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.

Quilt Fiesta! Highlights of the Show (1)

Welcome to the Quilt Fiesta, the annual Tucson (Arizona) Quilters Guild show! We enjoyed seeing  hundreds of fantastic quilts and will be sharing 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.

Montepulciano by Kathy Adams

This stunning original landscape quilt by Kathy Adams won Best of Show, along with 1st place in the Art Quilts - Scenic category.  Kathy says the quilt was "Inspired by a picture I took of Montepulciano from our lodge in Tuscany." Numerous advanced techniques were used, including making lots of parts for all the trees, bushes and grapevines, using wash away stabilizer, tulle, fabric and yarns."

There were so many admirers of this large quilt, it took us several minutes to get these photos! Check out the intricate details of the flowers, bushes and trees, including lavender in the foreground, below. 

Art Deco Meets Southwest by Paula Fulton, quilted by Athena Taylor

Gorgeous purple, teal, turquoise hues go together beautifully in this dramatic, original design! This quilt won First Place in the Two Person Primarily Pieced category, plus a special Award for Exemplary Machine Quilting (Computer/Digitized.)

Paula Fulton says, "I was inspired by several traditional southwest quilts but wanted to add a twist to it with art deco-style strips in the center. Purple, teal, turquoise and exquisite quilting [by Athena Taylor] give the quilt the 'wow' factor." We love the sun motifs shown below.

Indian Summer by Tami Graeber

This piece was a show-stopper with its strong contrasts and Southwestern feel.  Tami Graeber won a blue ribbon for 1st Place in the Other Techniques category.  She started with the Empire Place pattern from Sassafras lane Designs, but she decided to make the pattern her own.  "I only used a few blocks, changed [the] size to square, hand painted several Acoma tribal blocks, and added screen printed 3-D butterflies."

 Flower Lady by Millie Burgheimer

An incredibly artistic creation by Millie Burgheimer! She saw a flower lady in a market place and loved her face.  This piece was made with *lots* of thread, creating a realistic portrait of the flower seller, and the flowers themselves. Millie was awarded a ribbon in the Art Portraits category for this beautiful portrait.

 Athena's Infinity by Athena Taylor

 

Athena Taylor won First Place in the Modern Quilt category for this fantastic rainbow quilt, filled with stars, curves, flying geese, and New York Beauty blocks. It was based on the Infinity quilt pattern by Jacqueline de Jonge.

Athena says, "The quilt uses 25 different fabrics, all paper pieced. The quilting was done using free motion quilting and rulers.  No computer assistance on this one!" (Wow!)

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

Paper Piecing Quilts: New York Beauty

Paper piecing is a type of quilt making in which you sew patches directly onto a paper template (foundation).  You then join the different sections to construct the full quilt. The technique allows tremendous precision and can be used for nearly every type of pieced quilt, including this sparkling medallion quilt.

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.

Miss Kitty by Melanie Harris, quilted by John Harris

This medallion-style quilt by Melanie Harris (quilted by John Harris) really captured our eye! It features New York Beauties and flying geese in a glorious setting of fabulous colors: pink, red, aqua and a touch of greenish yellow.

The pattern was designed by Dutch designer, Jacqueline DeJonge, who can be found at BeColourful Quilts (The pattern, from Jacqueline's Collection, is called "Miss Rosie"). This quilt is expertly paper pieced.

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2023 Quilt Fiesta (Tucson, Arizona).

The 2022 Tucson Quilters Guild Fiesta (4)

Can you believe it... an in-person quilt show! We hope you enjoy these fabulous creations from the talented quilters of the Tucson Quilters Guild.  As you can see, they have been quilting up a storm for the last two years.  Here is Part 4 of our photos.

Also 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.

Geese Encircling the Stars by Ann Adams, quilted by Linda Cote'

Winner of 1st place in the Small-Pieced quilt category, here is a stunning rendition of Jacqueline de Jonge's Enchanting Stars pattern!  Ann Adams began this foundation paper-pieced quilt in a class with Jacqueline in February 2020. She notes that it was challenging to use so many different batiks to produce the color gradations. The end result is positively luminous and well-deserving of its blue ribbon.

