Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (4)

The annual Quilt Arizona show is a highlight of spring!  Here are some great quilts from this year's show (part four of 4)!

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

Baltimore Spring by Pearl Sceviour, quilted by Spools: The Workshop. 

 Winner of a Blue Ribbon for 1st Place in the Applique-Duet category, Pearl Sceviour says this is her third in this series of quilts.  it is based on the Baltimore Spring pattern by Pearl Pereira (P3Designs). "I love the technical challenge of the tiny detail in this pattern and it has been one of the most satisfying quilts I've made to date. I did a lot of the quilting within the applique motifs, as I was willing to spend the time with color changes." 

Pretty in Pink, made and quilted by Barb Tatera. 

 Winner of a 3rd place ribbon in its category, this quilt began in an AQG class on the Crimson Christmas pattern by Krista Moser.  Barb Tatera says, "I changed the largest poinsettia to pink to create a fresh, contemporary color palette.  The free-hand feathers emphasize the petals of these classic winter blooms.  I'm so glad I took the class!"

Chasing Dreams by Pamela Elliott, quilted by Jessica Jones.  

Winner of a 2nd Place ribbon in the kit quilt category, Pamela Elliott says that she loves color and paper piecing and this pattern caught her interest.  "It was a joy to work on."  It was based on the published design: Chasing Dreams by Jacqueline de Jonge.

 Unfolding, made and quilted by Claire Victor  @cvqquilts

Winner of a Blue Ribbon for 1st Place in the Modern-Small category, Claire Victor says that this quilt was designed using Procreate.  "I am trying to create dimension and motion without shading or painting.  It was constructed by English Paper Piecing (EPP) and machine quilted on a domestic Bernina machine with no stitch regulator."

 Claire Victor says, " The background quilting design is my modern tribute to crazy quilting."

  Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Quilt Arizona show.

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)!

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

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 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)!

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

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.

 

 

12 Days of Christmas: Santa's On His Way

Merry Christmas to all our readers! To celebrate the season, we're posting 12 of our favorite Christmas  quilts from recent shows.  We hope you enjoy the beautiful work expressed in these quilts! 

p.s. Also check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on designer jewelry and collectibles!
For free quilt patterns and more, please follow us on X/Twitter. 

Santa's On His Way by Debra Day, quilted by Stephanie Nordlin

Debra Day bought this pretty fabric panel many years ago but did not know what to do with it. When her guild said they were doing a Round Robin, she decided this panel was perfect for the challenge. Each month they were given a different border to put on their quilt. Debra says, "I love how mine turned out!" The finished top was machine quilted (computer guided) by Stephanie Nordlin. 

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

12 Days of Christmas: Gingerbread Stiches

Merry Christmas to all our readers! To celebrate the season, we're posting 12 of our favorite Christmas quilts from recent shows.  We hope you enjoy the beautiful details expressed in these masterpieces!

p.s. Also check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on designer jewelry and collectibles!
For more free quilt patterns, please visit us on X/Twitter.

Gingerbread Stitches by Martie Warden (Arizona), quilted by Rose Maynes.  

Who doesn't love a gingerbread house or gingerbread cookies? Martie Warden says, "This felted wool applique on flannel BOM is perfect for my son and daughter-in-laws home.  It is the largest felted wool piece I have done so far.  I had so much fun doing all techniques and working with Rose to figure out the long arm design. I hope they enjoy it for years to come."  

  

The houses are decorated with small ornaments, buttons, and embroidery. Some of Martie Warden's beautiful embroidery can be seen on the holly leaves and gingerbread man in the border, below:

 

 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Quilt Arizona show.  This quilt by Martie Warden was based on a published design: Gingerbread Stitches BOM by Calico Patch Design. 

Sew Whimsical! The Quilts of David Charity

We first were introduced to the quilts of David Charity at the 2025 Quilt Arizona show.  David and Patricia Charity are husband-and-wife fiber artists working in Prescott, Arizona.  While sharing a studio, they have developed unique styles and outstanding bodies of work. Here are two of David's cartoon quilts, winners of top awards in the Theme category: Sew Whimsical.

Surf or Turf, made and quilted by David Charity 

David’s cartoon fiber art masterfully twists idioms and common phrases to create playful, thought-provoking pieces that delight the eye and mind. Winner of a blue ribbon in the Sew Whimsical (Theme) category at the show, Surf or Turf is a fun spin on whether you like meat or fish. Which will the monster fish pick?  The three fish who are terrified at the prospect of being lunch?  Or will it be the sea horse that appears oblivious to what is about to happen? (Note the sea "horse" which clearly belongs more on land than under the sea!)

