Best of the 2015 Springville (Utah) Quilt Show (part 1)

We enjoyed our fun trip to the 42nd annual quilt show at the Museum of Art in Springville, Utah. It was very professionally staged and contained some outstanding works of quilting art. Here are our favorites and award winners from top quilters in the state of Utah.

Midnight Wedding Star by Josephine Keasler, quilted by Carole L. Sturgis

A blue ribbon Award of Excellence winner, Josephine states, "Several years ago, I purchased two jelly rolls (strips of fabric that are 2.5" wide), a bright and pastel version of the same colors. When I saw this  pattern, I decided that it was... perfect for my treasured jelly rolls." We loved Josephine's breathtaking quilt, whose cohesive look is achieved by her careful positioning of fabric colors in each block. This is the Bali Wedding Star quilt pattern by Judy Niemeyer. Josephine specializes in paper foundation piecing by this designer.

Close up, Midnight Wedding Star by Josephine Keasler

Jospehine continues, " My friend [Carole Sturgis]  offered to quilt if for me on her home sewing machine and asked me what I wanted quilted on it. "  Each wedge of the double wedding ring was quilted with a small heart and feathers.  The black background was quilted in royal blue thread.with feathers that curve around, ending in hearts.

Dresden of the Sea by Diane E. Miller

Winner of a Judge's Choice and Viewer's Choice award, Diane says, "Quilt teacher Kaye Evans' 'Kaffe and Friends' class made Dresden plate blocks, and we then had to design a quilt using the blocks we had made. It was my idea to incorporate them into a sea scene. "

Close up, Dresden of the Sea by Diane E. Miller

Diane achieved spectacular effects by cleverly displaying her Dresden plate blocks as shells and  sea ornaments in a very decorative underwater world.

Close-up, Dresden of the Sea, by Diane E. Miller

Batik turtles peacefully drift through the seaweed above. The "echo" quilting pattern which follows the outline of the seaweed, enhances the languid, dreamy sensations that are exuded by this fascinating scene.

Worlds Without End by Sharon Aposhian Wright

Another blue ribbon Award of Excellence winner, Sharon notes, "While at the Houston International Quilt Festival, I saw a quilt made by sisters Sue Nickels and Pat Holly  for the Libby Lehman  Benefit Auction. I was captivated by the richness of Dupioni silk, the challenge of making the circles appear as lighter versions of the background fabrics, and the exercise of designing twenty-five different quilting motifs."

Close up, Worlds Without End by Sharon Aposhian Wright

Sharon continues, "I quilted this on my Bernina 440 machine, using silk thread and wool batting." This gorgeous color-saturated silk background reflects the light with a soft glow and shows off Sharon's stunning workmanship.  

Paokalani African Tulips by Karin Crawford, quilted by Pat Gorelangton

Karen writes, "The African Tulip tree has beautiful large blossoms and is one of my favorite motifs in traditional Hawaiian-style quilting.  The pattern was commissioned of John Serrao of the Paokalani School of Hawaiian Quilting in Honolulu. [I] modified the pattern by adding more blossoms and opening the center.  An open center symbolizes a connection with heaven. The batik and ombre fabric was selected for uniqueness and color. It was quilted in the traditional Hawaiian style of echo quilting."  We really admired the graceful,  elegant design of this lovely pattern.

For a close-up photo of this quilt, and more Hawaiian designs, see our Hawaiian Quilts board at Pinterest.

Melissa Wedding Quilt by Katherine Porter, quilted by Virginia Gore

Katherine exclaims, "This girl loves color!"  All [my] grandchildren receive a wedding quilt. For Melissa, I knew it must have vibrant color."  This quilter has certainly been successful in selecting colorful  split-complementary tones of orange, blue, green, and purple, then creating vibrant, eye-catching borders.

