100 Days of Greenery

March is the month where trees and plants start to sprout leaves. It's no wonder that green is associated with growth and renewal. Here are three quilts we admire from the US, Spain, and Taiwan.  Also scroll down for a FREE monstera leaf pattern!

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For continuous free quilt patterns, please follow us on Twitter !     

100 Days of Greenery, made and quilted by Cassandra Beaver (Ohio, USA). 

Photographs of a wide variety of plant life at the local botanical garden inspired this hand needleturn applique quilt by Cassandra Beaver. Using AutoCAD, she translated the images into a template line drawing. She created the quilt over 100 days and completed the design with gridded quilting remniscent of observing the outdoor world through a window screen.  

Wind in the Leaves by Ekaterina Bessarabova (Valencia, Spain).  

A light wind plays beautifully in the leaves... thin branches bend gracefully and young foliage shines and shimmers with different shades in motion, obeying the flow of air. This gorgeous original design was made with hand applique, embellishment, and embroidery; and finished with machine quilting.  Photos of Wind in the Leaves were taken at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.

Blooming Flower of Happiness by Liu-Chi Yung-Yun (New Taipei City, Taiwan)  

 

 

A gorgeous original quilt made with small pieces of fabric appliqued and quilted by machine, with the following message: "Happiness is just like the flowers in bloom.  A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it.  It just blooms".

  

 

Celebrate green with this easy Plantae place mat, 18" x 15", free pattern by Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

 

Image credits: Photos of 100 Days of Greenery, Wind in the Leaves and Blooming Flower of Happiness were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival. 

Beautiful Bargellos

Bargello patterns create the illusion of movement and depth on the flat surface of the quilt. Here are two stunning bargello quilts from a recent show. Also, check out our Free Pattern Day for Bargello Quilts!

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For continuous free quilt patterns, please follow us on Twitter !     

Mom & Me by Darlene Smith & Shawna Wallis, quilted by Shawna Wallis & Kris Neifeld.

Darlene Smith and Shawna Wallis made this two-fabric bargello quilt based on the method copyrighted by Susie Weaver. "We made two quilts... This one was a joint effort!" For impact, they chose a dramatic black-to-white ombre fabric for the background. 

Goin' Downhill by Susie Weaver, quilted by Kris Neifeld. 

Winner of an Exemplary Piecing award, this design was adapted from a photo of "Surf Song" in Twist & Turn Bargello Quilts by Eileen Wright. Susie Weaver says, "This beauty started with 20 fabrics (based on the border fabric) in each of 6 strata. Then the math took over and the fun began. It took a bit of time and focus to finish with 2496 matching points and the length of 3 football fields of stitching." (WOW!)

 If you're considering a bargello quilt, check out our FREE PATTERN archive (CLICK HERE!)

Image credits: Photos of Mom & Me and Goin' Downhill were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Tucson Quilters Guild show. NOTE: Quilt Inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning we earn a small commission if an item is purchased from any Amazon link on this page. (There is no extra charge to you.)  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration. 

Perenially Blooming Nine Patch

Blooming nine patch is an intriguing quilt pattern. It gives the impression of a color wash with nothing but 9-patch and same-size solid squares! The pattern was first published in 1996 by Blanche Young with her daughter, Dalene Young Stone, in their book Tradition With a Twist. Another daughter, Helen Young Frost, continued the tradition in her book, Radiant Sunshine & Shadow.  

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Tradition with a Twist, Helen Frost created a beautiful NEW quilt in colors of the sunset. Also, scroll down for two FREE patterns from fabric companies! 

p.s. Please see our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles. For more free patterns, please follow us on Twitter. 

Perenially Blooming Nine Patch by Helen Frost, quilted by Kris Neifeld

The Blooming Nine Patch is the most popular quilt from Tradition With a Twist, and thousands of quilters have made one. Each solid block alternates with a nine-patch that uses the two adjacent fabrics, creating a subtle transition from one fabric to the next, as shown in the closeup photo below.  

You might also enjoy this free Luminous Nine Patch pattern by Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download!)

You might also enjoy this free Vintage Blooms pattern by Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download!)

Image credits: Photos of Perenially Blooming Nine Patch were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Tucson Quilters Guild show. NOTE: Quilt Inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning we earn a small commission if an item is purchased from any Amazon link on this page. (There is no extra charge to you.)  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration. 

 

Highlights of the 2026 Quilt Fiesta! (5)

In the beautiful Sonoran desert of Arizona, the Tucson Quilters Guild celebrated their 50th anniversary with a spectacular show. The Quilt Fiesta includes a fascinating mix of styles, techniques, and patterns. We hope you enjoy our photos! This is Part 5 of 5.

p.s. Please see our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles. For more free patterns, please follow us on Twitter. 

Greek Garden Party, made and quilted by Tami Graeber.  

