Dear Jane, Dear Hannah

If you're a quilter, you probably know all about the Dear Jane® quilt and maybe Dear Hannah as well. The 1863 Jane A. Stickle quilt was made famous by Brenda Papadakis, who coined the term Dear Jane® and chronicled each of its 225 blocks. We've featured many inspired reproductions on this site!

Brenda also created Dear Hannah, a sampler quilt done in the style of Dear Jane® but with a unique twist. Here are some beautiful quilts from a recent show - including two made by a single quilter!

My Dear Jane #2 by Roberta Wagner, quilted by Clem Buzick  

Here is Roberta Wagner's stunning contemporary Dear Jane quilt.  She explains: "While attending the Minnesota Quilt show several years ago I was blown away at the variety of Dear Jane quilts, and each one was more beautiful than the next. I made the traditional quilt blocks, and at the same time a second quilt with bright colors on a black background. Hence, Dear Jane 1 and 2." 

 My Dear Jane #1 by Roberta Wagner, quilted by Clem Buzick  

Here is Roberta's more traditional Dear Jane®, with the tiny blocks done on a bright white background. Clem Buzick longarm quilted tall triangles in the wide border as a nod to the triangle blocks of Jane A. Stickle's original quilt. 

Roberta based her quilts on Brenda Papadakis' Dear Jane® pattern book, along with patterns by Susan Gatewood; and the Dear Jane Beginner Block List by Ann Foss.   

Hannah's Journey by Susan Cox, quilted by Jessica Jones  

This quilt turned out beautifully with its bright colors! The yellow ribbon denotes a 3rd Place award in the Mixed Technique - Duet/Large category at this show. Based on Brenda Papadakis' Dear Hannah book, Susan Cox says that Hannah's Journey was a journey in many ways: "A journey that ended with miles traveled, new friendships and a quilt that I love."

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Quilt Arizona show. NOTE:  Quilt Inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning we earn a small commission from any sales that arise from a link on this page.  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration.

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)!

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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.

Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (2)

The annual Quilt Arizona show is a highlight of spring!  Here are some great quilts from this year's show (part two 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!     

Guidance for the Tribe by Stephanie Leuthesser, quilted by Jessica Jones.  

 Winner of 1st Place  for Machine Embroidery, Stephanie Leuthesser says she loved choosing all the colors and finally using her embroidery machine to the max.  "Because my first 12 Kachinas were done on a flannel, they puckered despite using good stabilizers... I changed the background fabric and made 12 more that you see here. The Kachinas were from the Embroidery Library. The feathers and arrows are from Anita Goodesign.

Sawyer's Pasture Paradise, made and quilted by Millie Burgheimer  

Winner of a Third Place ribbon in the pictorial category, this original quilt was based on Millie Burgheimer's own photo of her daughter's horse. The very clever binding was from her husband's saddle blanket. From a distance this looks like a painting; up close you can see the intricate stitching that creates the imagery.

Diamond Mine, made and quilted by Marianne Nowacki.  

Diamond Mine was based on the Indian Blanket pattern by Reeze L. Hanson. Marianne Nowacki says that every piece of Kaffe Fassett fabric was cut using a diamond template. "Working in diagonal rows and maintaining the pattern was a challenge! I used lots of baggies in order to keep all the colors and pieces organized."

Garden Party by Gail Witt, quilted by Jessica Jones 

Winner of Best of Show - Team, plus 1st place in the Mixed Technique - Duet category, this gorgeous quilt is an adaptation of a traditional New York Beauty quilt. Gail Witt says, "I added fussy cut Kaffe flowers, vines, leaves and butterflies to the design.  Techniques include applique, paper piecing, and embroidery. The diagonal setting was inspired by other New York Beauty quilts.  The quilting by Jessica Jones adds dimension and whimsy."

Detail, Garden Party by Gail Witt

 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Quilt Arizona show.

 

 

12 Days of Christmas: Lighting the Way

Merry Christmas to all our readers! To celebrate the season, we're posting 12 of our favorite Christmas quilts from recent shows.  We hope you enjoy the beautiful details expressed in these masterpieces! 

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Lighting the Way by Joyce Strassburg, quilted by Jessica Jones.  

The Star has been lighting the way for millennia, hence the title of this quilt. Joyce Strassburg says, "The star and church are the focal points of the quilt; however, this pattern also includes the homes of PEOPLE. This is the community that imagines and creates the many artifacts for future generations to learn from and appreciate." 

 Lighting the Way was professionally machine quilted (hand guided) by Jessica Jones. This quilt was based on the "Silent Night" pattern and kit by The Quilt Factory/Debra Grogan.  The quilt won a Third Place award (yellow ribbon) at the 2025 Arizona Quilters Guild show.

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

Quilting with Kaffe Fassett fabrics! (2)

What do we love about Kaffe Fassett's fabrics? Their vibrant colors! For more than two decades, Kaffe Fassett has inspired quilters to go wild with color and texture. Here are some gorgeous quilts showcasing fabrics from Kaffe Fassett Collective.

Note: Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on beaded jewelry, patterns, & collectibles! For continuous free quilt patterns, please follow us on Twitter. 

Stone Log Cabin, made and quilted by Ann Martinez  

This quilt was based on the "Stone Log Cabin" pattern in Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Italy. Ann Martinez says, "My inspiration came from my stash of Kaffe Fassett's fabrics... I only had enough fabric to make a wall version of the pattern."  We love the color combinations and black-and-white accents!

 Shadow Block Illusion, made by Gail Witt, quilted by Jessica Jones 

Gail Witt says, "I used my extensive collection of Kaffe fabrics for my Shadow Block quilt.  The optical illusion of a shadow provides depth and dimension.  Jessica (Jones)' straight line quilting is the perfect complement to the design.  The quilt was based on the 2015 Shadow Block online tutorial by Debora Exum.

