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! 

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!     

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).

Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (3)

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

Here Comes the Night Shift, made and quilted by Gabrielle Ryan  

A female Thorn Moth awakens and says, "Here comes the night shift!" Gabrielle Ryan says, "Moths are overlooked as pollinators because they are nocturnal.  But their contribution to pollination is critical - they are excellent pollinators.  They outnumber butterflies ten to one and travel long distances, unlike butterflies." 

Winner of an Award of Merit for Outstanding Achievement in Quiltmaking by NACQJ, plus 2nd Place in the Pictorial - Small category, this art quilt was based on a photo by Ukrainian photographer Oleksii Kriachko (used with permission.)  

detail, Here Comes the Night Shift

Freedom Cactus, made and quilted by Kim James  

The word FREEDOM is quilted above the cactus in this miniature quilt, reflecting the quilt show theme, Let Freedom Ring! Kim James says, "My daughter inspired this piece as she has a cactus theme in her home and her pursuit of education has afforded her FREEDOM and independence... this quilt is a tribute to her journey and the vibrant life she has built."  This dynamic little quilt was based on the Cactus Specimen pattern by Swan Sheridan. 

Making Memories Road Trip Quilt, made and quilted by Francine Taylor  

Based on a Capturing Memories Road Trip design by Pride & Joy Quilting, Francine Taylor says this quilt was taught in a Sewtopia Retreat class in 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.  "Veruschka Zarate makes excellent patterns and this is no exception. I love the Arizona landscape. The colors adequately and beautifully depict the desert landscape."

Windows Into Color by Judy Locke, quilted by Penny Boese  

This stunning modern quilt was inspired by a paper pieced block used in The Bachelor pattern in Paper Pieced Modern by Amy Garro (2015).  Judy Locke utilized her own setting and five different color groups for the blocks, one color group per block. The background fabric is used again in each of the five blocks to separate the colors; this also added dimensionality to the quilt.  The outstanding quilting by Penny Boese is done in different colors and designs, shown below.

detail, Windows Into Color

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

Celtic Whimsy

Celtic quilts are a unique art form. They are characteristized by flowing, curvilinear forms — spirals, scrolls, S-shapes, tendrils, and plant-like motifs, made with narrow bias strips.  In honor of March and St. Patricks' Day, here are some beautiful Celtic designs (also scroll down for some FREE celtic knot patterns!)

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

Celtic Whimsy, 2027 opportunity quilt by the Tucson Quilters Guild

Winner of Best of Show at the 2026 Quilt Fiesta, along with 1st Place in the Group Quilts category. This fabulous medallion quilt is the 2027 opportunity quilt by the Tucson Quilters Guild! The original design features machine appliqued Celtic knots and scrollwork.

Celtic Whimsy was created by Caroline Ellermann, JoAnn Hinchliffe, Karen Kelter, Chris Nelson, Stephanie Nordlin and Beverly Reiter, with binding by Helen Frost and quilting by Penny Boese.

 

Osgoode Hall by Jean Biddick & Jo Cady-Bull (2006).  

Winner of Best of Show at the 2006 Tucson Quilters Guild show, this design is based on a floor in an historic court building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  There are 4,205 pieces of fabric, 20 yeards of 1/4" bias for the Celtic applique, and 500 painted squares (each with three coats of ink to get the right color!)  The makers, Jean Biddick & Jo Cady-Bull, say: "The best memories are of working together and winning together."

You might also enjoy a previous post on Celtic quilts: 

Celtic Fox by Kathy McNeil, 2018 photo by Quilt Inspiration  

Celtic Knot wall hanging, free template by Quilters World (CLICK for PDF download) 

 

 

Celtic Knot block, 12" square, free pattern at McCalls Quilting (CLICK for PDF download)

 

Lucky Charms quilt and table runner, free pattern by Janet Houts for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Modern Celtic wall hanging, 32" square, free pattern by Tricia Lynn Maloney at Quilters World (CLICK for PDF download)

 

 

 Image credits: Photos of Celtic Whimsy and Osgoode Hall were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2026 Tucson Quilters Guild show.

HIghlights of the 2026 Quilt Fiesta! (3)

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 3 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.

Racing the Sunset by Karen Neuendorf  

 This little art quilt is so well done!  It depicts racing the sunset to get home before dark. Karen Neuendorf says that she made it by using the "Accidental Landscapes" technique. Roving was used to create the appearance of dust at the base of the horses' hooves. [Note: The Accidental Landscapes method was created by Karen Eckmeier and is described in her book, Accidental Landscapes - Surprisingly Simple Quilted Landscapes.]