What's Up Doc? by Suzanne Irving

Suzanne Irving designed and made this quilt for her son, Louis, who will be receiving his doctoral degree this year.  "Cow" became his childhood nickname, bestowed upon him by his big brother David. 

This delightful quilt was inspired by a painting titled "Maisie in Black and White" by Tucson artist Geri Bringman (one of Suzanne's favorite artists).  Suzanne included many features of the Sonoran Desert, including red rocks and a hillside dotted with saguaros!

Rain Forest by Ruth Sharp

Rain Forest began with a fabric panel that was added to, cut out, and thread painted, creating a lush tropical landscape of trees, bushes, flowers, butterflies and birds.  The waterfalls were added, and many different thread colors were used to enhance this scene.

You can see details of Ruth Sharp's expert thread painting of the parrot, as shown above. This quilt was awarded Honorable Mention in the Art-Pictorial/Whimsical category.

A Corgi for Every Season by Lynn Rubel

Here is a paper pieced quilt based on Lisa Fryxell's "Life's A Beach Corgi" pattern. Seven smiling Corgis adorn this cute wall quilt, which was made and quilted by Lynn Rubel as a gift for her cousin, who owns a pack of award-winning Corgis. Are you curious about the sashing fabric? It has printed corgi silhouettes with text that reads, "Corgi butts drive me nuts." (Who knew?)

Each cute Corgi has distinctive clothing, button eyes, and an embroidered smile!  (Winner of Honorable Mention at the Tucson show.)

Crystal - by Hoffman "Sew Into It", by Janice Graham

This sparkling star quilt, made and quilted by Janice Graham, was based on the Hoffman California Fabrics Crystal pattern.  Janice says that this quilt was a real challenge as each pre-cut piece was cut on the bias, so each seam had to be exact. "There were days that I put it away, and started on it again the next day." She notes that she loves the finished quilt. It was truly a showstopper (winner of Honorable Mention award.)

Daisy Chain by Peg Clampet

Daisy Chain is an original design based on the Kool Kaleidoscope technique, which was taught by Ricky Tims at the first virtual Quilt Luminarium (courtesy of the pandemic).  The large floral print fabrics were an inspired choice for this colorful quilt, adding dimension and interest to the overall design!  Some pieces were fussy cut to highlight the large flower prints. Peg Clampet used an overall quilting design, with leaves, to continue the floral theme.

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2022 Tucson Quilters Guild show.

Quilts from the Springville Museum of Art (part 1)

Each year, the Springville Museum of Art (Utah) has one of the best quilt shows around.  It features award-winning quilts from Utah, a state blessed with an abundance of accomplished quilters. Here are some highlights of this year's show!

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 !

The Circle of Life: Sunshine and Shadows by Shirley Olsen

Winner of a ribbon for Best Solitaire Machine Quilting, Shirley writes, "This quilt was begun in the 2016 Utah Quilt Guild "Quilt Fest" class taught by Jacqueline de Jonge, the pattern's creator. I love its complicated and intricate design and how it depicts the sunshine and shadows of my life."

Shirley continues, "I chose all of the fabrics from my stash and created my own quilting designs." The quilting was done on Shirley's Bernina 820 machine. Her precision workmanship on all of the delicate spiky points, plus the feathered quilting patterns, make this quilt a real show-stopper.

Caleb the Camel by Katherine Porter, quilted by Virginia Gore

Katherine explains, " This has been my year to explore new techniques. I was drawn to this particular pattern for two reasons: first, the bold beautiful colors, and second, its relationship to the Sahara Desert."

Katherine continues, "Every time I have flown over that huge space and on one occasion stood on its very edge, I have wished to be exploring the mysteries it holds. I still wish for that, but age is creeping in, and it may only happen in my dreams." Katherine has done a spectacular job on using applique and collage techniques to give the camel a dynamic and energetic look. Pattern by Laura Heine. 

Twilight by Judy Fitzgerald, quilted by Xenia Stirland

Judy notes, "This quilt was designed by Wendy Williams from Australia (Urban Owls pattern). I loved being able to use my own colors and embellishments. I loved doing the machine applique."

