Lollypop Trees!

Kim McLean has inspired hundreds of quilters with her bright, cheery designs. Featuring Kaffe Fassett fabrics, her designs make us smile. We hope you enjoy these Lollypop Tree quilts from recent shows! 

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Life in Lost City by Denise Bell, quilted by Ann Olson. 

The maority of the center four blocks are from Kim Mclean's Lollypop Trees pattern, but Denise Bell created her own border and embellishments. Denise says her version of Kim Mclean's pattern took an awkward turn after she experienced a motorcycle accident.  "Recovering, I had time to ponder my rural surroundings, which didn't include sculpted trees but did include wild grape vines, frogs, pollinators, and a wealth of wildlife that began to populate my quilt."

Check out the fussy-cut peace symbols and daisies, and the tinhy bee in the border! To the left of the bee is an appliqued snail. Hand applique, embellishment, and piecing; and machine quilting were used to create this beauty.  

Left-over Lollypop Trees, made and quilted by Pat Morris

Pat Morris based this wonderful quilt on the Lollypop Trees pattern by Kim McLean.  Pat says, "It is hand appliqued using Kaffe Fassett fabrics in my stash. I made a larger quilt and had six left over blocks." She alternated cool and warm blocks for a harmonious design.  

Lollypop Trees by Linda Jenkins, quilted by Penny Boese.  

 Linda Jenkins says she loved this pattern and chose to make it in Kaffe Fassett fabrics. She started the top in March, 2018 and finished it October 15, 2025. Winner of Exemplary Machine Quilting - Computer Guided, the outstanding quilting was done by Penny Boese.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival (Life in Lost City by Denise Bell), the 2026 Quilt Arizona show (Lollypop Trees by Linda Jenkins) and the 2024 Tucson Quilters Guild show (Leftover Lollypop Trees by Pat Morris).

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!

 

 

Welcome to the North Pole !

Christmas is a special time of year, and the North Pole is a magical place. Here's the North Pole on an enchanted night as Santa takes off in his sleigh through the star-filled heavens. This quilt features whimsical houses made in fanciful styles. We’d like to go to this happy, colorful village every day of the year.

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Welcome to the North Pole by Susan Hepworth, quilted by Karen Morgan  

Susan Hepworth says, "A friend and I challenge ourselves to make a new quilt each year. It was fun choosing what we wanted, putting it all together and stitching it!  This was a two-year challenge, but we had a great time and now each have a fun quilt to put up at Christmas!"

The Welcome to the North Pole pattern is by Piece O' Cake Designs, and it was first published in 1997. We previously featured this design in a Christmas 2010 blog post (my oh my, how time flies!) 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2024 Springville (Utah) quilt show.

In Full Bloom: Floral Album Quilts

Album quilts, which show a variety of blocks, are on almost everyone's list of favorite quilt patterns.  They provide great visual interest and are often a valuable source of inspiration for your next project. Here are some album quilts which really caught our eye at the recent 2013 Arizona Quilters' Guild Show. 

Heart of Gold - mini Baltimore Album, 22 x 26", by Linda Puttmann

Second place winner in the Miniature Quilts category, Linda writes, "I mad this needle-turn applique quilt for my mom to comfort her during her fight with cancer. She said it made her so happy."  We really like the cheerful color combination of the sunny yellow, gold, and coral orange hues combined with the soft sage green tones of the foliage.

Close up, Heart of Gold - mini Baltimore Album by Linda Puttmann

Here's a wonderful example of  Linda's excellent applique skills on a block that is only 4" wide. We imagine that this quilt must have been really fun to make. For more information, please check out Linda's blog, Sew Many Joyous Things.

More Flowers for my Quilts by Susan Norris

Susan notes, "I love floral appliqued quilts, so I keep making them. Hand needle turned applique and hand quilted with an assortment of Sulky variegate 12 weight thread. "

Close-up, More Flowers for my Quilts by Susan Norris

 

Susan's evenly spaced echo quilting pattern is the perfect choice to make these ombre-hued flowers really pop right off the block. We recognize this quilt pattern as "Flowers From My Garden" by Lori Smith at From my heart to your hands.

Cherry Tweet by Patty McKinney, quilted by Kathy Hunt

Honorable Mention winner for Best Applique, Large Quilts, Patty notes "My good friend gave this [pattern] to me as a Christmas gift, and I just finished. What a great gift. I so loved working on this project."

Close up, Cherry Tweet by Patty McKinney

The blocks of playful bluebirds add so much zest and personality here! For more information on this Cherry Tweet pattern, please visit Chitter Chatter Designs.

My Aunt Millies' Garden by Marcia Petroni

Marcia says, "This quilt is in memory of my Aunt Millie who lived her whole life on the east coast. I never met her, but we e-mailed a lot."

Close up, My Aunt Millie's Garden by Marcia Petroni

These aqua blue petals are really set off by the vibrant orange-red background fabric, giving a spicy southwestern look to this quilt. For more information about purchasing the instruction book for "Aunt Millie's Garden", please visit Piece O' Cake Designs.

