 1/4" seam allowance read my Perfect Patchwork tutorial. 

To sew this block, according to the instructions on the free PDF download, you will be making small Log-Cabin-like sections. Each time you add a piece onto the section, the long side of the new piece will perfectly match the length of the sewn section. If you're pieces are not measuring up, you need to make sure they were cut correctly to begin with and/or double check those seam allowance. There shouldn't be any need to trim or fudge the piecing on this block. 

And just a note about the frame (because I even cut the wrong size on my first block!): Cut 1-1/4" wide strips like it says in the instructions, not 1-1/2'' wide like I defaulted to. Once you have the unframed block pieced, it should be 11" square. After adding the frames, the block will measure 12-1/2" square. 

My second sampler quilt is made from a 20-piece curated collection of prints from my first four Art Gallery Fabrics collections. Block #11 uses Sketchbook, Tapestry, and Fusion prints. 

Aurifil      Circa 15      The Intrepid Thread      Fat Quarter Shop      Omnigrid      Llama Fabrics      Color Girl     Lady Belle Fabric      Needle in a Fabric Stash      Dritz      Knotted Thread    NeedleandFoot      Stash Builder Box

Also, don't forget that Friday is Giveaway Friday and this week I will be hosting the giveaway from this blog. We've got a great giveaway planned from Intrepid Thread I know you'll not want to miss!