Quilting Design in Nova Scotia

Art East Quilting Co. is a quilting design company located on beautiful Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada.  We're captivated by their adorable designs, including  Highland Coos, featuring hairy Scottish cows.  With dozens of patterns, there's something for everyone to love!

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For blog highlights and free patterns, follow us on Twitter!     

Cattle Call, 40 x 45", a Highland Coo quilt pattern by Art East Quilting Co (also at Amazon) 

Cat Scratch quilt pattern by Art East Quilting Co. (also at Amazon)

Halloweenies, 65" square,  by Art East Quilting Co 

NOTE: Their "Second Star to the Right" Sew Along begins April 1st! Check out the Art East Quilting Co. for all of their patterns, quilt kits, and more!

 

 NOTE:  We are an Amazon Associate, which means that we earn a small commission for purchases that arise from an Amazon link on this page.  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration!

FREE CHICKEN (Quilt Patterns!)

LOL.. you had us at FREE CHICKEN!  Here are the 12 BEST free chicken quilt patterns. Use them to make a cute mug rug, pillow, table topper, or wall hanging.  Download your favorites TODAY!  To go to a pattern: Scroll down the page until you see the quilt you like, then click on the words "CLICK for PDF download" in the title above the quilt.

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For blog highlights and free patterns, follow us on Twitter!     

Happy Hen mini quilt or pillow, 16" square, free pattern by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Designs (CLICK for PDF download). 

Henhouse pillows, 10.5 x 15.5", free pattern at Tilda's World (CLICK for PDF download)

Henhouse quilt, 68 x 83", free pattern at Tilda's World (CLICK for PDF download)

Chicken Placemat, free pattern by Renate Bieber for Sulky International (CLICK for PDF download)(written in German but you can use an AI assistant to translate!)

Henrietta Chicken, Block 1 of the Hen Party BOM by Jacquelynne Steves (CLICK for pattern page) + (CLICK for PDF download)

Cat's Rooster, free paper pieced pattern by Jennifer Ofenstein at Sew Hooked (CLICK for pattern)

Sitting Hen, free paper pieced pattern by Jennifer Ofenstein at Sew Hooked (CLICK for pattern) 

Pieced chicken block, free tutorial at The Objects of Design (CLICK for tutorial)

 Hen Peck wall hanging, free pattern at Hoffman California Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Jaunty Rooster, 36 x 45", free pattern by Benartex (CLICK for PDF download) 

No time to make your own?  Check out this beautiful FINISHED wall hanging [for sale as of this writing] by Quilts With Style at Etsy: 

Chicken pillow, free Farm Babies pattern by Casey York for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Just Us Chickens quilt, 32" quilt, free pattern by Swirly Girl for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Folk Art chicken, 10" x 11", free pattern by Annie Lippincott for All People Quilt (CLICK for description) + (CLICK for PDF download; the chicken project starts on page 4)

 Kitschy Chicky Table Set or Wall Quilt, free patterns by Marinda Stewart for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF - quilt) + (CLICK for PDF - table set) - includes templates for the chicken & rooster, tableware, and hearts

 

Chicken Coop quilt, 48 x 64", free pattern at Moda Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

 Flock Party, 58 x 70", free pattern by Denise Russell for Dear Stella Design (CLICK for PDF download)

 

 

Image credits:  Individual images are copyrighted by their owners. Please respect their generosity in sharing their free patterns, and the restrictions they have placed on the use of these designs; complete information can be found at the designers' websites provided in the links. If any links are broken, we'd love to know so we can fix it. Please email us at QuiltInspiration {at} gmail {dot} com.

FREE Paper Pieced Peeps Patterns!

Peeps are marshmallow candies shaped like chicks, bunnies, and other animals, produced since 1953. Here are FREE paper pieced Peeps patterns with zero calories! :-)  Many thanks to Jennifer Ofenstein - the queen of paper piecing - for these patterns.

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For blog highlights and free patterns, follow us on Twitter!      

Peeps Bunnies, free pattern by Jennifer Ofenstein at Sew Hooked (CLICK)

Make a whole bunch of Peeps Bunnies to make a 10″ (finished) block, or make just one for a 2 1/2″ x 5″ finished Peep Bunny!