We love owls, and these are some of the cutest applique owls we've seen. They studiously observe the vibrant garden beneath them.. There are so many fun motifs to look at in Judy's quilt, that each section brings a fun new discovery.

Caribbean Dreams by Ruth Davis

Ruth explains, "I sit on the beach, listening to the waves crash against the shore. The hues of turquoise and teal against the cream-colored sands radiate warmth. Tropical birds perch in nearby trees with their songs, a joyful ode to the perfect weather. The sun dips below the horizon.....and [the stars] twinkle like a nursery rhyme."

Ruth adds, "I take the final stitches on my quilt using "Pearl and Mermaid" colored threads, couching re-purposed silk yarns onto the stars as the snow falls outside my window, and I dream of the Caribbean. This quilt was made using 'Lone Star' blocks made over 2018 in the Kaffe Club taught by Kaye Evans. I went totally off task this year and made my Kaffe [Fassett] fabrics the background and the cream fabric the stars! The appliques and quilt layout are my own designs." 
We love Ruth's idea to use cream fabric for the stars, and the Kaffe Fassett fabrics work beautifully, especially for the vividly colored bird sitting placidly amongst the eye-catching tropical foliage. Ruth's wonderful quilt is a great success.

Impressions of Brugge by Florence Evans

Winner of a Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the Utah Valley Quilters Guild, Florence says, "Brugge, often called "The Venice of the North", is a beautiful city in northwestern Belgium, full of canals, cobbled streets, and medieval buildings. This quilt is a compilation of the images of the city rather than a depiction of an actual street/canal scene."

Florence continues, "The churches, bridges, tiled roofs...and stair-step gables of Dutch architecture were constructed individually using improvisational piecing techniques. The elements were then fitted together, and the water and sky were filled in. The dense machine quilting (done on a traditional home sewing machine) adds details and texture to the piece."
Florence has done an excellent job of selecting fabrics, piecing, and quilting to emphasize the architectural details of Brugge, and the care she has taken in her work is reflected in this lovely quilt.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2019 Springville Museum of Art show.

Two-million-view milestone : Part 1

Quilt Inspiration recently hit a major milestone, with over 2 million page views.  We're very pleased, and we think it's time to say THANKS to the many talented designers who inspire us all.   Join us for a two-part retrospective with a few of the artists we've featured.

Eye of the Storm by Peggy Martin

'Eye of the Storm' by Peggy Martin is an excellent example of a medallion quilt, where there is one large circular or symmetrical object in the center, surrounded by concentric rings or diamonds which draw the eye inward. For more information on this storm-at-sea quilt, see our March 2011 post, Eye of the Storm.

Surprisingly Red by Jacqueline de Jonge

Beautiful roses, soft pastels and warm reds are brought together in perfect harmony in this stunning quilt pattern by Jacqueline de Jonge. The medallion is surrounded by an undulating wave of skinny New York Beauty points.  For more information see our December 2011 post, Christmas around the world: The Netherlands.

Simply Delicious by Rebecca Goldsmith

"Simply Delicious" was the second block-of-the-month pattern at Piece O'Cake Designs and it is still going strong. This classic quilt was inspired by vintage botanical prints from the 1800's.  For more information see our August 2012 post, Simply Delicious.

Diamond Wedding Ring by Judy Niemeyer

 

In Judy Niemeyer's  clever Diamond Wedding Ring quilt, the pieced arcs are arranged in a triangle shape, with a star in the center.  Judy says that this pattern is great for both the beginner and advanced quilter.  For more information see our February 2013 post, Wedding Ring Quilts Part 2.

Memories of Monet by Joen Wolfrom

"Memories of Monet" is a deceptively simple design by color expert Joen Wolfrom.  Joen combined two historic blocks, Summer Winds and Storm at Sea, in an analogous color scheme. For more information see our December 2012 post, Color Play by Joen Wolfrom.

Magnolia Quilt by Sue Spargo

The gracious old homes and flower gardens of  Magnolia, Ohio, inspired Sue Spargo to create her enchanting "Magnolia" quilt. Sue's folk-art imagery reflects her multi-cultural background and her fascination with folk art from around the world. For more information see our September 2010 post, Our Town Part 2.

Image credits:  Images are shown with the generous permission of the artists.