David Charity always wanted to be a cartoonist, and decided to express his love of the art form through quilting. As shown with Surf and Turf and with Parrots of the Caribbean, below, his cartoon fiber art masterfully twists idioms and common phrases to create playful, thought-provoking pieces that delight the eye and mind. 

Parrots of the Caribbean, made and quilted by David Charity  

Winner of Second Place in the theme category, here is a really fun take on the beloved Disneyland ride called Pirates of the Caribbean with its memorable song: "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me." Who didn't love that ride and song? 

So many cute details can be seen here, including the smiling crab in the lower left of the piece, and the peg-leg parrot enjoying a bottle of rum. David says: "Growing up in Southern California we were able to visit the park often.  I took the ride idea and put my cartoon twist on the theme song.  What would a bunch of shipwrecked parrots do on a deserted island?" With his hook for a hand, eye patch, jaunty hat and sword, this Parrot of the Caribbean is ready to take on any and all challenges!  

 

Please visit David and Patricia Charity's website, From Edge 2 Edge, to see portfolios of their work and read about their backgrounds, awards, and upcoming events!

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

Wonky Wildflowers

Wonky Wildflowers is a fun mix of quilting and hand embroidery. With wonky log cabin blocks, wedge grass, Dresden sunshine, hexagon embellishments and embroidered flower petals, this project is as much fun to create as it is to look at. We love this colorful rendition, shown at the Arizona Quilters Guild show.

Note: Please check out our eBay shop for great bargains on gorgeous beaded jewelry, patterns, and collectibles!  

Wonky Wildflowers, made and quilted by Teresa Darling

 

A Dresden sun shines down on the embroidered flowers while a bluebird sings on a branch. Teresa Darling says she enjoyed this project as it gave me a chance to use a variety of techniques. The Wonky Wildflowers pattern is by Sandra Workman. We photographed this quilt at the 2025 Quilt Arizona show, under the theme Sew Whimsical.

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

Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (3)

The 2025 Quilt Arizona show features hundreds of quilters, many of whom spend the winter months in this sunny locale.  Here are some highlights from the show.  We hope you enjoy our photos!

Note: Please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns, jewelry, and collectibles. You also can follow us on Twitter!

Here Kitty Kitty, made and quilted by Jo Willis

Jo Willis says, "I fell in love with this kit several years ago and purchased it at the Rusty Barn show in 2022.  I finally decided it was time to make this adorable kitty." The published design was Drum the Cat by Liam Brazier for Legit Kits.

Rosemary's English Garden, made and quilted by Penny Boese

Winner of 1st Place in the Pieced- Large Solo category, Penny Boese says: "I began this quilt a few years ago but only got serious about it this year. As I was making it, I thought of it as an English garden, thus my fabric color choices."  This quilt is distinguished by beautiful jewel tones and spectacular quilting. 

When my childhood and long time friend's mother, an avid gardener, died this year, I decided to name it in her honor.  Penny Boese based her quilt on the Star Upon Stars pattern by Edyta Sitar at Laundry Basket Quilts.

 SEW... My Needle Pulling Thread, made and quilted by Kate Glenn

Here is some gorgeous wool applique, embroidery, and machine quilting! Winner of 1st place in the Applique - Solo category, and a special award for Exemplary Non Professional Machine Quilting, Kate Glenn says this is her first wool applique quilt. 

 Kate Glenn says, "I liked how the pattern used whimsical flowers and vines to decorate many of my favorite sewing things. That encouraged me to revisit the embroidery stitches that my mother taught me when I was a young girl and I used them to embellish the center blocks." The published design is called Thimble Blossoms by Buttermilk Basin.  

Dragonfly Dance by Elaine Mahaffey, quilted by Nancy Stein.

Whirling pieced flowers done in batiks give so much energy to this quilt! Elaine Mahaffey says, "This project was exciting as it combined paper piecing with a design that utilized scraps. The paper piecing was necessary in order to achieve all the matching angles coming together.  The lattice in the background gives a framework for the whimsical flowers in a random pattern."

Winner of a red ribbon (2nd Place) in this category, Dragonfly Dance was based on a published design in American Quilter by Marjorie Rhine.  Check out the fun dragonfly quilting as seen on the back of the quilt, below!

Desert Rose, made and quilted by June Batty 

This lovely paper pieced quilt, with its complementary pink and green colors, was based on a published design from Lakeview Quilting by Linda McGibbon.  June Batty says, "This originally came as a kit but the substituted colors made it look like a circus tent to me.  [It was] not at all like the designer intended, so I purchased batiks from three different quilt stores... I'm quite happy with the colors now and think they are truer to the designer's vision."

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