Midnight Sensation by Yvonne M. Flores, quilted by Quality Quilterz

This quilt has a fascinating kaleidoscope effect! Pattern for this quilt was a mystery quilt by Michelle Renee Hiatt (the Holiday Sensation Medallion Series 2022).  Yvonne Flores says this was her first Mystery Quilt!  "I decided to purchase the kit because the outcome was unknown.  The class was taught by Joyce Holley.  Piecing was done using the Studio 180 precision rulers to achieve perfect points."

 

Note: For more Kaffe Fassett fun, check out our *FREE* patterns for Kaffe Fassett Quilts:  CLICK HERE for Part 1 and CLICK HERE for Part 2!

 

 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Arizona Quilters Guild show (Shadow Block Illusion) and the 2025 Tucson Quilters Guild show (Stone Log Cabin, Midnight Sensation.) 

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Star Garden Quilt

Spring is here, and it's time to enjoy the longer days and emerging flowers.  Here's a gorgeous quilt that brings the season to life, all year round.  Can you find the birds, bunny, and butterflies?

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Nana's Star Garden by Susan Foster, quilted by Jessica Jones. 

Based on a published design (Star Garden by Minick and Simpson, previously published in Quiltmania magazine,) Nana's Star Garden plan included a larger design area for a free flowing natural garden. Susan Foster says, "I used some of the basic design elements, but added a strawberry thief bird, a variety of flowers, cherries, etc.  She also added broderie perse butterflies, "as no pretty flower garden is complete without them."

Here are a few closeup photos showing Jessica Jones' beautiful flower and feather quilting, which lends the finishing touch to this beautifully made quilt.

 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Arizona Quilters Guild show.  This quilt won a red ribbon (second place) in the Applique-Solo category.

Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (2)

The 2025 Quilt Arizona show features hundreds of quilters, many of whom spend the winter months in this sunny locale.  Here are some highlights from the show.  We hope you enjoy our photos!

Note: Please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns, jewelry, and collectibles. You also can follow us on Twitter!

Girl with the Pearl Earring, made and quilted by Denise Farnworth. 

Winner of 1st Place in the Kit Quilt - Solo category, Denise Farnworth says: "I saw this beautiful quilt on Instagram @PrideandJoyquilting.  I have seen this painting in Holland in The Hague, Netherlands.  I have read the fictional book about her and when I saw this quilt, I knew I had to make it." Denise's use of straight-line quilting was the perfect choice for this modern quilt. (Note: More information on the Girl with a Pearl Earring design can be found at the Pride and Joy Quilting website.)

 My Comfort Zone, made and quilted by Darla Orndorff

 This was the only quilted clothing we saw at the show, and it really caught our eye! Winner of 1st place in her category, Darla Orndorff says: "I had an old chenille robe from Lands End.  When it wore out, I tore it apart and used it as a pattern to make another chenille robe.  when that one wore out, I used the pattern to make a quilted robe - mimicking the use of chenille."

Whimsical Mystery Quilt by Janet Strafalace, quilted by Matt Seamons  

 Winner of the Laurene Sinema Award* for Exemplary Workmanship, Janet Strafalace says: "My quilt is the result of having made several raw edged applique quilts. Having lots of fabric already backed with Steam-A-Seam2, and being a no-waste kind of gal, I decided to use it all, with some entertaining modifications. Fun project!" The project was based on the Mystery Quilt pattern by Yoko Saito. 

Many intricate details were created!  See if you can spot the colorful stained glass windows in the church; a dog and cat; and a street resembling cobblestones. (*Note:  Laurene Sinema (1929-2003) was the founder of the Arizona Quilters Guild; this special award honors her legacy.)

Butterflies in the Garden Trellis by Gail Witt, quilted by Jessica Jones

 

Butterflies in the Garden Trellis was awarded Best of Show - Team, and 1st Place - Mixed Technique Duet. Gail Witt says: The quilt center is an adaptation of a traditional Carpenter's Square design.  Butterflies were added to the quilt center to echo the butterfly border.  Fussy cut Kaffe flowers and leaves were appliqued to curvy vines swirling around the trellis center.  Jessica Jones' quilting adds beauty and creativity to the quilt."

 

Birds and Birds, and Birds in the Air by Darla Orndorff, quilted by Penny Boese 

 This is most intricately pieced quilt we saw at the show, and we were amazed by the precision needed to create this beauty. Darla Orndorff says, "The quilt was designed in the style of "British Frame Quilts." The traditional block called Birds in the Air was used to create new blocks.  Winner of a red ribbon (2nd place) in the Large Pieced Duet quilts category!

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

Harvesting Dreams

Here's some more pumpkin fun, featuring a charming quilt we admired at one of this year's shows. The fanciful pumpkin is made with batiks in a checkerboard design.  A little mouse snuggles close to the base, dreaming peacefully.

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Harvesting Dreams by Roberta Oughterson, quilted by Jessica Jones

Roberta Oughterson says, "I just couldn't resist this little guy.  [I'm] trying to imagine how hard he worked all day, gathering his food supply."   The title of the quilt, Harvesting Dreams, is based on a poem that reads:

At the magical moment

When rest becomes sleep

We reap a fresh harvest

Of dreams we hold deep.

This quilt is beautifully machine appliqued by Roberta Oughterson and professionally machine quilted by Jessica Jones.  It is based on a published design, Harvesting Dreams by Letitia Hutching at Mount Redoubt Designs.  (It is out of print but is sometimes available on eBay or Etsy.)

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