Welcome to my stop on the Utility-Style Quilts for Everyday Living blog tour! Sharon Holland, known for her fabric designs for Art Gallery Fabrics, has written this book about quilts that are made to be used and loved.
Sharon walks the reader through basic color theory and each step of making a quilt. It’s a great book for a beginner because the designs are simple and achievable. Sharon also encourages you to use what fabrics you have, which is great for a beginner who might have a small stash or a hand-me-down stash. You could make these quilts!
Tracery by Sharon Holland
The Tracery quilt appealed to me right away. I like both the design and the color palette. I decided to make a large pillow cover based on one block from this quilt. Like Sharon, I used a collection of low volume prints and a very similar color scheme actually (which works for the person who will be receiving this pillow as a Christmas gift from me!).
My pillow is made from an assortment of fabric ranging from Cotton + Steel to Art Gallery and even a couple of my Improv fabrics. I quilted a grid in Aurifil thread and used a color with a bit of contrast for fun.
I chose my fabrics with a nature lover in mind, can you tell? I also used some of Sharon’s designs because it seemed only appropriate! This is a great quilt project to adapt to a pillow because the blocks are large and you can trim down those outermost borders as needed to suit the size of your pillow form. I enjoyed making this project. It’s always fun to go scrappy and pull lots of fabrics from the cabinet! The directions were clear and easy to follow and my block went right together.
You will want to stop by Sharon’s post to read her thoughts on the book, see her free quilt pattern to accompany the book, and an erratum notice. She also has a link to signed copies of her book in her online shop–just in time for Christmas shopping!
Or, if you are feeling lucky, Sharon is allowing me to give away a copy of her book. This contest is open to US residents only. I am leaving the giveaway open until the end of the book tour. Good luck!
I hope you visited Heidi yesterday and visit Maureen tomorrow to see what they have made. The whole tour promises to be fun. You can check out all the posts here:
Monday 12/4 Heidi Staples – Fabric Mutt
Tuesday 12/5 Amy Friend – During Quiet Time
Wednesday 12/6 Maureen Cracknell – Maureen Cracknell Handmade
Thursday 12/7 Amber Johnson – Gigi’s Thimble
Friday 12/8 Karen O’Connor – Lady K Quilts Designs
Saturday 12/9 Kori Turner-Goodhart – Olive Grace Studios
Sunday 12/10 Silvia Sutters – A Stranger View
Monday 12/11 Sarah Maxwell – Designs by Sarah J
Tuesday 12/12 Jessica Swift – Jessica Swift
Wednesday 12/13 Lisa Ruble – Love to Color My World
Thursday 12/14 Cindy Wiens – Live a Colorfullife
Friday 12/15 Eleri Kerian – Sew and Tell Project
Saturday 12/16 Anjeanette Klinder – Anjeanette K
Sunday 12/17 Stephanie Kendron – Modern Sewciety
Monday 12/18 Christopher Thompson – The Tattooed Quilter
Tuesday 12/19 Susan Playsted – Hopewood Home