Flowers for Dorothy by Alyce J. Leach

Alyce notes, "I received the border print when my friend dorothy passed away, and I decided to make a quilt with her fabric in memory of her."  We think that the regal-looking yet sprightly border fabric provides a pretty frame for the basket arrangements of coral, violet, and blue-gray appliqued blossoms.

Untitled, floral album by Iris Lacey

Iris says,  [This is a ] commercial pattern using needle turn applique and hand embroidery. " The clear, bright hues of the flowers and the dark stems and dark outline fabric give a vibrant, stained-glass effect to this quilt.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration

Spring is in the air: Contra Costa Quilt Show

Here's the second part of our visit to the Guild of Quilters of Contra Costa County, in Concord, California. This is not a large guild, but their talented members do some exceptional work! Today, we are showing some quilts whose bright colors and themes of  renewal serve to remind us that spring is in the air.

Recall The Journey - The Middle Passage by Helen Anderson. 1st Place Artful - Combined Techniques

Helen Anderson says,  "The Sankofa Bird - go back and fetch it - reminds us to call upon the insight, courage, and determination of our ancestors and to apply their wisdom to our present situation. A healing took place as I worked on the blue blocks which represent the ocean voyage that the Africans were forced to endure after having been abducted from their homeland, brought to the "new world" and sold into human bondage. I no longer feel the hatred, anger, or shame I initially felt as a result of these atrocities. Thankfully.......I have been able to attain peace within myself...without the strong, visceral reactions I suffered previously. Donna Baker and I machine quilted this quilt." We found this quilt to be both very emotionally very moving and artistically very impressive.

Close-up, Recall The Journey - The Middle Passage by Helen Anderson

The thread painting of the center bird was breathtaking.  We were especially awed by the intricate threadwork on the tailfeathers. Helen writes, "Theresa Littleton and I did the seed stitching (around the outside of the bird) in December 2011. "

Cindy's Iris Garden by Cindy Greco. 1st Place Traditional - Combined Techniques

Cindy writes, "I have always loved irises, and when I saw this pattern while going through a friend's old quilting books, I knew I had to try it. I had recently used Cherrywood Fabrics for another quilt and decided the sueded cotton would be a good choice for this one........  I enjoyed putting the colors together to make my hand appliqued iris garden and have most of the colors I used [in this quilt] in live irises in my yard. It took me nearly two years to hand quilt this queen size quilt..... It was all I could do to complete this quilt for the 2012 show. I had to machine quilt around and through the irises because of the many layers- too many to hand quilt. This was my biggest hand quilting endeavor to date, and I don't think I will try another queen size quilt in the near future !"

Close-up, Cindy's Iris Garden by Cindy Greco

The very careful and accurate hand quilting that you see here is perfect for showcasing the arrangement of leaves and petals of the irises.

Birds of a Feather by Susan B. Terry. 2nd Place Appliqué - Machine Quilted

Susan Terry writes, "This quilt is owned by Leslie Finta. The bird pattern I designed from memory from a friend's quilt; the background, leaves, and critters are my own design."  We loved the use of complementary grape purple and yellow, along with the very lively effect of the scrap-pieced sashing.

Close-up, Birds of a Feather by Susan B. Terry

Susan has expertly used both print and solid color fabrics in a way which creates energy and visual interest. This little bird displays such personality as he emerges from his house and bursts into song.

Whimsical Garden by Kathryn Kluever. 1st Place Appliqué - Combined Techniques

Kathryn's description is short and sweet. She says, "I saw this quilt pattern in a shop. I made it into a "happy quilt". It was fun to do." We'd like to add that we love Kathryn's use of 1930's retro colors of bubble-gum pink, sage green, and French blue to create these captivating flowers and the wide-eyed birds who live among them. The pattern is from the book, My Whimsical Quilt Garden: 20 Bird & Flower Blocks to Applique, by Linda Jenkins and Becky Goldsmith at Piece O'Cake Designs.

Close-up, Whimsical Garden by Kathryn Kluever

You can almost hear the music as the "bluebird of happiness" opens his mouth in song. The polka-dot and candy-cane striped fabric of the flowers really helps them to "pop" off the machine-quilted block's background.

Wild Flowers by Valeria Furtado

Here's a beautiful and colorful tribute to the time-honored tradition of English paper-piecing. This "Grandma's Flower Garden" hexagonal pattern is a well-loved design of so many quilters. Here's it seems as if the viewer is flying over fields of wildflowers who turn their faces to the sun in a happy array of both warm and cool hues.

Cute quilts for kids: it's a wrap

We're wrapping up our series on cute quilts for kids.  In case you just joined us, here are the original posts: Cute quilts for kids (a new series),  Cute quilts for kids (Don't Look Now),  Legends and dreams: Noah's ark, Cute quilts for kids... it's Playtime, All God's critters got a place in the choir, A Quilt Story by Heather & Megan, Cute quilts for kids?  Piece o'cake, Cute as a button:  Buttons and Bees, Top of the Range Designs, Just Dandy, and Quilts for kids by Mrs. Moen.

