The CIRCLES quilt challenge (2)

We love quilt challenges!  One of the best we've seen recently was the CIRCLES challenge, which has been traveling the country. Put on by the National Association of Certified Quilt Judges (NACQJ), the challenge was to create an original piece (up to 20") using the provided yellow and blue fabric cut into circles. There were so many creative entries. Which are your favorites?

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

Circular Fusion by Maribeth Schmit (Cedarburg, WI)

Circular Fusion is a fun exploration of traditional and modern quilt design and techniques.  The blue and yellow circles (the theme of the challenge) are used as punctuation, the focus being on the asymmetrial circular design.  The straight-line quilting adds order to the design.

 Double Complements by Andi Perejda (Arroyo Grande, CA)

Complementary colors add interest to artwork, as do fascinating fabrics! Andi Perejda says,  "I decided to add complementary colors to our blue and yellow colors, using fabrics I had printed and/or dyed.  So, violet and orange were used in conjunction with blue and yellow.  Thus, a double-complementary color scheme was born!"

Inspired by Joan Miro by Linda Rasmussen (Monrovia, CA)

Joan Miro was a famous 20th century artist who combined abstract art with Surrealist fantasy.  Linda Rasmussen says, "When I saw the colors that were to be included in this piece and the challenge of a cricle theme, I searched the internet for art that featured circles and bright colors.  Who popped up but Joan Miro?  One of his pieces inspired me to make this quilt.  I loved the color and the abstract nature of his piece... this is my interpretation.)

Circling the Sun by Cindy Seitz-Krug (Luna, NM)

 

Circling the Sun shows the planets in their orbits, with fabric chosen to represent their appearances.  A corner of the sun was placed in the upper left, and thread painting was used to denote heat and flares emanating from the sun.  The names of the planets were quilted next to their image as shown below.

 Dot-Dot-Dot by Phyllis Manley (Plymouth Meeting, PA)

A really interesting clamshell design, where colorful circles punctuate the curves of the black-and-white clamshells. Phyllis Manley says, "Working with circles is not always a challenge. I enjoyed using the "fused interfacing method" to make clamshells, then applique onto the background.  I did not want the quilting to interfere with the design, so outlining the circles was an easy choice."

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

Quilt Arizona! The 2022 Show (5)

The theme of the 2022 Arizona Quilters Guild show was Kaleidoscope of Quilts.  It was a fantastic show!  Last year's show was cancelled - so there was high anticipation for this year's event. There were many amazing quilts on display... here are some of our favorites!

p.s. check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns, fabric, and vintage jewelry!
For more free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter.

Feel The Wave by Leilani Purvis, quilted by Beth Watts

Here's a fabulous art quilt by Leilani Purvis, who was inspired by a photograph of the wave by John Cocozza (San Diego, California).  Leilani says, "I hope this quilt makes you feel like you're in this wave!"  She used raw edge applique and lace to depict the colors and energy of the breaking wave, which reflects the warm hues of the sun. Feel the Wave was professionally machine quilted (hand guided) by Beth Watts.

Red Mandala by Cindy Seitz-Krug

Cindy Seitz-Krug won two major awards for Red Mandala, including a blue ribbon (First Place) in the Applique, Small-Solo category and a special Judge's Recognition award (turquoise and gold ribbon.)  Cindy says, "I got the crazy notion to try my hand at 1" finished hand-appliqued clams.  They were definitely more challenging to execute than larger clamshells."  Cindy's precise applique and award-winning machine quilting can be seen in the closeup photo, below.

Gone Fishin' Instead of Just a Wishin' by Joyce Strassburg, quilted by Jessica Jones

Joyce's fabric choices perfectly capture the colors and textures of the fish and the underwater scene. We love this design, which includes five trout fly designs around the borders. Joyce Stassburg says, "My husband kept asking me to do a quilt for him.  When I saw this pattern (About Trout by Lunch Box Quilts), I knew [that] it was perfect.  It will hang under a wall hanging of the same pattern in our dream cabin".

French Braid Quilt by Linda Ashburn, quilted by Donna Goldbeck

We love French Braid quilts, and we don't often seen them!  This one is a beauty cone in formal tones of red on gray. This stunning quilt won Third Prize (yellow ribbon) in the Pieced, Large-Duet category.

