Glorious Gardens

Not all of us have an actual garden, but if you're a quilter you can create your own. Here are some glorious quilted gardens you might enjoy.

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My Whimsical Garden by Debbie Cole, quilted by Rose Maynes.  

This bright and beautiful quilt was based on My Whimsical Quilt Garden by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins. Debbie Cole says, "I have looked forward to making this quilt for 5 years. While I mostly utilized the pattern design, I added a little embellishment in the form of machine embroidery. And of course, everything is better with a dog" [see the third row, center block!] 

Flowers, Frogs and Flies, made and quilted by Mimi Braniff (Texas) 

This gorgeous quilt was based on the Flora and Fauna pattern by Dawn Heese and Bonnie Sullivan. Mimi Braniff says that she altered 6 blocks to reflect the flowers, critters, and fliers where she lives, using springlike pastel colors. "I wanted to reflect the tiny animals and beautiful butterflies that reside in my habitat."  We enjoyed this beautiful wool applique; look at the frogs amidst the vines.

My Secret Garden by Sara Quigley, quilted by Athena Lynn  

My Secret Garden was based on a 2023 Block of the Month quilt by Sarah Fielke.  Sara Quigley says that the BOM took 13 months to stitch.  "It was a great learning experience. All the pieces were needleturn applique, and some blocks were machine pieced before applique. No fabrics were provided by this BOM;  the majority of fabrics were in my stash, luckily."  

 Image credits: Photos of The Secret Garden and My Whimsical Garden were taken at the 2025 Tucson Quilters Guild show.  Photos of Flowers, Frogs and Flies were taken at the 2025 Houston International quilt show. NOTE:  Quilt Inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning we receive a small commission from any Amazon purchase that results from a link on this page.  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration!

 

 

Quilt Fiesta! Highlights of the Show (3)

Here are more photos from the Quilt Fiesta, the annual Tucson (Arizona) Quilters Guild show. We saw so many fabulous quilts and are sharing some highlights here.  We hope you enjoy our photos!

p.s. Please see our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns and vintage collectibles. For continuous free quilt patterns and blog updates, please visit us on Twitter.

The Glow by Christine Nelson, quilted by Lynn Simon

Christine Nelson based this quilt on a classic Lone Star pattern, and the color and fabric choices were simply beautiful.  Christine says, "I used an ombre fabric for the main part of the star.  At the center and outer points I used fussy cut pieces from the [kaleidoscope print] border fabric. Getting the pattern lined up in the center was a challenge." The solid fabric areas allowed plenty of space for Lynn Simon's gorgeous quilting. Winner of Second Place in the Two Person - Small Pieced category. 

 Ghost by Barbara Polston

We love pet-inspired quilts, and this one is a beauty. Made and quilted by Barbara Polston, who created a portrait of her grand-dog, Ghost, using lace.  Barbara says, "Ghost is a Siberian Husky belonging to my daughter and son-in-law.  [This was] a gift for their 8th wedding anniversary which may be celebrated with lace gifts."  What a clever idea!

Aviary by Suzanne McLean, quilted by Linda Cote

Made by Suzanne McLean and quilted by Linda Cote, this beautiful wool applique quilt was based on a pattern by Bonnie Sullivan and Dawn Heese. We enjoyed seeing the many beautiful details!  Suzanne says, "[The] pattern [was] modified in several places to create a soft, vintage look that's uniquely mine."  Winner of Honorable Mention in the Two Person, Primarily Appliqued category.

It features hand appliqued wool with velvet accents on a cotton background, enhanced with embellishment stitching using a variety of stitches, thread and ribbon.

The Neighborhood by Jean Biddick

The Neighborhood was made and quilted by Jean Biddick.  It won First Place in the One Person, Small, Pieced category, plus a special award for Exemplary Piecing.

Jean says, "The Quilters Market Blockbusters theme in 2018 was 'There Goes the Neighborhood'.  I reduced the 12" to 3" blocks and added a couple of extras to make the setting work. The blocks are NOT paper pieced (!) The central block was made years ago in a Judi Blaydon workshop about light sources - it was a perfect center for my 'Neighborhood'. "

Cactus Rose by Lynne Saul

This stunning quilt, made and quilted by Lynne Saul, was based on a pattern by Judy Niemeyer.  Lynne says, "The top is paper pieced which I love to do.  After it was completed, it sat for 5 years before I quilted it.  But now it's done."  We love this design, colors, and expert workmanship.  The bright batik fabrics with their spiky points really pop against the dark background.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2024 Tucson Quilters Guild show.