Close up, Melissa Wedding Quilt by Katherine Porter, quilted by Virginia Gore

Katherine adds, "The medallion is from the book Material Obsession 2, the rest is original design, and the applique is needle-turn."  We love this cheerful little folk-art bird among the flowers, whose wing contains the same intriguing paisley fabric as the border.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

Back to School

This time of year, the school bells ring again for so many of us and our children.  A house on a quilt is a symbol of our community and our lives together in society. It's no wonder that house quilts remind us of comfort and the togetherness of family, friends, and neighbors. They really appeal to us, maybe because "home is where the heart is."

Welcome Home, 64 x 64", by Alex Anderson 

Here's a delightful neighborhood of cheerful houses done in russet and gold. Internationally-famous designer Alex Anderson has brightened the traditional fall quilt by adding contemporary colors of aqua blue and rose pink, which make the maple leaves and houses sparkle against the dark background.

Little Houses, 48 x 60", by Ruth Powers

Ruth writes, "Much of my work is inspired by nature;  my daily walks fill my senses with color and design possibilities." Ruth has done an excellent job of selecting different blues and greens for the sky and earth, which complement the bright orange and orange-red of the homes. Ruth notes that this is a great pattern for using up fat quarters and scraps.

Little Old One Room Schoolhouse,  23 x 27", by Ruth Powers

The traditional schoolhouse of the frontier, complete with a bell tower, beckons us back to learning, as leaves swirl in the early autumn breeze.  Ruth Powers offers this charming scene as a pattern, along with many other creative designs.

Firelight and Chimney Smoke, 62 x 50, by Martha Milne at MachineQuilter (UK)

Martha Milne constructed this beautiful Amish-style schoolhouse quilt out of jewel-tone remnants. The light and bright windows in this quilt give the inviting illusion of a warm, glowing hearth within, which beckons us inside. A free pattern can be downloaded at Popular Patchwork and Quilting. Martha is renowned for her machine quilting; for her DVDs and tutorials, please visit the machinequilter website.

Little Amsterdam by Marilyn Wood

Marilyn Wood notes, "This pattern is from the [ North Sea Quilters of ] the Netherlands. The flowered fabrics in the houses and border are antique Dutch reproduction fabrics from Amsterdam, my husband's favorite city."  Marilyn's striped border adds to the lively, upbeat personality of this quilt, which was shown at the 2013 Arizona Quilters' Guild show.

Pedestrian Friendly, 60 x 60", by Pat Dicker

Pat Dicker used high-energy colors to create a lively town adapted from Sue Garman's block-of-the-month quilt,  All Around the Town.  Pat tells us, "I named the quilt 'Pedestrian Friendly' because the original design has cars on it, and I chose to leave them out, so that the 'residents' would just walk from house to house." 

Schoolhouse Block, 19 x 22, from "There's No Place Like Home" by Sonya Chinn at Sonya's Snippets

Quilter and teacher Sonya Chinn, creator of the Sonya's Snippets blog, sewed this charming scene for a block-of-the-month quilt which she calls 'There's No Place Like Home'. Sonya has added an individualized touch by placing the initials of her children's school on the quaint schoolhouse.  Sonya's complete quilt was based on the "Home Is Where the Heart Is"  pattern, shown below, by The Stitch Connection.

Home is Where the Heart Is by The Stitch Connection

Image credits:  Little Amsterdam was photographed by Quilt Inspiration. The quilts by Pat Dicker, Sonya Chinn, Ruth Powers, Alex Anderson and Martha Milne are shown with permission of the artists and were originally featured in 2010 at Quilt Inspiration.

Free pattern day: Tote bags !

Here are 50  free sewing patterns for tote bags, shopping bags, backpacks, duffle bags and beach bags.  To go to a pattern: Scroll down the page until you see the quilt you like, then click on the words "PDF download" (or the hyperlinked website name) in the title above the quilt.
You might also be interested in free patterns for purses and tablet and laptop cases.

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns and collectible items ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

Dahlia Tote Bag, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Scalloped Tote Bag, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Triangle Tote Bag, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Triangle Tote by Sarah Thomas, free pattern at Hoffman California Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Chelsea Versatile Tote Bag, free pattern by Northcott Studio (CLICK for PDF download)

Fatima Bag, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Tote bag, free pattern by Sew Can She for Fabric Editions (CLICK for PDF download)

Quilting Mat Bag, free pattern at Riley Blake Designs (CLICK for PDF download)

Grocery Bag, free pattern at Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

One Size Fits All Tote Bag, free pattern by Linda Turner Griepentrog for Timeless Treasures (CLICK for PDF download)

Patchwork Carryall Bag, free pattern by Melissa Peda for Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Tote Bag at Paint Brush Studios, free pattern by Ginabean Handmade (CLICK for PDF download)

Indigo Tote Bag, free pattern at Fat Quarter Shop (CLICK for PDF download)

Cactus Stone Tote Bag, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Helen Tote Bag, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Going to Market Tote Bag, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Asana Yoga Mat Bag, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Row House Tote Bag, free pattern at Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Day Zip tote, free Kaffe Fassett bag pattern at Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Scandia Overnight bag, free Jane Sassaman bag pattern at Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Flower Power tote bag, free Kaffe Fassett bag pattern at Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Happy Improv Tote, free pattern by Denyse Schmidt for Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Star Struck tote bag, free pattern at Make It Coats (CLICK for PDF download) 

Wide Tote Bag, free pattern at Lecien Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Big City bag, free pattern at Hoffman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

A Sampling of Geese tote bag, free pattern at McCall's Quilting (CLICK for PDF download) 

Backyard Garden bag, free pattern at Cloud 9 Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Wayfarer Tote, free Kaffe Fassett bag pattern at Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Market Tote Bag, free pattern by Amanda Niederhauser for Blend Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Garden Tote Bag, free Carolyn Friedlander pattern at Robert Kaufman (CLICK for PDF download) 

Slouchy Summer Hobo Bag, free pattern and tutorial at Flamingo Toes (CLICK for PDF download) 

Greenmarket Tote bag, made with coated fabric, free pattern by KD Spain (CLICK for PDF download)

Easy Market Tote, free pattern by Tula Pink for Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Carnival Pinwheels Tote, free pattern by Amy Butler for Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Big Splash beach bag, free pattern by Heidi Pridemore for Henry Glass Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

 Boxy Tote Bag with vinyl straps, free video tutorial at Made Everyday (CLICK for tutorial)

  
Drawstring Fish Bag, free pattern at Cloud 9 Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Hampton Tote bag, free pattern at Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Take a Hike Backpack, free pattern at Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Drawstring Backpack, free pattern at Hoffman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Quilt-As-You-Go Drawstring Backpack, free pattern by Benartex, see: Sew In Love With Fabric (CLICK for tutorial)

Triune Tote bag, free pattern by Pat Bravo (CLICK for PDF download)

Overnight Bag tutorial by Rebecca from Our Busy Little Bunch, see: Inspired by Fabric
(CLICK for tutorial) 

Backpack, free pattern by Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

All in a Row tote bag, free pattern at Riley Blake Designs (CLICK for PDF download)

Easy Messenger Style Book Bag tutorial at Plum and June (CLICK for tutorial)

Rainy Day vinyl tote bag tutorial at Havel’s Sewing (CLICK for tutorial) 

Ellie Travel Case tutorial at Fabric Mutt (CLICK for tutorial)

Pastiche Tote Bag, free pattern by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

 
Big Bucket Tote Bag, free pattern by Jennifer Mathis at Pellon Projects (CLICK for PDF download)

 
Retro Overnight Bag tutorial by The Crafty Kitty for Birch Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

A Totebag tutorial at Chic Envelopements (CLICK for tutorial)

 
Quick Pool Tote made with laminated cotton, free pattern at Quilt Views (CLICK for PDF download)

Pocket Tote, free pattern for Free Spirit Fabrics as seen at Cotton Patch (CLICK for PDF download)

Market Tote trio bag tutorial at Sew4Home (CLICK for tutorial)

Baker Street Bag tutorial at Sew Sweetness (CLICK for PDF download)