This French Braid Quilt was based on a published design in French Braid Quilts by Jane Hardy Miller and Arlene Netten. Linda Ashburn says, "My mother gave me the quilt book one year.  In March 2020, I decided to start a braid quilt.  I chose the 'Big Red' pattern."the black-and-white prints add outstanding visual interest to the design.

Circle of Friends by Celeste Johnson, quilted by Melissa Turner

This quilt was really fun, with all its tiny fussy-cut faces! Celeste Johnson says that she purchased the 'Faces' fabric at the Houston International Quilt Festival, and used the free Circle of Friends pattern [by Ariga Mahmoudlou for Robert Kaufman Fabrics.] The closeup photo, below, shows some of the cute faces in the centers of the friendship stars.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2022 Quilt Arizona show.

Welcome to Modern Quilt Month ! part 5

We're celebrating Modern Quilt Month at Q.I., and we couldn't be more excited about these fun quilts!  This is the fifth of five feature posts.  (We're headed to the International Art Quilt Exhibition in Brigham City, Utah, TODAY... we'll post those photos beginning next week !)

Note: please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns and collectibles ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

Dahlia Dazzle by Marilyn Giblin

First place winner in the category of Pieced Small Quilts, Marilyn states, " I have always admired Dahlia quilts and wanted to make one. The templates by Marti Mitchell made construction easy. The grid design quilting techniques taught by Cindy Seitz-Krug make it special. "

The dahlia pattern is sometimes considered to be a traditional motif; however, Marilyn's excellent selection of fabric colors gives this quilt so much transparency, that the effect is very contemporary. If you look at the outside of the petals for awhile, you'll see that the light and dark shades seem to "spin", almost like an op-art image.

Montana Night Sky by Sharyl Sheppard

Sharyl says, "Foundation paper pieced stars and trailing trapunto stars depict the multitudes seens in rural Montana nights where the absence of man-made light leaves vast empty space between them."

Sharyl did a fabulous job of quilting this work herself. These elegant elongated shapes are reminiscent of shimmering points of light dancing off into the surrounding universe.

Shimmer Me by Chris Saper, quilted by Darlene Girton

Chris states, "Design, movement, and well-designed visual resting spaces are exciting to me. Jenny Bowker's 'Shimmering Triangles' pattern lets a quilter explore it all."

Chris adds, "[This quilt displays] inspiration, blooming cactus, and a rare nighttime rain." Chris has enhanced this pattern of half-square triangles by expertly selecting fabrics in eye-catching contemporary shades from the Kaffe Fassett Collective. 


I Can Do Hard Things by Kate Gunther

Kate explains, "This quilt is a tribute to the many people who have taught me simply that I can do hard things. One person taught me this importance of passing this [knowledge] onto the next generation, and I plan to do just that."

Contemporary pen-and-ink printed fabrics make an intriguing background for this motivational and inspirational work, which was quilted by Kate herself.

Made for Melissa by Bonnie Bobman

Bonnie writes, "This improvisational quilt was made in the Phoenix Modern Quilt Guild ( PHXMG)  swap just for Melissa ! [It is] personalized with an 'M' ! ( Shown here on the lower right-hand block) .

Bonnie continues, "Each quilter was given hints about the recipient's favorite colors. It was free rein from there!" Bonnie's charming and lively pattern is no doubt much enjoyed and appreciated by her recipient.
Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2019 Quilt Arizona show.

Quilts of the The Animal Kingdom

Here's a tribute to some of the wondrous forms of our animal friends who share the earth with us. We're always amazed by the beautiful and various ways that quilt artists are able to use fabric to capture the species of the animal kingdom !

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

Melman - The Vulnerable Giraffe by Jane Haworth (California)

Jane writes, "After watching a documentary about giraffes by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), I realized that giraffes are on the Vulnerable list, and their numbers are falling.  I want to bring awareness of their current plight, and I will donate half of the sale of this quilt to the GCF."

Close-up,  Melman

Jane's technique for this quilt is raw-edge collage applique, and her materials are upholstery fabrics, damask, burlap, commercial cottons, hand-dyes, batiks, linen, cotton batting, and cotton thread. Her design source was Pixabay, where all images are copyright-free. We think that Jane did an excellent job at capturing Melman's face and beautiful markings.

When The Aspens Turn by Cindy Seitz-Krug

Close-up,  When The Aspens Turn

Cindy notes, "Every September, my husband and I spend most of the month in the state of Colorado. We usually arrive early,  the aspens are still green, and the bulls are quiet - not bugling yet. But, when the aspens start to turn yellow, the rut kicks in, and the bulls get pretty vocal. It's a magical time to be in the Rocky Mountains !"

