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)!

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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 the 2026 Quilt Fiesta! (3)

In the beautiful Sonoran desert of Arizona, the Tucson Quilters Guild celebrated their 50th anniversary with a spectacular show. The Quilt Fiesta includes a fascinating mix of styles, techniques, and patterns. We hope you enjoy our photos! This is Part 3 of 5.

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Racing the Sunset by Karen Neuendorf  

 This little art quilt is so well done!  It depicts racing the sunset to get home before dark. Karen Neuendorf says that she made it by using the "Accidental Landscapes" technique. Roving was used to create the appearance of dust at the base of the horses' hooves. [Note: The Accidental Landscapes method was created by Karen Eckmeier and is described in her book, Accidental Landscapes - Surprisingly Simple Quilted Landscapes.]

Arizona Blanket by Karen Chrisman, quilted by Linda Powell.  

Winner of a 2nd place award, this quilt was based on the  "Indian Blanket" pattern and class by Reeze Hanson. Karen Christman modified the pattern presented in class, using much less black.  "I chose the rich colors of our southwest to showcase the design. The print of the border is the perfect frame for my 'Arizona Blanket'."  

This was beautifully pieced by Karen Chrisman, and quilted by Linda Powell. NOTE: As of this writing, the Indian Blanket pattern by Reeze Hanson can be found at her website, Morning Glory Designs.

Southwest Sunrise, made and quilted by Luanne Wood.  

"Southwest Sunrise" was based on a BOM pattern, designed in 12 parts by Reeze Hanson. Luanne Wood says, "I learned a lot about New Mexico's Zuni Indian tribe from this pattern.  I added thread drawn motifs of Arizona's Sonoran Desert in the corners of the main section, and revised the outer border."  

Southwest Sunrise was first exhibited at the 2023 Quilt Fiesta, winning multiple awards, including a Judge's Choice and Exemplary Machine Quilting by a Non-Professional. 

Orphans No More by Katherine O'Brien, quilted by Penny Boese.  

This quilt started with "orphan" blocks from the Moda Blockheads 2 patterns.  Katherine created an original layout for the final quilt, adding the setting star and additional blocks. She completed the project due to a group challenge to complete poor unfinished projects. Winner of a Judge's Special Merit award, AND a NACQJ Award of Merit from the National Association of Certified Quilt Judges. The "waves" quilting was done by Penny Boese.

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Tucson Quilters Guild show.  Note: Quilt Inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning we earn a small commission if an item is purchased from an Amazon link on this page. (There is no extra charge to you.)  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration.