Indigo Quilt (FREE pattern!)

Have you ever made a stained glass quilt?  It's a wonderful way to use a fabric stash!  Here's a beautiful quilt design from Makower.  Scroll down to download the Indigo Quilt pattern, and to see MORE free stained glass quilt patterns!

Also check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, patterns and collectibles !
For more free quilt patterns, please FOLLOW us on Twitter.

Indigo quilt, 66" square, free pattern by Makower UK (CLICK for PDF download) 

 For 30 more FREE patterns for stained glass quilts, CLICK HERE!

 

Handmade Quilts from Japan (2)

Quilts that are entirely handmade are rare these days. We marvel at the technical excellence, precision, and patience it must have taken to create these works of art! All were made in Japan by groups of friends, turning hard work into companionship and fun.

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on designer jewelry and collectibles!
For continuous free quilt patterns, please follow us on X (Twitter)!    

Quilt Village by Kimi Sakamaki with five friends (Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan).  

Quilts are hanging everywhere in this tiny village! Made entirely by hand piecing, hand applique, and hand quilting, it was designed by Kathy Nakajima. Teensy quilts even hang on the clothsline, shown below:

 Regarding the quilt's name, the makers say: "If there is a village where people who love quilts live, we would name it Quilt Village. What kind of scenery would that village have? We created this work while talking about these thoughts."

 

Olive Groves in Italy by Sachiko Miyagawa with 12 friends (Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan)

Made entirely with hand piecing, hand applique, and hand quilting, this quilt too was designed by Kathy Nakajima. The pieced pattern is known as Burgoyne Surrounded, which has a long tradition in American history dating back centuries, uses tiny squares to create a pixelated effects. 

The extensive applique work softens the geometric pattern. Olive Groves in Italy was made by friends who have been growing together for a long time, with olives that bring happiness.

Spring Milky Way by Mutsuko Shindo with 6 friends (Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan) 

The Winding Ways quilt pattern is beautifully overlaid with applique. The star of the show is the appliqued mimosa which sways in the gentle breeze of a spring day.  For the base, we used pieced work with beautifully coordinated colors.  The quilting was carefully hand-stitched to express the softness of the entire piece. We enjoyed the hand quilting (and fun fabrics) which you can see in this closeup photo:

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.

 

Handmade Quilts from Japan

Quilts that are entirely handmade are so rare these days. As you can see, Japanese quilters excel at hand applique, piecing, and quilting!  We marvel at the technical excellence, precision, and patience it must have taken to create these works of art.

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on designer jewelry and collectibles!
For continuous free quilt patterns, please follow us on X (Twitter)!    

Peacock by Naomi Ootomo (Toda-shi, Saitama, Japan)

Notice the gorgeous colors, the appliqued peacock feathers in the upper and lower borders of this quilt, and the pieced blocks resembling tail feathers! Hand piecing, applique, and quilting, and trapunto were used to create this original design.  

Naomi Ootomo says, "I can't forget the beauty of a peacock feather I saw at my grandfather's house as a child.  I loved the color of the peacock's feathers. This quilt was created with the image of a peacock spreading its wings.  The quilting designs were also created with the image of its feathers.  While I was making this quilt, beautiful colored fabrics made me happy." 

In the Quiet Forest by Setsuko Sofue and 6 friends (Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan)

 Such a calming effect is achieved by the soft colors and the echo quilting of In the Quiet Forest. This beautiful piece is entirely hand appliqued and hand quilted over an ombre background.

The design, by Kathy Nakajima, was carried out by Setsuko Sofue with 6 friends.  The quilt was inspired by a plumeria tree growing wild in the forest, with the petals quietly drifting away. 

The Shimmering Blue Rose by Yachiyo Katsuno (Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan)

This original design quilt also was made entirely by hand (!) including the piecing, applique, and quilting.  Yachiyo says, "It has been over 20 years since I created the piece titled Sunshine Rose Garden. I spent about three years re-creating a quilt inspired by that original image, and now it is finally complete."  Imagine hand piecing all those spiky points!

 The shades of blue in the patchwork and the colors of the appliqued roses harmonize beautifully, just as she had envisioned.  "I would be so happy if many people could see and enjoy this work."  YES, Yachiyo: We and thousands of others admired your stunning work of art.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.

 

Highlights of the Houston International Quilt Festival! (3)

We had a wonderful time at the Houston International Quilt Festival! We enjoyed seeing 1200 quilts from around the world, and are excited to share photos of our favorites... here is Part 3!

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on designer jewelry and collectibles!
For continuous free quilt patterns, please follow us on X (Twitter)!     

Cuckoo Clock by Alethea Ballard @maverickquilts (USA) 

 

Gorgeous colors and imagery drew us into this brilliant quilt by Alethea Ballard. Read on for more details of the artist's inspiration.

  Arcane Snap by Kestrel Michaud (USA)

Winner of a 2nd Place ribbon in the Pictorial category, Arcane Snap captivated viewers with its imagery, colors, and expert quilting.  More amazing fabric art can be seen on the artist's website at Kestrel Michaud.

California Huipil by Allison Lockwood (USA)

Woven Guatemalan fabrics were used to create this lovely quilt which is embellished with yo yos. This piece was inspired by the huipil, a garment worn by the indigenous women in Guatemala. The chevrons and embroidery add even more dimension to the surface.  

detail, California Huipil

 

MASTER AWARD for TRADITIONAL ARTISTRY: Poco a Poco by Keiko Morihiro (Japan)

It's no wonder this quilt won the award for traditional artistry. You can't tell from a distance, but this quilt is made entirely of tiny hexagons: more than 30,000, to be exact. Each side of each hexagon measures only 8 mm.  WOW.

 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.

In Love with Blue-Violet

We hope your year is going well. This stunning heirloom quilt by Mami Noda from Japan inspires us to dream about going to a real (not virtual) quilt show, in person, in the near future.  We wish you good health and happy quilting.

p.s. Check out our eBay shop for great bargains on books, magazines, and collectible items. For free quilt inspiration, please visit us on Twitter.

In Love With Blue-Violet by Mami Noda (Japan)

Mami explains, "At the first sight of the old kimono, left by late mother-in-law, I was fascinated by its beauty. I put it together with white and light colors to bring out the blue-violet color." 

Mami's quilting technique is not listed on the description card, but this work appears to be all hand-quilted. Mami does say, "I added applique, trapunto, and embroidery to make it a little more gorgeous." We think she did an outstanding job!  We are amazed at all the hours of work it must have taken to produce this lovely creation!

In the background, you can see some quilt blocks which seem to be of vintage fabric, as some are in soft,  gently weathered tones. Mami remarked, "I tried to replace various memories of her life with many small pieces and patterns. It's my pleasure to revive beautiful fabrics as quilts." We think Mami has done a superb job in honoring her family relative with this intricately detailed and spectacular quilt.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2020 Road to California show.

Free Pattern Day! Asian Inspired Quilts

Here are wonderful free patterns for Asian Inspired quilts!  In the list below, you will see free patterns for quilts with kimonos, pagodas, or lanterns; quilts that highlight beautiful Asian fabric panels; and  stunning indigo quilts.  To go to a pattern: Scroll down the page until you see the quilt you like, then click on the words "CLICK for PDF download" (or the hyperlinked website name) in the title above the quilt.  

Also check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns, books, and collectible items !
For more free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter.

Shibori quilt, ~ 47 x 52", free pattern by Marsha Evans Moore for Anthology Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Kimono Girl pillow, free pattern at Tilda's World (CLICK for PDF download)

Kimono Girl quilt, 62 x 78", free pattern at Tilda's World (CLICK for PDF download)

Shibori quilt, 60 x 60", free pattern by Kim Eichler-Messner for Paintbrush Studio Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Serafino Kimono quilt, 50 x 50”, free pattern by Marinda Stewart for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Angelina Fans quilt, 46 x 58”, free pattern by Heidi Pridemore for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Shoji quilt, 82” square, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Magnolia Wall Hanging, 42 x 48", free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Narumi Kimono wall hanging, 32 x 43”, free pattern by Mickey Charleston for Hoffman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Snapshots of Japan quilt (blue), 53 x 56”, free pattern by Natalie Crabtree for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Snapshots of Japan quilt (pink), 53 x 56”, free pattern by Natalie Crabtree for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Tranquility Quilt, 47 x 69”, free pattern by Jason Yenter for Kona Bay Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Kimono quilt, 37” square, free pattern by Hilary Gooding for Makower (CLICK for PDF download)

Kimono quilt, 74 x 74”, free pattern by Lynne Goldsworthy for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

China Doll quilt block, 9 x 12”, free pattern by Toni Smith for Michael Miller (CLICK for PDF download)

Masami quilt, 62 x 74”, free pattern by Toby Lischko for Hoffman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Matsuda-wa wall hanging, ~16 x 56”, free pattern by Bonnie Mitchell for Clothworks (CLICK for PDF download)

Meditation wall hanging, 21 x 32”, free pattern (including applique scene) by Helene Knott for American Quilter (CLICK for PDF download)

Zen Bubble quilt, 42 x 56”, free pattern by Jessica Levitt for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Glow Happy quilt, 48 x 56”, free pattern by Monica Solorio-Snow for Lecien (CLICK for PDF download),

Lanterns quilt, 62 x 71”, free pattern at Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Illuminate quilt, 71 x 85”, free pattern by Wendy Sheppard for Hoffman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Hanami Lanterns quilt, 67 x 78”, free pattern by Toby Lischko for Hoffman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Pagoda Paradise quilt, 74 x 80”, free pattern by Wendy Sheppard for Benartex (CLICK for PDF download)

Little Lily Pond quilt, 30 x 38”, free pattern by Flaurie & Finch for RJR Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Kimono Garden quilt, 68 x 70”, free pattern by Megan Downer for Studio E Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Primitiva quilt, 63 x 70”, free pattern by Barbara Persing for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Sakura quilt, 60 x 70”, free pattern by June Pease for Red Rooster Studios (CLICK for PDF download)

Japanese Parasols quilt, 67 x 67”, free pattern by Lynne Goldsworthy for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Annabelle and Her Fans quilt, 46 x 58”, free pattern by Heidi Pridemore for Hoffman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Chinoiserie quilt, 68 x 85”, free pattern by Wendy Sheppard for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Zen Garden quilt, 66”square, free pattern by Natalie Crabtree for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Crane Paradise quilt, 62 x 72”, free pattern by Denise Russart for Hoffman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Flight of the Geisha quilt, 50 x 55”, free pattern by Joyce Mullis for Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Izumi Pond quilt, 64 x 78”, free pattern by Toby Lischko for Hoffman Fabrics as seen at eQuilter (CLICK for PDF download)

Milady’s Mural quilt, ~38 x 47”, free pattern by Debbie Beaves for RJR Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Akahana quilt, 54 x 74”, free pattern by Gina Gempesaw for Red Rooster Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Akahana Table Topper, 24” square, free pattern by Gina Gempesaw for Red Rooster Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Akari Table Runner, 95 x 29”, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Michiko quilt, 47 x 64”, free pattern by Blank Quilting (CLICK for PDF download)

Chablis quilt, ~54 x 71”, free pattern by Lucy A. Fazely for Exclusively Quilters (CLICK for PDF download)

Greeting the Moon quilt, 58 x 78”, free pattern by June Pease for Red Rooster Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Imperial Garden (panel) quilt, 34 x 50”, free pattern by Gayle Camargo for Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Imperial Terrace quilt, 43 x 60”, free pattern by Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Mingei quilt, 48 x 62”, free pattern by Nancy Rink for Hoffman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Kotori Fans quilt, 68 x 85”, free pattern by Denise Russart for Hoffman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Mandalay Bay quilt, 48 x 64”, free pattern by Lacey J. Hill for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Arashiyama quilt, 76 x 74”, free pattern by Natalie Crabtree for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Fantailed Goldfish quilt, ~18” square, free pattern at Connecting Threads (CLICK for PDF download)

Serenity II bed quilt, free pattern by Georgie Gerl (CLICK for PDF download)

Katagami quilt, 36 x 48”, free pattern by Cyndi Hershey for Red Rooster Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Asian Harmony quilt, 40 x 44”, free pattern by Lonni Rossi and Gail Kessler for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Twelve Moons quilt, 45 x 51”, free pattern by Kari Nichols for Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Indigo Blues Braid quilt, 52 x 68”, free pattern by Henry Glass Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Indigo Dreams (Tumble) quilt, free pattern by Osie Lebowitz for Timeless Treasures (CLICK for PDF download)(scroll to end of pattern for Indigo version)

Bodoko (Life Cloth) quilt, 64 x 72”, free pattern at Moda Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Knick Knacks pillow, 20" square, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Image credits: This post was updated on November 24, 2025.  Individual images are copyrighted by their owners. Please respect their generosity in sharing their free patterns, and the restrictions they have placed on the use of these designs; complete information can be found at the designers' websites provided in the links. The photo montage shown on this page is a derivative work that is the property of Quilt Inspiration. If any links are broken, we'd love to know so we can fix it. Please email us at QuiltInspiration {at} gmail {dot} com.