In this original design, the Greek keys were hand drawn.  Tami Graeber says that she needed a project on a cruise, so she packed fabric and a limited color palette of paint.  She machine appliqued the elements to the back and added the Greek key border for a fun thing to do. The giant rick rack completes this whimsical piece.

Firefly Dance by Shawna Wallis, quilted by Kris Neifeld.  

Winner of the Quilt Show Chair's Choice award, this panel "One Block Wonder" quilt was begun with a class by Susie Weaver. [The One Block Wonder technique is by Maxine Rosenfeld.]  Shawna Wallis says, "When I saw this panel I knew if would be perfect for a One Block Wonder.  It exceeded my expectations!"

My Childhood in Wyoming, made and quilted by Julie Hallquist

A variation of Alex Anderson's Sequoia Sampler, this quilt won 1st Place and a blue ribbon in the One Person Small Pieced category. Julie Hallquist says, "This is full of reflections of my childhood on a sheep ranch in Wyoming.  My mother's poppies, my grandmother's Swedish heritage, our log cabin, learning to sew, the ever-present wind, and millions of stars at night."

 

 Purple Pineapple, made and quilted by Ann Weber

Ann Weber says, "We have purple potatoes these days - why not purple pineapples? I had been wanting to make a purple quilt to combine lots of different purple fabrics that I had been collecting. Then for some reason, I was drawn to trying the pineapple block. I had so much fun making this and watching the pineapples appear." The quilt is based on the classic pineapple block.  

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Tucson Quilters Guild show. NOTE: Quilt Inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning we earn a small commission if an item is purchased from an Amazon link on this page. (There is no extra charge to you.)  Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration.

Highlights of the 2026 Quilt Fiesta! (1)

In the beautiful Sonoran desert of Arizona, the Tucson Quilters Guild celebrated their 50th anniversary with a spectacular show. The Quilt Fiesta includes a fascinating mix of styles, techniques, and patterns. We hope you enjoy our photos! This is Part 1 of 5.

p.s. Please see our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles. For more free patterns, please follow us on Twitter.

My Turtle from Tula's 100 Blocks, made and quilted by Penny Boese.  

Winner of a Judge's Choice award, this fantastic batik quilt was based on Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks, arranged in a unique setting by Penny Boese.  She wanted to take Tula's 100 blocks in a different direction and settled on her favorite sea animal, using EQ8 to design the layout.  

Westerlund 2 Stellar Nursery, made and quilted by Janet Hasson.  

Winner of a blue ribbon for 1st Place in the Viewers Choice category, this stunning original quilt by Janet Hasson is composed of 1600 1-1/2" paper pieced squares using a watercolor technique. The appearance of glittering stars is created by thousands of beads and pearls sewn on top of the squares.

The inspiration for Janet's design was a photograph released by NASA celebrating the Hubble Space Telescope's 25th anniversary in 2015 (NASA photo below):  

As NASA describes it, the brilliant tapestry of young stars flaring to life resemble a glittering fireworks display. The sparkling centerpiece of this fireworks show is a giant cluster of thousands of stars called Westerlund 2.

In the quilt by Janet Hasson, subtle gradations of color suggest the swirling gas clouds in Westerlund 2. The beads represent the young super bright massive stars approximately 20,000 light years away.

Carmen Romantica by Barb Lambrecht  

The quilt show included a special display of original works by local art quilters. We love Carmen Romantica by Barb Lambrecht.  It was inspired by a 1973 greeting card that looked much like Carmen Miranda.  This piece is hand appliqued and embellished with paint and a piece of recycled, hand dyed lace.

Through the Stained Glass by JT Taylor, quilted by Kris Neifeld.  

The gorgeous colors and stained glass effect of this quilt really drew us in. Winner of a blue ribbon for 1st Place in the Two Person- Medium Pieced category, plus a special award for Best Use of Color, JT Taylor says she collected fabrics for this quilt for about a year in hopes of making a sunset and stained glass quilt. The pattern source was "Striped Surprise" by 3 Dudes Quilting Designs. 

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Tucson Quilters Guild show. NOTE:  Quilt inspiration is an Amazon Associate, meaning that Amazon pays us a small commission if you purchase an item from a link on this page; there is no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of Quilt Inspiration, and for reading our blog!

 

 

12 Days of Christmas: True Christmas!

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!

p.s. Also check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on designer jewelry and collectibles!
For more free quilt patterns, please visit us on X/Twitter.

True Christmas by Carol Carpenter, quilted by Kris Neifeld 

Carol Carpenter says, "Christmas brings joy in so many different ways.  The sweet applique and pieced pattern caught my eye and shares my vision of a true Christmas image.  Joy to the World!"

