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)!

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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.

 

 

Striped and Spangled: FREE pattern for QOV!

"Striped & Spangled" is an homage to our country’s flag. Based on a variation of a “stacked coins” quilt, the easy-to-sew pattern is set vertically and sprinkled with appliquéd stars. The pattern was designed by Hunter's Design Studio for the Quilts of Valor® Foundation. 

A Quilt of Valor^® is an award to Service Members and Veterans who have been touched by war.  Read more about making and donating a quilt here. 

Striped and Spangled, 65 x 80", by Hunter's Design Studio (CLICK for PDF download) 

 Image credits:  Striped and Spangled is the copyright of Hunter's Design Studio. Please respect the use restrictions listed in the pattern download.

 

Symphony of Color

Not all of us have a flower garden, but if you're a quilter you can create your own. Here are some outstanding quilts showing a variety of techniques and effects!

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

Ode to Georgia, made and quilted by Saundra Stavis Bohl (Ohio)   

This brilliant original quilt has a stained glass effect due to the machine applique, done with dark thread and a zig zag stitch. Saundra Stabis Bohl says, "After a wonderful family trip to Santa fe, I was inspired by the colors, music, culture, and endless sky."  This Ode to Georgia (O'Keeffe) was made with machine applique, piecing, and quilting.

Garden Party, made and quilted by Cindi Huff (Arizona)

 Cindi Huff says that she took a class to learn a new applique technique. "I thought I would just do one block and make a pillow.  However, that block was so fun and joyful, that I went on to make the entire quilt!" The pattern is Garden Party by Laura Heine.

Symphony of Color, made and quilted by Susan W. Smith (Washington, USA) 

Light dances across the colors of the leaves in this digitally printed whole cloth quilt, which resembles a watercolor painting. Susan W. Smith took photos and altered them with iPad apps and Photoshop, printed them at Spoonflower, and then used quilting to enhance their shapes and colors. Trapunto also was used to enhance the elements. 

 Image credits: Photos of Ode to Georgia and Symphony of Color were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival. Photos of Garden Party were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Tucson Quilters guild show. NOTE:  Quilt Inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning we receive a small commission from any Amazon purchase that results from a link on this page.  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration!

Glorious Gardens

Not all of us have an actual garden, but if you're a quilter you can create your own. Here are some glorious quilted gardens you might enjoy.

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

My Whimsical Garden by Debbie Cole, quilted by Rose Maynes.  

This bright and beautiful quilt was based on My Whimsical Quilt Garden by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins. Debbie Cole says, "I have looked forward to making this quilt for 5 years. While I mostly utilized the pattern design, I added a little embellishment in the form of machine embroidery. And of course, everything is better with a dog" [see the third row, center block!] 

Flowers, Frogs and Flies, made and quilted by Mimi Braniff (Texas) 

This gorgeous quilt was based on the Flora and Fauna pattern by Dawn Heese and Bonnie Sullivan. Mimi Braniff says that she altered 6 blocks to reflect the flowers, critters, and fliers where she lives, using springlike pastel colors. "I wanted to reflect the tiny animals and beautiful butterflies that reside in my habitat."  We enjoyed this beautiful wool applique; look at the frogs amidst the vines.

My Secret Garden by Sara Quigley, quilted by Athena Lynn  

My Secret Garden was based on a 2023 Block of the Month quilt by Sarah Fielke.  Sara Quigley says that the BOM took 13 months to stitch.  "It was a great learning experience. All the pieces were needleturn applique, and some blocks were machine pieced before applique. No fabrics were provided by this BOM;  the majority of fabrics were in my stash, luckily."  

 Image credits: Photos of The Secret Garden and My Whimsical Garden were taken at the 2025 Tucson Quilters Guild show.  Photos of Flowers, Frogs and Flies were taken at the 2025 Houston International quilt show. NOTE:  Quilt Inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning we receive a small commission from any Amazon purchase that results from a link on this page.  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration!

 

 

In The Garden

Bees, butterflies, moths, and snails... oh my!  These critters often inhabit gardens - depending on your climate (there are no snails in southern Arizona!) These cute quilts are based on designs by Pen and Paper Patterns. 

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

In The Garden, made and quilted by Kathie Gilbert. 

Based on a pattern by Pen & Paper Patterns, this was a weekly summer sew along hosted by The Quilt Basket (Tucson, Arizona). Kathie Gilbert says this sweet quilt design piqued her interest from the start. "With its intricate piecing and whimsical characters, I learned so many skills for precision piecing...  I loved following this weekly sew along with the Quilt Basket/Sewing Room." 

We also love the quilting design which includes dragonflies and other bugs...see the closeup photo below!

Oak Moth, made and quilted by Michele Cummings  

We love the colors and fabrics Michele Cummings chose for this quilt!  She says, "I wanted to try something a little more modern but not entirely so. This was a good compromise to me.  I deviated from the solids suggested by the pattern designer and used prints." [Pattern source: Oak moth by Pen & Paper Patterns.] 

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Tucson Quilters Guild show.

Floral Felicity

Flower quilts remind us of spring all year 'round! There are so many possibilities for flower quilts: pieced or appliqued, traditional or modern.  Here is a modern pieced garden that brings to mind the flowers, birds, and insects of spring.

