Modern Quilt Month: Paradox!

See how many blocks you can name in this fun modern sampler! We love the bright solid fabrics which contrast nicely with the pure white background. The negative space gives this design an open, airy feel.

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Paradox, made and quilted by Kimberly Zody.  

Kimberly Zody won a second place ribbon for this fun modern sampler quilt! She says, "For my first foray into modern quilting, I took an online Quilt Maker Academy class by Brigitte Heitland. The fabrics I selected were curated to follow the guidelines of incorporating solids with the use of negative space. I drew my inspiration from a pattern by Zen Chic Designs and modified it to fit my vision for this quilt."

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

Illustrated Squares (FREE pattern!)

Black and white quilts are so stylish, especially with interesting prints and strong contrasts! Scroll down for a link to the FREE pattern and video tutorial featuring Ashlee Rudert.

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Thank U, Next #24 by Ashlee Rudert (Bountiful, Utah)  

This stunning black & white quilt used the Illustrations fabric collection by Alli K Design for Moda Fabrics. To add a hint of color, Ashlee also included a large print fabric with hints of periwinkle and taupe.  The quilt is based on the FREE Illustrated Squares quilt pattern by Alli K (CLICK for PDF download!) 

Ashlee says she began working on this project during the filming of Handi Quilter's Clueless Quilter, Episode 5.  "I decided to approach it as a sampler quilt that would feature different stitching techniques.  My friend, Kim Sandberg, taught me several tips on how to use rulers, adjust tension for various types of thread, and helped me try out special accessory feet while we filmed the episode." 

For MORE quilt inspiration, check out our Free Pattern Day for Black & White quilts (CLICK HERE!)

 

 Image credits: The quilt by Ashlee Rudert was photographed by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.

Dear Jane, Dear Hannah

If you're a quilter, you probably know all about the Dear Jane® quilt and maybe Dear Hannah as well. The 1863 Jane A. Stickle quilt was made famous by Brenda Papadakis, who coined the term Dear Jane® and chronicled each of its 225 blocks. We've featured many inspired reproductions on this site!

Brenda also created Dear Hannah, a sampler quilt done in the style of Dear Jane® but with a unique twist. Here are some beautiful quilts from a recent show - including two made by a single quilter!

My Dear Jane #2 by Roberta Wagner, quilted by Clem Buzick  

Here is Roberta Wagner's stunning contemporary Dear Jane quilt.  She explains: "While attending the Minnesota Quilt show several years ago I was blown away at the variety of Dear Jane quilts, and each one was more beautiful than the next. I made the traditional quilt blocks, and at the same time a second quilt with bright colors on a black background. Hence, Dear Jane 1 and 2." 

 My Dear Jane #1 by Roberta Wagner, quilted by Clem Buzick  

Here is Roberta's more traditional Dear Jane®, with the tiny blocks done on a bright white background. Clem Buzick longarm quilted tall triangles in the wide border as a nod to the triangle blocks of Jane A. Stickle's original quilt. 

Roberta based her quilts on Brenda Papadakis' Dear Jane® pattern book, along with patterns by Susan Gatewood; and the Dear Jane Beginner Block List by Ann Foss.   

Hannah's Journey by Susan Cox, quilted by Jessica Jones  

This quilt turned out beautifully with its bright colors! The yellow ribbon denotes a 3rd Place award in the Mixed Technique - Duet/Large category at this show. Based on Brenda Papadakis' Dear Hannah book, Susan Cox says that Hannah's Journey was a journey in many ways: "A journey that ended with miles traveled, new friendships and a quilt that I love."

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Quilt Arizona show. NOTE:  Quilt Inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning we earn a small commission from any sales that arise from a link on this page.  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration.

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.

Highlights of the 2026 Quilt Fiesta! (5)

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 5 of 5.

p.s. Please see our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles. For more free patterns, please follow us on Twitter. 

Greek Garden Party, made and quilted by Tami Graeber.  

In this original design, the Greek keys were hand drawn.  Tami Graeber says that she needed a project on a cruise, so she packed fabric and a limited color palette of paint.  She machine appliqued the elements to the back and added the Greek key border for a fun thing to do. The giant rick rack completes this whimsical piece.

Firefly Dance by Shawna Wallis, quilted by Kris Neifeld.  

Winner of the Quilt Show Chair's Choice award, this panel "One Block Wonder" quilt was begun with a class by Susie Weaver. [The One Block Wonder technique is by Maxine Rosenfeld.]  Shawna Wallis says, "When I saw this panel I knew if would be perfect for a One Block Wonder.  It exceeded my expectations!"

My Childhood in Wyoming, made and quilted by Julie Hallquist

A variation of Alex Anderson's Sequoia Sampler, this quilt won 1st Place and a blue ribbon in the One Person Small Pieced category. Julie Hallquist says, "This is full of reflections of my childhood on a sheep ranch in Wyoming.  My mother's poppies, my grandmother's Swedish heritage, our log cabin, learning to sew, the ever-present wind, and millions of stars at night."

