Hello everyone,
It is time for a Everlasting Blog Tour – hooray!!!
Latest and oh-so-beautiful collection by Sharon Holland for Art Gallery Fabric is called Everlasting and just as it’s name says, it is inspired by all things everlasting- traditions, family and love.
If you read my previous post you know how much I love this collection but to be included in a group of amazing makers to celebrate the collection and inspire you all, is just thrilling and such an honor!
Make sure you visit and bookmark Sharon’s blog tour page where you will find the list of all participants and schedule for the tour, so you won’t miss anything!
I just keep making and dreaming up projects with this beautiful collection! My inspiration is always rooted in classic and traditional pattern that takes a new twist and fresh look with beautiful colors and designs that these fabric bring. That is how Everlasting Garden was born:
This quilt has a classic Lone Star with surrounding diamonds and then instead of plain background squares there are flower blocks showcasing two of the gorgeous prints from the collection.
The color placement in center diamonds is different than color placement in outside diamonds – While the center ones have colors radiating from the center out, in outside ones I tried to bring a value gradation of colors going along the length of the diamond. To me, it brings almost an effect of the frame or border to the center of the quilt. Do you agree?
While the construction of this quilt it not quite a beginner task, it is really not that hard! I am working on writing up a pattern and a tutorial and hope to have it done soon, so stay tuned! (it’s taking way longer then I thought… )
UPDATE!!
You can now download the complete instructions for the Everlasting Garden quilt HERE
Please, please let me know (comments, email…) if you have any questions or comments about the instructions – I would really like to know how clear they are! I am here to help!
The next quick project I just had to make is a skirt from the absolutely gorgeous floral knit that comes in Everlasting collection.
This skirt is soooo comfy, I could wear it all the time!! I didn’t use a pattern for it, just kinda winged it with a basic, on the bias cut, but I am thinking to make a quick tutorial as soon as I get to make a second one that my daughter has requested.
For my next project I wanted a floral, summery table runner for my living room coffee table. These were the picks for colors:
The idea here is to create a light background middle area where I would appliqué some beautiful flowers from the main floral print.
This table runner is so very easy and quick to make using the strip piecing method!! I made a tutorial for it some years ago and you can find it HERE, but this is a quick recap:
1. Strips are pieced lengthwise in the desired order (NOTE: if you want symmetry in colors, have the ODD number of strips and make a symmetrical color placement relative to the middle strip – like shown below. However, colors can be whatever you want!! 😁 ):
2. Then you cut this large strip-set crosswise into segments that are the same width as the strips are cut originally (so if strips were cut 2.5″, (as these are), you would cut segments 2.5″ wide)
3. Segments are then placed and joined together with strips staggered like this:
At the end you get this kind of odd shaped piece, but it is easily straightened out – see below!
4. Cut off the protruding triangle on one side of the piece…
… and simply transfer it to the other side! It fits perfectly there!! And it will give you a rectangle!
After that you can trim off the triangles on the long sides:
I wanted to use the gorgeous main floral print in this table runner so I opted for the borders only on the two long sides:
Next step for this particular table runner, was adding some flowers!! My favorite quick method for appliqué is using raw-edge, fusible appliqué and in this case, Sharon’s fabulous floral fabric design did all the work for me!!
I just pressed some fusible interfacing on the back of the floral fabric (piece large enough to have several floral motifs), then cut out flowers I wanted…
… and arrange them and pressed in place!
TA-DAH!!!
Apparently tested and approved by my superb studio supervisor, Miss Tesla kitty!!
Due to a prolonged family trip, this table runner is yet to be quilted.
I am thinking to use multiple colors of Aurifil on this one – what do you think?
UPDATE #2
I finished quilting the table runner – yay!!
And guess what? – I did use FIVE different colors of 50wt Aurifil !! Crazy woman… But hey, why not?!
I really had fun! My idea was to first quilt some free motion motifs over the appliqués in the center (and that will also secure the fusible appliqué!) and in the border floral fabric, and then do a background straight line quilting in the middle portion too. So that is what I tried to do! For the middle flowers I used the green and coral thread and for the border flowers teal and red… just to see how that will work! I think it did? What do you think?
Yes, the background straight line quilting had to stop and start at every free motion motif… LOTS of stops and starts and thread tie-offs!!! That’s what you get when you have an idea and want to see it come through!!
At first I thought I will do a complete red binding, but then I opted for one with the floral fabric with just the red accent (the faux-piping binding) and I am really happy with it!
So here it is, the whole runner:
So that is what I dreamed up and made from this amazing, beautiful collection by Sharon – so far!!
I am definitely not done yet my friends!! I really LOVE these fabrics.
How about you? What are you making using these lovelies?
I can’t wait to see what everyone else on the Blog Tour has made!! Make sure to visit Carolina Moore tomorrow for more inspiration and fun!!
Last but not least, I want to express my deep gratitude to Sharon Holland and Art Gallery Fabric for all the incredible inspiration and for honoring me to be a part of this blog tour and Everlasting collection celebration!!
I promise to be back with more sewing fun soon – wishing you summer joys and happy making,
Love,
Marija
Admiring the time and effort you put into your website and detailed information you present. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same old rehashed information. Great read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Beautiful table runner–Thanks so much for the pattern!!
Very pretty ideas, Marija.
Thank you so much Denise!
Gah!! ❤️Marija, I just found your blog from Sharon’s and oh my gosh, everything you made is adorable. Now I want to make all three.
I will follow your blog. Goodness, wonderful creativity
Oh wow, thank you so much Rosemary, such kind words!! I am so glad you found my blog and very honored that you will be following! Sharon’s collection is so gorgeous, it is very easy to some pretty things! 😊 I plan to have many more tutorials and patterns coming, stay tuned and happy sewing!
You did such an Awesome job on all your projects! The fabrics are Beautiful too!! 🙂
Thank you so much Lori! It is really fun creating with such beautiful fabrics
I love the visual impact of the flowers around the lone star. Such a pretty effect. Congratulations on this beautiful design.
Thank you so much Laura!!
WOW! That skirt is wonderful! What a beautiful table runner, these fabrics work so well together! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much! I completely agree, these fabrics are just beautiful together!
I can’t wait for the pattern for this quilt! I am so loving these fabrics.
Gorgeous makes with such beautiful fabrics!! 💕💕💕 -michele @3LittleBirdsNMoo
Thank you!! This fabric is really so beautiful and inspirational, can’t stop playing! 🙂
Hi Marija,
Wow, Wow, Wow, You Lady have blown it out of the Park with what you created with Everlasting! Your Quilt is Stunning and Your Table runner beautiful with such simple instructions. Lovely skirt too, so glad you made that for yourself.
I’m wondering if you let Sharon see your Quilt and Table runner before today? You can definitely tell all was made with Love. Well Done! Bravo
xx/oo Barbara ( Missdaisey7) IG
Oh thank you so much Barbara!!! It is so easy to make something beautiful with these amazing fabrics!! I am still so inspired to make more and more… and can’t wait to see what everyone else made!!
And yes, I was sending Sharon updates from time to time with my projects, so she did see them ahead of time.
Thanks again for visiting and your support, I really appreciate it! 🥰