Quilted Bucket Bag tutorial at Camelot Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Governors Island Backpack tutorial at The New New (CLICK for tutorial)

Cargo Duffle Bag, free pattern by Noodle Head for Robert Kaufman (CLICK for PDF download)  

Herringbone Haul it All Tote tutorial by Marion McClellan for Moda Bakeshop (CLICK for PDF download)

Drunkard’s Path Quilted Tote tutorial at Ricochet and Away  (CLICK for tutorial)

Clermont Farms Quilted Tote Bag tutorial by Glenn Dragone for Moda Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Simple Six-Pocket Bag, 8 x 10 x 4", tutorial at Better Homes and Gardens (CLICK for tutorial) 

Sewing Mat Carrier Bag, fits an 18"sewing mat, free pattern by Melissa Peda for Free Spirit Fabric (CLICK for PDF download)

Fancy Free multipurpose sling bag, free pattern by Melissa Peda (CLICK for PDF download)

Large Quilted Tote, free pattern at Henry Glass Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Meadlowlark Tote, free pattern by Carrie Bloomston (CLICK for PDF download)

Back To School Kid Size tote bag tutorial by Christina McKinney as seen at Birch Fabrics (CLICK for tutorial) 

Lindsay Tote Bag tutorial by Sara Lawson at Sew Sweetness (CLICK for PDF download) 

DIY Tote with leather straps tutorial by Bee Inspired as seen at Sew Sweetness (CLICK for tutorial)

Ipanema Beach Bag tutorial by Heidi Staples as seen at Birch Fabrics (CLICK for tutorial) 

Reusable Washable Shopping Bag tutorial at Sue Daurio's Blog (CLICK for tutorial) 

Trail tote bag, cross-body style in two sizes, free pattern by Noodle Head (CLICK for PDF download)  

Oversize reversible tote bag, free pattern by Megan Avery for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 
 

Dubstepper messenger bag, 10 x 12 x 3”, free pattern at Robert Kaufman (CLICK for PDF download) 

Quilted tote bag tutorial at All People Quilt (CLICK for tutorial) 

Take Me To Class tote bag tutorial by The Sewing Chick as seen at Sew In Love With Fabric  (CLICK for tutorial)

Time Warp Tote, 14 x 4 x 12", free pattern at Cloud 9 Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Reversible Tote bag, free pattern at Camelot Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)
 

Market Tote bag tutorial at Bijou Lovely Designs (CLICK for tutorial)

Fashion Market Tote, free pattern by Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Right Turn Bag, free pattern by Anna Maria Horner for Janome (CLICK for PDF download)

Placemat Bag tutorial (make a bag from one quilted placemat) by No Big Dill (CLICK for tutorial)

Color Beat Tote, free pattern at Robert Kaufman (CLICK for PDF download)

Mother and Daughter Tote Bag, free pattern at Oliver + S (CLICK for PDF download)

Easy Pleazy Tote Tutorial at Pieceful Kwilter (CLICK for PDF download)

Removable Tote Organizer (from a carpenter's apron) at Martha Stewart (CLICK for tutorial)

This handy three-pocket pouch is fashioned from a carpenter's canvas nail apron.  Cut off the apron straps, sew on buttons and twill tape loops, then slip inside a tote bag like the one shown.

Fat Sack by Terri Atkinson at Atkinson Designs (CLICK for tutorial)

Hand Appliqued Petal Bag tutorial by Vanessa Christenson at V and Co (CLICK for tutorial)

It’s a Cinch Bag tutorial by Sweet Verbena (CLICK for tutorial)

Carry All Tote with Ruffle Fabric by Vanessa Christenson at V and Co (CLICK for tutorial)

Just Beachy tote bag, free pattern at Robert Kaufman (PDF download)

Diaper Bag, made with charms, free pattern at Fabric Editions (CLICK for PDF download)

Image credits and links: This post was UPDATED on September 27, 2021. All 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; email us at Quilt Inspiration:  quiltinspiration {at} gmail {dot} com.