 

 Purple Pineapple, made and quilted by Ann Weber

Ann Weber says, "We have purple potatoes these days - why not purple pineapples? I had been wanting to make a purple quilt to combine lots of different purple fabrics that I had been collecting. Then for some reason, I was drawn to trying the pineapple block. I had so much fun making this and watching the pineapples appear." The quilt is based on the classic pineapple block.  

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.

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.

p.s. Please see our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles. For more free patterns, please follow us on Twitter.

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.

 

Highlights of the 2026 Quilt Fiesta! (1)

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 1 of 5.

p.s. Please see our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles. For more free patterns, please follow us on Twitter.

My Turtle from Tula's 100 Blocks, made and quilted by Penny Boese.  

Winner of a Judge's Choice award, this fantastic batik quilt was based on Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks, arranged in a unique setting by Penny Boese.  She wanted to take Tula's 100 blocks in a different direction and settled on her favorite sea animal, using EQ8 to design the layout.  

Westerlund 2 Stellar Nursery, made and quilted by Janet Hasson.  

Winner of a blue ribbon for 1st Place in the Viewers Choice category, this stunning original quilt by Janet Hasson is composed of 1600 1-1/2" paper pieced squares using a watercolor technique. The appearance of glittering stars is created by thousands of beads and pearls sewn on top of the squares.

The inspiration for Janet's design was a photograph released by NASA celebrating the Hubble Space Telescope's 25th anniversary in 2015 (NASA photo below):  

As NASA describes it, the brilliant tapestry of young stars flaring to life resemble a glittering fireworks display. The sparkling centerpiece of this fireworks show is a giant cluster of thousands of stars called Westerlund 2.

In the quilt by Janet Hasson, subtle gradations of color suggest the swirling gas clouds in Westerlund 2. The beads represent the young super bright massive stars approximately 20,000 light years away.

Carmen Romantica by Barb Lambrecht  

The quilt show included a special display of original works by local art quilters. We love Carmen Romantica by Barb Lambrecht.  It was inspired by a 1973 greeting card that looked much like Carmen Miranda.  This piece is hand appliqued and embellished with paint and a piece of recycled, hand dyed lace.

Through the Stained Glass by JT Taylor, quilted by Kris Neifeld.  

The gorgeous colors and stained glass effect of this quilt really drew us in. Winner of a blue ribbon for 1st Place in the Two Person- Medium Pieced category, plus a special award for Best Use of Color, JT Taylor says she collected fabrics for this quilt for about a year in hopes of making a sunset and stained glass quilt. The pattern source was "Striped Surprise" by 3 Dudes Quilting Designs. 

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Tucson Quilters Guild show. NOTE:  Quilt inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning that Amazon pays us a small commission if you purchase an item from a link on this page; there is no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration, and for reading our blog!

 

 

Form Follows Color

Sampler quilts are a fun way to play with new colors, designs and techniques. This original sampler combines piecing, applique, and embroidery in a setting that brings it all together.  (Also, scroll down for a FREE setting pattern!)

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Form Follows Color, made and quilted by Christiane Ermke 

Christiane Ermke says, "My quilt group (Piece Makers) had a challenge in 2023. We randomly picked every month a shape and a color and created something quilty out of these two prompts." 

Christiane says that her biggest challenge was to find a way to combine all the blocks in a pleasing way. Creating a "path" that connects the blocks is a fabulous idea. We love her technique: 

p.s. We recently updated our Free Pattern Days for Easy Modern Quilts (Part 1 and Part 2).  We hope you enjoy this FREE Windham Fabrics pattern called City Cycles by Tammy Vasser.  It uses a similar setting to showcase fabrics from a collection (CLICK HERE for PDF download!)

Image credits: Photos of Form Follows Color were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Quilt Arizona show.

 

Dreaming of Spring: Rose in Bloom!

This Rose in Bloom sampler quilt is a veritable garden party! It has ten enchanting quilt blocks arranged into a floral inspired setting. The soft rose and green hues, and the fancy flower-inspired layout, remind us of springtime.

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Rose in Bloom by Heather Nothum, quilted by Penny Boese 

  

Heather Nothum made Rose in Bloom from a kit that she received as a Christmas gift. It is based on the published design by Lella Boutique, using the Love Note fabric collection. It features 10 classic quilt block designs – each in a 6″ finished block size. Each design is made 4x (in different print combinations) for a total of 40 blocks. Penny Boese did the wonderful geometric quilting shown below.

The original pattern has a pretty pieced backing (see the photo below, and more details, at Lella Boutique):  

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Quilt Arizona show.  

Cabin by the Lake

Home is where the heart is! This fantastic sampler quilt features blue skies, purple mountains, green trees, running water and autumn leaves. A cozy cabin was built in the middle of this magical terrain.

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

Cabin by the Lake, made and quilted by Luanne Wood.  

Luanne won a blue ribbon for this beautiful quilt. She enjoys making quilts with various block sizes, and this one kept her busy throughout the year! She quilted custom motifs in the open spaces; Can you see the canoe, ducks, and fish in the closeup photo below? 

The pattern source is Cabin by the Lake by Royal Quilt Designs. [As of this writing, the quilt pattern can still be found at various internet sites.]

For dozens of FREE patterns for House quilts, check out our Free Pattern Day for House quilts HERE!

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