Alaskan Vacation

Today we're featuring the Northern Wilderness quilt, a "spectacular journey that leads you through the natural wonders of the northern country." Designed by Alaskans, Marie Noah, Mary Thompson, and Heather Griffin, it features 16 individual applique scenes that can be assembled into a quilted masterpiece.  Or, pick a single block for a smaller project. Enjoy these photos from a 2025 show!

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Alaskan Vacation made and quilted by Athena Taylor  

Athena Taylor says that she saw this quilt pattern while on vacation in Alaska, and purchased all the fabric while on that trip; she called her finished quilt Alaskan Vacation.  Athena says, "One of my favorite techniques is applique over pieced blocks. So this was a really fun quilt to do!"  

The jagged border is made with Delectable Mountains blocks. Individual blocks include the lob cabin, flying geese, storm-at-sea, and more. We love the Bear Paw block, below, which combines an appliqued bear over a pieced block.

And here is a Storm-at-Sea block (one of our favorites!) with an appliqued whale:

Northern Wilderness, made by Rhonda Borders, quilted by Peg Collins.   

 Another beautiful version of the Northern Wildnerness quilt was made Rhonda Borders.  The darker colors remind us of the Northwest landscapes of Alaska. Rhonda Borders says, "Even on vacation to Alaska, we had to find the quilt stores! Rhonda notes that she did not get to see the Northern lights. (Northern lights happen rarely, and only a matter of luck if you see them while visiting the North!)

We love the log cabin block, below, which features a special kind of log cabin. LOL! 

 

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

Quilts of the Great Outdoors

We hope you enjoyed our 3-part series on Quilts of the Great Outdoors.  These images of bears, deer, salmon, moose and wolves remind us of the beautiful mountains and rivers of North America.  Here's the collection !

Above, Row 1: Calling Me Home by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needles; Winter Wolf by Toni Whitney at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company; Day on the River by Dana Verrengia at Wildfire Designs Alaska; On the Prowl by Toni Whitney at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company. Row 2: Raven Salmon by Lisa Moore at Abby's Reflections ; Fish On by Mary Stenros for Willow Bend Creations as seen at Northern Threads; Landscape Quilt  by Donna Cherry at Donna Cherry Designs. Row 3: Moose Junction by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needles; Metolius by Jean Wells at The Stitchin' Post; About Trout by Angie Steveson at Lunchbox Quilts ; True Nature by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needle Designs. Row 4: Out to Lunch by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needle Designs ; Autumn Lady design by Carl Brenders,  pattern by Bigfork Bay Cotton Company ; Northern Lights by Marie Noah at Northern Threads. Row 5: Cedar Plank Salmon by Lisa Moore at Abby's Reflections.

The Great Outdoors Part 3

Take a mini-vacation with us today !  You'll find yourself surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery and wildlife in these lovely quilts.

Calling Me Home, 57 x 60.5, by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needles

Teeming with animals in their natural habitat amidst scenic beauty,  Calling Me Home is comprised of 8 separate applique blocks.  You can choose individual block designs,  or you can purchase all of them for this glorious quilt. As always, McKenna's scenes are full of personality, ranging from capricious bear cubs, to dignified waterfowl, graceful deer, and leaping fish. This quilt was created with solid color and lightly patterned batiks from Hoffman California International, as are many quilts from Pine Needles.
 

On the Prowl,  28.5 x 28.5. by Toni Whitney at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company

According to the San Diego Zoo,  the mountain lion is also known as a cougar or puma; it inhabits the wilderness areas of western Canada, the western United States, and southern South America. This fabric kit contains the rich tawny beiges and golds  for constructing the mountain lion's face, along with the deep chocolate brown batiks for the borders.  The eye-catching, attractive pattern can be purchased by itself, or along with the fabric kit. In addition, the fabric kit and thread kit can be purchased separately if desired.

Fish On, 37.5 x28.5, by Willow Bend Creations at Northern Threads

 
Alaskan pattern designer Mary Stenros did a great job of creating this dramatic applique pattern showing an angler landing "the big one."  This pattern is advertised as being very "beginner friendly", even though it seems complex and detailed.  You trace the pattern onto fusible web material,  cut it out and attach it to the background fabric, then iron it onto the quilt. Here's a great way to put that pretty multi-colored batik fabric from your stash to perfect use.

Metolius, 40.5 x 70, by Jean Wells at The Stitchin' Post
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Renowned designer, author, and teacher Jean Wells of The Stitchin' Post in Sisters, Oregon, pays tribute to the trout of Metolius River, near her grandmother's home. Find the most dazzling royal blue, violet, orange, and gold fabrics that you can; and get to work on this cheerful creation.  You can purchase the entire quilt kit including directions,  or the individual pattern itself.  Either way, you'll have a wonderful time with this project.

Northern Lights, 33.5 x 24.5,  by Marie Noah at Northern Threads

A beautiful bargello patchwork background and fusible applique silhouettes highlight this picturesque work. The scene depicts the fascinating light show of the Aurora Borealis, which often occurs near earth's polar regions.  This wall hanging looks complex, but it's designed for basic sewers. It includes easy-to-follow directions for both piecing and applique. If you love mixed-techniques quilts, here's an enjoyable pattern for you.