Cindy's techniques include fused applique, thread painting, and machine quilting. She's done a lovely job of making the aspen leaves really "pop" against the autumn sky which we imagine to be swirling with clouds.

Llama Drama by Barb Neiwert (Idaho)

Barb exclaims, "I'm a firm believer that quilts should be fun ! And, what is more fun than not one, but two posing llamas? I love everything about this quilt, from picking out the fabric to piecing it, and finally quilting it."  (This is the Lloyd and Lola quilt pattern by Elizabeth Hartman)

Close-up  Llama Drama

Barb continues, "The free-motion squarish swirls add a playful touch. And as the final touch, the binding displays the same colors as the llamas' serapes. Llamas just want to have fun!"  Barb's choice of teal, aqua, and burgundy really enhance this delightful quilt.

Old Timer by Suzan Engler (Texas)

Susan quotes American activist Maggie Kuhn as saying, "[Old age] is strength and survivorship, triumph over all kind of vicissitudes, and disappointments, trials, and excesses."  For her impressive and meaningful portrayal of this wizened old-timer, Susan used digital and professional fabric printing and digital manipulation of the photo, on digitally printed cotton. Her design source was a photo from Graphicstock/Storyblocks, with purchased commercial reproduction rights.

The Bonds by Takashi Kusaka and 7 Friends (Japan)

Takashi notes, "This quilt is made through two different techniques: crazy quilt for the elephant and reverse applique for the zebra."

Close-up, The Bonds

We admire Takashi and friends' use of stunning colors, with soft pastels in the background, enhancing the vibrant, high-contrast hues of the foreground.  This technique for this work is all hand-applique.


Image Credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival (Melman, The Bonds, Old Timer); the 2016 Arizona Quilters Society QuiltWeek (Phoenix); and the 2017 5Bee Quilters' Guild show (Idaho).

Two Color Quilts : Blue and White

Here's a tribute to quilts done in the shades of blue and white, which always seems like such a calm, cool, color combination. These soothing tones seem to work so well in every season and in every climate. We hope you enjoy this lovely work on display !

Tentmakers of Cairo quilt, 99 x 99”, by Mr. Mahmoud

Khayamiya is a type of decorative appliqué textile historically used to decorate tents across the Middle East. The vibrant, intricate design on this quilt is entirely hand appliqued. Since 2007, Jenny Bowker has worked with the Tentmakers of Cairo to get their work out into the wider world and to show people the magnificent work they do.

This quilt was featured in an AQS exhibit that toured the U.S. in 2014. Designed to be displayed on the wall, many of the Tentmakers' quilts are available for sale.  Check out the gallery at the American Quilter's Society.

One Fish, Two Fish by Jane Taylor, Gone to Pieces Quilters (Florida)

Jane Taylor notes, " I love the idea of the chevron blocks depicting the ocean surface." This quilt was inspired by one posted on Pinterest, designed by Small Fox in a Big World. The embroidery design was a free download at Mary Corbet's Needle n Thread website.

This hand embroidery was done with perle cotton and the blue bubbles were hand appliqued. The fabric is cotton and the batting includes layers of White N Natural and wool felt. The quilting was completed by Jane Taylor on her domestic sewing machine.

Blue Plate Special, 73 x 73", by Susan Stewart (Kansas, USA)

Susan Stewart teaches heirloom sewing and embroidery techniques; you can see a listing of her classes on her website at Susan Stewart Designs. Blue Plate Special contains cotton sateen, Cherrywood hand-dyed fabrics, and a strip of border print left over from a quilt Susan cut out for her mom to piece.  We really enjoyed the intricate machine embroidery on this quilt.

#402 – Blue Metamorphosis, 52 x 38", by Marcia Baraldi (Brazil)

Blue Metamorphosis was inspired by the miracle of nature which turns crawling caterpillars into beautiful blue butterflies in the sky.  The butterfly was constructed with individual applique shapes including hearts and feathers, which are echoed in the quilting design.

Bluer than Blue, 96 x 102”, by Cindy Seitz-Krug

Bluer than Blue is machine pieced, machine appliqued and machine quilted. Cindy Seitz-Krug says, "For almost ten years I had wanted to make a blue and white quilt but couldn’t decide upon a pattern. When Robert’s Floral Garden [by Robert Callaham] came out in McCall’s Quilting, I knew that this would be a beautiful quilt made in all blues and whites. This pattern was perfect for the blue and white fabric stash I had been collecting for so long."