Peeps Chicks, free pattern by Jennifer Ofenstein at Sew Hooked (CLICK)

These chicks come in 2 sizes, 2.5″ x 5″ (finished) and 5″ x 10″ (finished). Make one or make a flock!

If you're not familiar with Jennifer Ofenstein's work, check out Sew Hooked for tons of quilt inspiration, free patterns and tutorials (CLICK HERE!) 

Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (4)

The annual Quilt Arizona show is a highlight of spring!  Here are some great quilts from this year's show (part four of 4)!

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For blog highlights and free patterns, follow us on Twitter!     

Baltimore Spring by Pearl Sceviour, quilted by Spools: The Workshop. 

 Winner of a Blue Ribbon for 1st Place in the Applique-Duet category, Pearl Sceviour says this is her third in this series of quilts.  it is based on the Baltimore Spring pattern by Pearl Pereira (P3Designs). "I love the technical challenge of the tiny detail in this pattern and it has been one of the most satisfying quilts I've made to date. I did a lot of the quilting within the applique motifs, as I was willing to spend the time with color changes." 

Pretty in Pink, made and quilted by Barb Tatera. 

 Winner of a 3rd place ribbon in its category, this quilt began in an AQG class on the Crimson Christmas pattern by Krista Moser.  Barb Tatera says, "I changed the largest poinsettia to pink to create a fresh, contemporary color palette.  The free-hand feathers emphasize the petals of these classic winter blooms.  I'm so glad I took the class!"

Chasing Dreams by Pamela Elliott, quilted by Jessica Jones.  

Winner of a 2nd Place ribbon in the kit quilt category, Pamela Elliott says that she loves color and paper piecing and this pattern caught her interest.  "It was a joy to work on."  It was based on the published design: Chasing Dreams by Jacqueline de Jonge.

 Unfolding, made and quilted by Claire Victor  @cvqquilts

Winner of a Blue Ribbon for 1st Place in the Modern-Small category, Claire Victor says that this quilt was designed using Procreate.  "I am trying to create dimension and motion without shading or painting.  It was constructed by English Paper Piecing (EPP) and machine quilted on a domestic Bernina machine with no stitch regulator."

 Claire Victor says, " The background quilting design is my modern tribute to crazy quilting."

  Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Quilt Arizona show.

Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (3)

The annual Quilt Arizona show is a highlight of spring!  Here are some great quilts from this year's show (part three of 4)!

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For blog highlights and free patterns, follow us on Twitter!     

Here Comes the Night Shift, made and quilted by Gabrielle Ryan  

A female Thorn Moth awakens and says, "Here comes the night shift!" Gabrielle Ryan says, "Moths are overlooked as pollinators because they are nocturnal.  But their contribution to pollination is critical - they are excellent pollinators.  They outnumber butterflies ten to one and travel long distances, unlike butterflies." 

Winner of an Award of Merit for Outstanding Achievement in Quiltmaking by NACQJ, plus 2nd Place in the Pictorial - Small category, this art quilt was based on a photo by Ukrainian photographer Oleksii Kriachko (used with permission.)  

detail, Here Comes the Night Shift

Freedom Cactus, made and quilted by Kim James  

The word FREEDOM is quilted above the cactus in this miniature quilt, reflecting the quilt show theme, Let Freedom Ring! Kim James says, "My daughter inspired this piece as she has a cactus theme in her home and her pursuit of education has afforded her FREEDOM and independence... this quilt is a tribute to her journey and the vibrant life she has built."  This dynamic little quilt was based on the Cactus Specimen pattern by Swan Sheridan. 

Making Memories Road Trip Quilt, made and quilted by Francine Taylor  

Based on a Capturing Memories Road Trip design by Pride & Joy Quilting, Francine Taylor says this quilt was taught in a Sewtopia Retreat class in 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.  "Veruschka Zarate makes excellent patterns and this is no exception. I love the Arizona landscape. The colors adequately and beautifully depict the desert landscape."

Windows Into Color by Judy Locke, quilted by Penny Boese  

This stunning modern quilt was inspired by a paper pieced block used in The Bachelor pattern in Paper Pieced Modern by Amy Garro (2015).  Judy Locke utilized her own setting and five different color groups for the blocks, one color group per block. The background fabric is used again in each of the five blocks to separate the colors; this also added dimensionality to the quilt.  The outstanding quilting by Penny Boese is done in different colors and designs, shown below.

detail, Windows Into Color

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Quilt Arizona show.

Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (2)

The annual Quilt Arizona show is a highlight of spring!  Here are some great quilts from this year's show (part two of 4)!

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For blog highlights and free patterns, follow us on Twitter!     

Guidance for the Tribe by Stephanie Leuthesser, quilted by Jessica Jones.  

 Winner of 1st Place  for Machine Embroidery, Stephanie Leuthesser says she loved choosing all the colors and finally using her embroidery machine to the max.  "Because my first 12 Kachinas were done on a flannel, they puckered despite using good stabilizers... I changed the background fabric and made 12 more that you see here. The Kachinas were from the Embroidery Library. The feathers and arrows are from Anita Goodesign.

Sawyer's Pasture Paradise, made and quilted by Millie Burgheimer  

Winner of a Third Place ribbon in the pictorial category, this original quilt was based on Millie Burgheimer's own photo of her daughter's horse. The very clever binding was from her husband's saddle blanket. From a distance this looks like a painting; up close you can see the intricate stitching that creates the imagery.

Diamond Mine, made and quilted by Marianne Nowacki.  

Diamond Mine was based on the Indian Blanket pattern by Reeze L. Hanson. Marianne Nowacki says that every piece of Kaffe Fassett fabric was cut using a diamond template. "Working in diagonal rows and maintaining the pattern was a challenge! I used lots of baggies in order to keep all the colors and pieces organized."

Garden Party by Gail Witt, quilted by Jessica Jones 

Winner of Best of Show - Team, plus 1st place in the Mixed Technique - Duet category, this gorgeous quilt is an adaptation of a traditional New York Beauty quilt. Gail Witt says, "I added fussy cut Kaffe flowers, vines, leaves and butterflies to the design.  Techniques include applique, paper piecing, and embroidery. The diagonal setting was inspired by other New York Beauty quilts.  The quilting by Jessica Jones adds dimension and whimsy."

Detail, Garden Party by Gail Witt

 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Quilt Arizona show.

 

 

HIghlights of Quilt Arizona! (1)

The annual Quilt Arizona show is a highlight of spring!  Here are some highlights of this year's show (part one of 4)!

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For blog highlights and free patterns, follow us on Twitter!     

Zerschmettert (1), made and quilted by Victoria Nelson  

Winner of the Exemplary Hand Quilting award, and 1st Place in the Art - Abstract category, Victoria Nelson says: "I started Zerschmettert (Shattered) in a workshop with Maria Shell. "Working from my own photo, I created a simplified composition, drafted shapes for the major areas and improvisationally pieced each area of the quilt.  Largely hand quilted after machine stitching to stabilize the main sections."

 

Pedal Power and Petal Pushers, made and quilted by Patricia Charity 

Winner of Best of Show - Solo and 1st Place in the Pictorial-Medium category, this art quilt was inspired by Patricia Charity's photo of a quiet street in Syracuse, Sicily. This quilt captures the charm of everyday life - the ever-present Italian bicycle leaning against a stone wall, backpacks, and sunlit textures. She layered fabrics to evoke the time-worn beauty and warmth of Mediterranean light and color.

 

 

Color Wheel Cha Cha by Kathi Shunn, quilted by B'nae Pulve.  

 

 

This stunning English paper pieced quilt is based on the Dresden Dance Party pattern by Sami Casanova for Darty Kite Pattern Co. Kathi Shunn says, "While creating a version of my company's Dresden Dance Party pattern, I was inspired to explore the color wheel. I love playing with color, fussy cutting, and whimsical motifs, using saturated hues and circular movement to celebrate color theory through rhythm, repetition, and joy." Winner of a 3rd Place ribbon in its category (Pieced - Duet - Medium). 

 

 

Tucker, made and quilted by Leilani Purvis   

 

Such a clever quilt! Winner of 1st Place in the Pictorial - Small category, and Award of Merit from the NACQJ,  Leilani Purvis based this original quilt on a photo of her grandpuppy, Tucker. "He has brightened our family for eight years. The gear-patterned background honors our maintain-biking daughter.  This quilt is a tribute to his love, energy, and companionship."  Leafy fabric was used to represent Tucker's furry ears.

 

 

Here's the original photo that inspired this wonderful quilt:

 

  

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Quilt Arizona show.