This wonderful quilt is based on the Christmas Morning Delight pattern by Lisa Norton & Lora Zmak at Material Girlfriends.  Many colorful batik fabrics can be seen in various blocks. Kris Neifeld quilted spiky stars within the sawtooth stars in the borders:

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

Beautiful Bargellos

Here are some beautiful Bargello quilts to brighten your day and spark your imagination. The bargello technique can be used to showcase prints, solids, or ombre fabrics, or simply to use up a stash.We hope you enjoy our photos!  (Also, scroll down for the link to dozens of free bargello patterns.)

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

Night Sky, made by Kris Neifeld & Susie Weaver, quilted by Kris Neifeld

This gorgeous quilt is based on the two-fabric bargello pattern by Susie Weaver. Kris Neifeld says this quilt, made with a dotted ombre fabric, "ended up working out better than I'd hoped." We love it... The dots create the appearance of stars!

Opposing Views, made and quilted by Amy Fitzgerald 

Amy Fitzgerald says, "My husband picked this pattern and helped choose the fabrics. I had never done a Bargello quilt-as-you-go pattern before, and it was very challenging to keep the columns straight and points lined up.  I turned the quilt upside down from the pattern picture."  Opposing Views was based on the published design called Free Fall by Ann Lauer of Grizzly Gulch Gallery. 

A Little Bit of This and That, made and quilted by Joyce Harrison

This lovely wall quilt or table runner uses original 1" squares in a 7x21 grid pattern.  Joyce Harrison says that she mused, "What to do with 1" squares? Lots of ideas. This is a small attempt to use up my stash. [My] summer time plan seemed to turn out well... I'm happy with it. Thank you to my seam ripper too." We love Joyce's original quilting, shown in the closeup photo below.

Double Rainbow by Susie Weaver, quilted by Kris Neifeld.  

Susie Weaver's original pattern, Pattern Two Fab 2.0, was the basis for this stunning quilt with its gently curving waves of color.  Susie says, "Using strip sets from this bargello project as class demos was taking way too long... I finally decided it was time to get 'er done and I'm glad I did."

Note: For more bargello quilt inspiration, please check out our Free Pattern Day for Bargello Quilts (CLICK HERE!)

 

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Quilt Arizona show (Opposing Views); the 2025 Tucson Quilters Guild Show (Double Rainbow and Night Sky); and the Tucson Quilters Guild 2024 show (A Little Bit of This and That.)

Welcome to the Quilt Fiesta! (3)

We attended the 2025 Quilt Fiesta in Tucson, Arizona, and had a wonderful time.  This show is produced by the Tucson Quilters Guild, and there were so many beautiful quilts to admire. We hope you enjoy our photos of the show! Here is part 3.

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

Retro Living, made and quilted by Tami Graeber

This fantastic, large art quilt was one of the top award winners at the show.  The original design was awarded 1st Place - Viewers Choice, Judge's Choice, and 1st Place - Art Whimsy.  Tami Graeber says, "I grew up in the 50's - sat in front of a TV like this.  The good old days! [It was] fun creating the mid-century modern iconic images." Check out the retro wallpaper, a pole lamp (on the right), stylized cats, a French poodle, and even a martini glass on the arm of the sofa. 

The black poodle has a daisy collar and a real bow in her hair. She sits next to a modern potted plant.

Tami says, "I wanted to use "I Love Lucy" on the TV, but copyrights made me use the NBC peacock that was first used in color in 1957."

Summer's Night and Day by Caroline Ellermann, quilted by Glenda Davis

Multiple borders surround this fabulous medallion quilt with its lollipop flowers, houses, Dresden plates, hearts, and more beautiful elements. Caroline Ellermann says, "After seeing this Sarah Fielke pattern made by one of our accomplished guide quilters, I decided to make it. With all of the machine applique, it was a very big challenge.  However, I now have new skills." Pattern source: Sarah Fielke with adaption.

The Blue Door, made and quilted by Lisa Fryxell

Lisa Fryxell is known for her original paper pieced quilt designs.  She says, "This quilt is based on a photo I took in France in June 2024.  It is foundation paper pieced and quilted on my domestic machine."

Psychedelic Carpenter Square, made and quilted by Penny Boese 

A stunning color combination with its an ombre effects truly light up this modern quilt.  It is made with numerous brightly colored batiks. Penny Boese says that her design was inspired by a traditional pattern and Carpenter Square pattern.  The detailed machine quilting adds considerable interest to the design.

 Firewall by Carol W. Carpenter, quilted by Kris Neifeld  

A wonderful stained glass effect is achieved with this design, thanks to the vertical black borders and bright geometric fabrics. The pattern Source is Free Spirit Fabrics' "Play Quilt" by Adrienne Leban (this is a free download).  Carol Carpenter says, "I'm unsure why these wild, swirly fabrics from Adrienne Leban captivated me, but they certainly did. I had a great time under the tutelage of Susie Weaver, making sense of diverse directions, shapes and colors with a cohesive, beautiful result."

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