#220 – Sarah’s Revival in Blue, 87 x 84",  by Gail H. Smith and Karen C. McTavish (Illinois)

This is a Sue Garman (who sadly, just passed away)  rendition of an 1847 quilt done in reds and greens.  Gail chose to make it in blue to use up her stash from an earlier quilt.  It won First Place in the Large Quilts - Longarm Machine Quilted category in the AQS QuiltWeek® – Grand Rapids, Michigan 2016, along with many other awards.  Quilted by Karen C. McTavish.  Design source: Sarah's Revival Pattern by Sue Garman

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2016 AQS quilt show in Phoenix, Arizona, except for the Tentmaker's quilt (2014 AQS) and One Fish (2015 World Quilt Show - Florida).

Southwestern Quilts

On these winter days in the northern hemisphere, we're looking to the southwestern United States for some warm and sunny inspiration! Here are highlights of quilts with a southwestern theme.

Please note: We're selling beautiful quilting and crafting books and fabrics at low introductory prices on e-Bay! Also, we're continuously posting free patterns on Twitter!

Kayenta Formation by Ann Petersen

Blue ribbon winner for Best Pieced Small Quilt and Exemplary Machine Quilting at the Quilt Arizona ! show, Ann says of her original design, "Originally a Hoffman Fabrics Challenge quilt, [this] remnds me of the layers of rocks in northern Arizona called the Kayenta Formation , [which often is comprised of tall vertical cliffs that are red or brown in color]."  We are impressed with the way that Ann set some of the blocks en pointe or on the diagonal to convey the impression of the vertical cliffs.

Closeup, Kayenta Formation

We love these intriguing quilting patterns which add so much to the beauty of the quilt. Ann quilted this herself on a stationary machine.

Dancing to the Sky, 41 x 64", by Janet Haefner (Arizona)

Dancing to the Sky was juried into the 2014 American Quilting Society Show in Phoenix, Arizona. This quilt was based on a clay sculpture Janet Haefner made in 1983 of Kachina children climbing a ladder to a mesa top for a dance. The figures were extensively embellished with beads, charms, buttons and embroidery threads.

She painted silk for the feathers because real feathers were too fragile. For more information on Dancing to the Sky, see the description at The Quilt Index. 

Faux Navajo Rug, 54 x 60,  by Cindy Seitz-Krug

Cindy notes, "I've always loved Navajo rugs and dreamed of owning one. But they are quite expensive ! So I decided that until I save up enough money to buy my dream rug, I'd make a quilt that resembled one"

Cindy continues, "This really isn't done in traditional Navajo rug colors, but it's beautiful nonetheless and definitely has a Southwest feel."  Cindy's striking contemporary work is machine pieced, paper-pieced, and machine quilted.

Fade In, Fade Out by Melissa Dunworth

Melissa explains, " I was inspired by the Native American rugs that my parents had hanging in our house when I was a child. The spiral quilting was done to represent ripples in a pond, as each of our lives adds ripples to the world around us, whether we realize it or not."

Closeup, Fade In, Fade Out

Melissa adds, "I wanted to keep the colors simple with a bright pop right in the center." We think the spiral quilting is very effective and perfect for this pattern, as it contrasts beautifully with the strong angular, geometric patchwork.

Desert Rose Serenade by Nancy M. Howell

Third place winner in the Small Pieced Quilts category at the Quilt Arizona ! show, Nancy's quilt is based on the Two For Us BOM quilt by Sue Nickels and Pat Holly for The Quilt Show in 2013. We admire the primitive motif style of the small turquoise bears, which add southwestern charm to this work.

Deep teal blue provides an excellent contrast to the overall rust and cinnamon colorways on the ivory background. 

Kathi's Round Robin by Kathi Martin

A "Round Robin" is the construction technique of multiple quilters adding to a quilt one by one, because the quilt is passed around the group, from one person to the next. Kathi notes, "I made a 24 inch quilt center and sent it on to 4 friends to each add a 6 inch border, then finished it off with 3 more borders."

Closeup, Kathi's Round Robin

We loved the vibrant colors of the center of Kathi's quilt, which are comprised of 8 inch blocks, done in southwestern colors of teal, orange, and copper. Kathi quilted her pretty creation herself, using a track-mounted machine.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.