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

Garden Dwellers, made and quilted by Jana Knutson 

Starting with the Floral Felicity pattern by Sew Kind of Wonderful, Jana Knutson chose a pattern layout to feature only her favorite blocks. There is a large gray bunny, a ladybug, bees, and a bluebird, along with stylized flowers made with curved piecing!

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Tucson Quilters Guild show.

Hot & Cold Snowballs: FREE patterns!

Snowball blocks are often used in Kaffe Fassett quilts to highlight these beautiful large floral prints. From a distance, a snowball block looks like a round circle, but it is actually an octagon, an eight-sided figure. Here are FREE patterns for hot and cold snowballs!

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

Dotty quilt, free pattern by Stacey Day for Kaffe Fassett Collective (CLICK for COOL version) + (CLICK for HOT version)

Balls in the Air quilt, free pattern by Lucy Fazely for Kaffe Fassett Collective (CLICK for COOL version) + (CLICK for HOT version)

 

For MORE free snowball quilt patterns, check out our Free Pattern Day (CLICK HERE!)

 

 

Circle of Comfort

Therapy dogs provide strength and joy to many people in need, including children undergoing difficult cancer-related treatments. Here is an award-winning quilt that honors their service.

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

Circle of Comfort "Bringing Joy to Kids with Cancer" made and quilted by Kelly Godbout 

Winner of a blue ribbon for 1st Place in the Art-Realistic category, Kelly Godbout made this original quilt from her photo. The quilt features some of the original therapy dogs from Shine On! Kids, a nonprofit in Tokyo that she has proudly supported for more than 20 years. 

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Tucson Quilters Guild show.

Our Feline Friends

Our feline friends bring us joy and companionship. It's no wonder so many talented quilters have chosen to honor them with a quilt! Here are three quilted tributes made with a variety of styles and techniques.

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

The Daydream Cat by Jayeun Shin (Gyeonggi-do, South Korea).  

This contemporary art quilt is made with hand dyeing, machine piecing, applique, and quilting.    A sphinx cat, drawn to a flower pot, drifts into a dream where reality and fantasy are divided into gray spaces. Blue and yellow curtains and walls reflect the cat's free, lively, and optimistic nature. The cat's imagination is expressed playfully through quilting. 

Gus, made and quilted by Sandi Lanz.  

Sandi Lanz says that when she saw this panel and fabric [by Timeless Treasures] she had to make it. The pattern is The Multiverse by Leigh Headington at The Sweet Tea Girls. (See the links for more information; the links are active as of this writing.) This quilt turned out beautifully.

Cats in the Garden by Nancy Landon, quilted by Brenda Smitley. 

Winner of the award for Exemplary Hand Applique, this original design is based on traditional Baltimore album blocks poular in the 1840s and 50's.  Nancy Landon says, "The applique flowers are my favorite and the cats are just 4 of many cats I have loved." We enjoyed every part of this gorgeous quilt including the lavish pink border roses.

p.s. If you love cat and dog quilts, check out our Free Pattern Day (CLICK HERE!)

 

Image credits: Photos of The Daydream Cat were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.  Photos of Gus and Cats in the Garden were taken at the 2026 Tucson Quilt Fiesta.

 

 

 

Our Canine Companions

Our canine companions bring us joy, energy, and unconditional love. It's no wonder so many talented quilters have chosen to honor their companions with a quilt. Here are four quilted tributes from the U.S., Canada and Brazil, using a variety of styles and techniques.

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

Boundless Spirit by Alessandra Volker (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).  

Boundless Spirit was hand painted and finished with machine quilting and thread painting.  It was based on a photo by Annette Shaff, which Alessandra Volker bought at Shutterstock. This artwork captures the zest for life emboided by a dog in its most exuberant state. Its expressive face, wide eyes, and playful tongue convey pure joy and boundless energy.  The vibrant colors radiating behind it mirror the dog's dynamic spirit. 

Tinker Bell by Karmen Brister (Texas)

Karmen Brister says that she started with a photo of her son's bulldog, Tinker Bell, while she was snoozing.  "I knew I had to paint this picture and bring it to life. As ink flowed, painting her sleepy folds was irresistible; then, thread painting detailed each crease meticulously, mimicking her skin's texture."  The red and white rug is a wonderful backdrop for Tinker Bell!

Hercules by Margery Hedges (Texas) 

 Margery Hedges says, "Hercules is one of the many granddogs we've had over the years.  We were lucky to have him stay with us for about 6 months when he was about a year old.  This image is a perfect example of how fun and enjoyable he was.  He will always be remembered as one of our favorites." Hercules was created with hand painting, machine applique and quilting. 

Blue by Amber Mitchener (Saint John, NB, Canada)  

Amber Mitchener honors Blue, a calm and sweet dog with a distinctive white mark in one eye. The background has various blue blocks, symbolizing his serene and loyal nature. "His friendly personality and love for food are subtly reflected in the design, capturing the warmth and joy Blue brings to all who know him... This artistic piece is a beautiful tribute to his gentle spirit and unwavering companionship."

Image credits: Photos of Boundless Spirit, Hercules, Tinker Bell, and Blue were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.