Highlights of the 2026 Quilt Fiesta! (4)

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 4 of 5.

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Cactus Trio, made and quilted by Barbara Lambrecht.  

This still life of cacti in pots is beautifully done. Winner of a 2nd place ribbon in the Art- Realistic category, Barbara Lambrecht says: "Two cacti from the class with Jane Haworth needed a companion.  I designed the barrel cactus to accompany the others. I used eyelash yarn for the spines and fused flowers for the blossoms."  

The Color of Music, made and quilted by Stephanie Nordlin

Winner of a ribbon for 3rd place in the Art - Realistic category, Stephanie Nordlin says, "My granddaugher recorded herself playing keyboard and guitar.  Her jacket [in the quilt] is made from leftover fabric from a shirt I made her 16 years ago.  Her face is made from layers of dyed silk."

Blossoms, made and quilted by Barbara Lambrecht

 Oh my... This gorgeous floral quilt is hand quilted; scroll down for closeup photos. Winner of the Exemplary Hand Quilting award, plus a red ribbon (2nd place) in the One Person Primarily Applique category. 

The blocks are original designs by Barbara Lambrecht, plus one from the book, East Quilts West by Kumiko Sudo.  Barbara Lambrecht says, "I designed these blossoms and finally found a setting design that was public domain.  This quilt is the first of two I made." We hope you can see the tiny hand quilting stitches in the background in these photos...

Sonoran Star Burst by Saddlebrooke Quilters entered by Tami Graeber; quilted by Athena Taylor.  

Winner of a ribbon for 2nd place in the Group Quilt category, this is the Saddlebrooke Quilters' 2026 Raffle Quilt. A chocolate background was chosen to make the desert color palette pop! The scallop border was added to soften the sharp lines. The quilt included two patterns designed by Linda McGibbons: Canyon Twilight & Luminary.

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.

Welcome to the Sun

Each fall and winter, millions of North Americans head South, seeking the sun.  The snowbirds often land in Arizona, Florida, and other warm climates.  Here are some wonderful wall quilts and sampler quilts that celebrate the warmth of Arizona and the Southwest.

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

My Christmas Cactus, made and quilted by Palma Davis

Palma Davis says, "This wall hanging shows our magnificent Saguaro in the morning, midnight, and sunset."  We love the fabric choices for the backgrounds, Saguaros, and even the stony base of the quilt. Pattern source: Sonoran Saguaro by Copper Thimble Makery.

Sun Kachina, made and quilted by Karen Neuendorf

The Sun Kachina is one of the most famous of the Hopi Kachina figures, and is a symbol of life and growth. This wonderful art quilt is appliqued, and the feathers are 36-gauge copper, tooled and stained with alcohol inks. The border batik fabric has southwest patterns as well. (Note: Karen Neuendorf is a member of the NW Tucson Art Quilters group.)

Welcome to Arizona, made and quilted by Wendy Anderson.

Wendy Anderson says, "When I first moved to Tucson, Arizona, I was drawn to all the wonderful, colorful southwest fabrics. This pattern was a perfect opportunity to use and show off those fabrics." We spy cowboy boots, the Arizona symbol, Saguaro cacti, Pueblo, Kokopelli and petroglyphs in this design. Wendy says that this great quilt was based on a 'Happy Trails, Cactus Quilt pattern' (we're still searching for the pattern source.) We enjoyed all the blocks, including the sun over the mountain (or 'moon over mountain') row shown below.

Beautiful Desert by Karen Chrisman, quilted by Brenda Taminga. 

This was a block-of-the-month project started in June 2019.  Karen Chrisman says, "During the shutdown in March 2020, the last 3 blocks were mailed to me.  I added my own designs to set the blocks, creating a beautiful southwest theme." Pattern source: Blockbuster "Desert Beauty" BOM, Quilters' Market. The half-square triangle blocks shown below give the appearance of mountains, while the quarter Dresden plate depicts the sun.

 Arizona Adventure, made and quilted by Barbara Lambrecht. 

Barbara Lambrecht says, "This is my first quilt, a BOM challenge from Saddlebrooke Ranch Piecemakers. I started it 5 months late but finished on time.  We were encouraged to add our own touches to the simple block pattern we were given along with two fat quarters required to use for each block.  I love the way it turned out."  Fussy-cut circles serve as medallions in the corners of some blocks, shown below.

Note: If you enjoyed this post you might be interested in our Free Pattern Day for Southwestern quilts (CLICK HERE):

Image credits: Original quilt photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2023 and 2024 Tucson Quilters Guild show.

 

Flowers in Bloom: An Applique Extravaganza

Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine to the soul. – Luther Burbank

Here are some stunning flower quilts to brighten the day. The colorful flowers stand out brilliantly against their dark backgrounds. These quilts showcase some incredible applique and quilting techniques!

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

Sonoran Poppy Trio by Stephanie Nordlin

This original art quilt - designed by Stephanie Nordlin - features California, Matilija, and Mexican poppies rendered in 3D. Each type of poppy blooms after its own seasonal rain, and with distinctly different leaves in both shape and color. As you can see, Stephanie achieved outstanding delicacy and transparency with her art quilting techniques. She is a juried artist member of Studio Art Quilt Associates.

Blossoms on Parade by Barbara Lambrecht

Here are some lovely flowers in a lovely setting! The curved blocks give the appearance of "cathedral windows".  Barbara Lambrecht says, “I used to do a LOT of applique and started designing my own patterns in the 1990’s. This is one I taught for years in eastern Washington state and northern Idaho. It is one of two I’ve made as a “twin set”. This one is all my original design.”

 Black Beauty by Ingrid Lawrence Happel, quilted by Tracy Yadon

Beautiful applique, and a wide variety of flowers, can be seen in this art quilt by Ingrid Lawrence Happel. She says, “When I saw this pattern I knew I had to make it. As usual I did change the flowers and the border. I enjoy hand applique and took a local class to sharpen my skills.” Pattern source: Barbara Brandeburg, a variation of Winter Botanical.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2023 Tucson Quilters Guild show.