Once in a while a designer comes along that is so good and offers such fresh thinking that they have the ability to truly change perspectives. That once in a while is now with Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill of Whole Circle Studio.
Sheri has always been creative, personally and professionally. She went to school for graphic design and was very successful as a graphic designer before starting her pattern design business. Personally she was always crafty, participating in various handmade pursuits including jewelry making, book binding and painting. She scoured Martha Stewart Living magazines, and collected quilt books. At one point she came across Denyse Schmidt’s work and thought, “that isn’t what I thought quilts looked like.”
As inspired as she was by the quilts she saw on the pages of books and magazines, Sheri was concerned they were too hard to do. She started sewing paper as that seemed more forgiving. And then, in 2012 after a rough week at work and unpleasant commute, Sheri decided she was going to make a quilt as a form of therapy. She made her first quilt, and didn’t stop. She says she, “quilted like a maniac.” I can relate! She joined a guild. She found a community.
As she became more comfortable making quilts, her graphic design instincts kicked in, and she realized how quilts are often designed on a grid pattern. That led her to start designing her own quilts and experimenting with shape, color and overall composition. Soon she was showing her quilts online and entering competitions. And then things got interesting!
Sheri made her famous Bzzzzzz Mini Quilt and Wall Hanging in 2014. She made the quilt as part of a fundraiser and competition for the Quilt Alliance. I remember seeing the quilt way back then and loving it. It definitely changed my perspective – something as basic as a bee being presented in such a graphic way was really interesting to me. And I wasn’t alone – Bzzzzzz generated a lot of online buzz (pun intended) and people started asking for the pattern. Around the same time Sheri designed a Row by Row block for another store, which was a version of the pattern that became her first commercial pattern, Little Fishies.
From that point things accelerated. Sheri joined Craftsy and applied for and won a quilt pattern design fellowship with the prize being a booth at Quilt Market, the industry’s biggest wholesale buying show. She had three months to pull it all together including the booth experience, patterns, etc. She launched Whole Circle Studio in 2016, but still kept her day job until 2018 when she decided that she was going to dedicate herself to growing her business and sharing her unique creative voice with the quilting community.
Sheri was on the class and workshop circuit, continuously developed and released new patterns, and was featured in numerous magazines and media. And then we had a global pandemic, so Sheri shifted again. She had the idea to launch a Block of the Month (BOM) program to offer more tutorials and create a way for people to stay connected during such a trying time. Given travel was limited during that time, she was reflecting on her travels and wondering if and when we’d be able to travel again. She designed her first BOM, Around the World, and people around the world joined to make the quilt.
Since then she has offered a BOM every year with diverse themes – travel, shells, botanicals and more. You can still make these awesome quilts by visiting the BOM section of Sheri’s website for the patterns.
I asked Sheri how she came up with the name Whole Circle Studio for her company? Sheri advised that she and her husband Jason (all around great guy!) brainstormed names. She wanted it to be bigger than quilts, wanted to infuse the sense of community, and thought about her personal making experiences and how they brought her to her own creative business. She came full circle in her creativity and career, and that inspired Whole Circle Studio as the name. It is a great name, and so fits Sheri!
Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart – ask me how I know! I asked Sheri what her biggest challenge is and she talked about something that I think many self-employed folks can related to. It is really hard to balance all the tasks and having to do it all. Sheri certainly has contractors for key roles, like tech editing, for example. But she has a ton of other things to do – design new projects, make samples, market herself and the company, conduct classes and workshops, plan promotional events, manage the operational side of the business and so on. Sadly, she isn’t sitting around sewing all day!
Sheri’s favorite part of her business is designing and the reward of seeing the job that her patterns bring to people She has a great perspective around making her projects easy to follow and meeting people wherever they are in their creative journey. And she loves, loves, loves seeing what people make from her patterns and how they customize projects to fulfill their creative needs!
I asked Sheri what is next? Given the amazing and well-deserved success she has had, how will she maintain the momentum. Sheri holds true to her biggest goal which is to empower makers to enjoy the process of making meaningful quilts, and to enjoy the process, focusing on one stitch at a time. She continues to expand her business moving into embroidery kits of some of her most successful patterns, designing pouch kits with custom designed fabric, and she even launched an online workshop for her Double Friendship Knot quilt. Sheri recognizes that some people like an in-person class environment and others prefer a digital learning experience. She offers both.
I tried to get her to share the theme of her next BOM and while I did get a sneak peek (mind blown), she isn’t quite ready for the big reveal. I can tell you that it is fantastic – timely, customizable, and more flexibility than anything she has done before. (Her words!) Honestly, you are going to look at it and say, “there is no way that is foundation paper pieced.” It is, and she has the blocks to prove it! We have a tradition where Sheri joins us in the shop the day after Thanksgiving with her BOM so makers can see the quilts, sign up with Sheri, and order their kits. Save the date as you will want to see these quilts to believe them.
On a personal note, I have a lot of admiration and gratitude for Sheri and Jason. When we were still a little itty bitty shop across the street from where we are now, Sheri came and taught classes. During the pandemic, we supported each other with ideas and connectivity, and collaborated on online programs designed to help quilters stay connected during a time that many felt isolated. Today, Sheri is a great thought partner who is always willing to listen, offer advice, and brainstorm with me, just as I am for her. It is really important for women to support women and I appreciate Sheri’s creativity, collaboration and camraderie.
Cheers to you Sheri, and all best for continued success!
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