Three of these designers are from Australia, one is from Norway, and the rest are from North America. Patterns are available for all.  Hope you enjoyed these fabulous artists as much as we did ! Row 1, L-R: Sand Castles, by Rebecca Johnson at Chasing Cottons; Peak Hour, by Kellie Wulfsohn at Don't Look Now; Critters Dancin' in the Moonlight, by Linda Hohag at Brandywine Design. Row 2: Playtime, by Sandy Klop at American Jane; Rhymes to Remember, by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins, at Piece O'Cake Designs; Hootenanny, by Kim Gaddy at Buttons and Bees.  Row 3: Circus Stack, by Heather & Megan, at Quilt Story; Funky Birds and Flower Angel, by Nina Lise Moen at Mrs. Moen's patterns. Row 4:  Just Dandy, by Vanessa Christenson, at V and Co; Spell-Caster, by Tracey Campbell, at Top of the Range Designs; Noah's Ark, by Laura Nownes, at Laura Nownes.com.

Cute quilts for kids? Piece o'cake!

Classic literature for children comes alive in this kids' quilt which celebrates the world of Mother Goose.  A great way to teach a little one these beloved poems, "Rhymes I Remember" is a show-stopping, heirloom-quality quilt in which poetry is illustrated in cloth.  How many poems can you identify, and which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

Rhymes I Remember, by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins, 44 x 53 at Piece O' Cake Designs

The restful deep blue tones of the outer border symbolizing the night sky are juxtaposed with a complementary bright orange border, tinted with greens and yellows. Notice how the prairie points of the border tie in the with the points of the stars on each corner to produce a beautiful unified effect. The 12 blocks, each 8 inches square, would make an enchanting block-of-the-month project. Or, because many hands make light work, a group of quilters could be assigned several blocks to make this fun project quickly.

Detail of the "Three Bears" and "Owl and the Pussycat" blocks

These blocks are designed for maximum whimsical effect and are a great way to use up tiny pieces of much loved scraps that you just can't "bear" to throw away.  Look at the exquisite detail of the faces on the bears, owl, and pussy cat, and you'll see why this quilt provides so much charm and entertainment for both children and adults. "Rhymes I Remember" is a 28-page downloadable file that comes direct to your computer, complete with full-size pattern pieces.

Meow and Woof, by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins, 45 x 60", at Piece O' Cake Designs

 

Becky and Linda say, "Celebrate your favorite furry friends with this cute quilt!"  The full size, downloadable pieces are large and easy to applique, and the 4-patches are simple enough for a beginning piecer.  We are impressed with the effective use of different gauge plaids and stripes of the cats and dogs. Because there is some distance between the animals, there is enough space to showcase the different patterns without appearing too busy.

In addition, check out the Piece o'Cake books shown below, whose patterns are great for kids: Covered with Love (Kids' Quilts and More) and the brand new book (2011) Quilt a New Christmas. Here are five festive holiday quilt patterns, complete with houses, trees, reindeer, Santas, and snowmen (you can preview the projects here). These fun projects will put you in the holiday mood fast, even in July ! 

Image credits and links: Images are shown with the generous permission of Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins at Piece O'Cake Designs.

Our Town Part 4 : Welcome to the North Pole !

Here's the North Pole on an enchanted, mystical winter night, as Santa takes off in his sleigh through the star-filled heavens.  This quilt contains blocks of appliqued houses that can be combined in different ways to create different designs. 

Welcome to the North Pole, 40 x 52, by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins, at Piece O' Cake Designs  

Piece O' Cake Designs is a wonderful, creative site and online shop, where Becky and Linda sell their books, patterns, kits, and craft items. They are also applique teachers, with a busy schedule that takes them around the world; you can see Becky's class descriptions here.

This close-up of one of the blocks shows an adorable house with the nameplate "Slick's Sleds" over the door.  Notice the sled-shaped roof fixture, the heart-shaped door knob, and the tree trimmed with rick-rack.

The plaid background fabric gives a cozy vintage look to this quilt. It's a perfect project for using up stripes and plaids in your fabric stash. The houses can be mixed and matched to create table runners, wall hangings, and even garments.

Dinner at Santa's House table runner, 14 x 42 (detail)

The Dinner at Santa's House table runner was first published in 1998 and it is designed to go with the book, Welcome to the North Pole. The turned-up roof top, the giant candy cane growing out of the ground, and the gaily patterned trees all contribute to the whimsical charm. We think that the deep blue backgrounds of Dinner At Santa's House and Welcome to the North Pole give a stability and balance to these works which allow them to blend into your home decor very effectively. This restful blue background works better to complement all decor colors than exclusively using red and green in holiday textiles.

Additional resources: Images are shown with the generous permission of Linda Jenkins and Becky Goldsmith. For more inspiration and a look into the lives of these two top designers, please visit the Piece O' Cake blog.