Arizona Blanket by Karen Chrisman, quilted by Linda Powell.  

Winner of a 2nd place award, this quilt was based on the  "Indian Blanket" pattern and class by Reeze Hanson. Karen Christman modified the pattern presented in class, using much less black.  "I chose the rich colors of our southwest to showcase the design. The print of the border is the perfect frame for my 'Arizona Blanket'."  

This was beautifully pieced by Karen Chrisman, and quilted by Linda Powell. NOTE: As of this writing, the Indian Blanket pattern by Reeze Hanson can be found at her website, Morning Glory Designs.

Southwest Sunrise, made and quilted by Luanne Wood.  

"Southwest Sunrise" was based on a BOM pattern, designed in 12 parts by Reeze Hanson. Luanne Wood says, "I learned a lot about New Mexico's Zuni Indian tribe from this pattern.  I added thread drawn motifs of Arizona's Sonoran Desert in the corners of the main section, and revised the outer border."  

Southwest Sunrise was first exhibited at the 2023 Quilt Fiesta, winning multiple awards, including a Judge's Choice and Exemplary Machine Quilting by a Non-Professional. 

Orphans No More by Katherine O'Brien, quilted by Penny Boese.  

This quilt started with "orphan" blocks from the Moda Blockheads 2 patterns.  Katherine created an original layout for the final quilt, adding the setting star and additional blocks. She completed the project due to a group challenge to complete poor unfinished projects. Winner of a Judge's Special Merit award, AND a NACQJ Award of Merit from the National Association of Certified Quilt Judges. The "waves" quilting was done by Penny Boese.

 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!

 

 

Dreaming of Spring: Rose in Bloom!

This Rose in Bloom sampler quilt is a veritable garden party! It has ten enchanting quilt blocks arranged into a floral inspired setting. The soft rose and green hues, and the fancy flower-inspired layout, remind us of springtime.

FOLLOW us on Twitter for blog updates and freebies. Also check out our E-Bay shop for bargains on jewelry, clothing, patterns and collectibles ! 

Rose in Bloom by Heather Nothum, quilted by Penny Boese 

  

Heather Nothum made Rose in Bloom from a kit that she received as a Christmas gift. It is based on the published design by Lella Boutique, using the Love Note fabric collection. It features 10 classic quilt block designs – each in a 6″ finished block size. Each design is made 4x (in different print combinations) for a total of 40 blocks. Penny Boese did the wonderful geometric quilting shown below.

The original pattern has a pretty pieced backing (see the photo below, and more details, at Lella Boutique):  

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

Glorious Scrap Quilts (MORE inspiration!)

One of the joys of quilting is using up leftover scraps!  Here are 5 more stunning quilts made entirely from scraps. For more inspiration, please see our Free Patterns for Scrap Quilts (>PART 1 and >PART 2).

FOLLOW us on Twitter for blog updates and freebies. Also check out our E-Bay shop for bargains on jewelry, clothing, patterns and collectibles !

Scrap the Universe, made and quilted by Barbara Harrell  

Truly stunning! Blue ribbon winner Barbara Harrell says that she designed this quilt to work on her curved piecing. "I wanted to scrap the individual elements to see how they played together."  Scrap the Universe won First Place in the Scrap-Solo category at the 2025 Quilt Arizona show.

Thanks for the Scraps, made and quilted by Katherine Kenward 

Katherine Kenward wanted to practice curved piecing and play with crumb blocks with non-square edges. This original quilt is the result! "A friend gave me lots of her scraps, so I was able to separate by shade as well as color."  (The title, Thanks for the Scraps, is a thank-you to her friend.)  

Bad Kitty by Heather Nothum, quilted by Penny Boese from the 2025 Quilt Arizona show. 

Heather Nothum used scraps to create a color wheel quilt.  She changed the middle to look like a black paint splotch, and used her cat's paw print to look like the cat had walked in the paint and on the quilt.  

 Bits and Pieces, made and quilted by Diana Anderson

 

This crumb quilt has almost 200 different fabrics in it! Diana Anderson says, "I love using scraps of fabric and I was challenged by one of my quilting sisters to see how many different fabrics I could use in a quilt."  Diana's design was inspired by a "Shadow Boxing" video by Donna Jordan.

WOW by Karen Fisher, quilted by Judith Davis

Winner of 1st place in the Two Person Small Pieced category at the 2024 Tucson Quilters Guild show. To start the collaboration, Judith Davis gave 32 mismatched, old and sundry fat quarters to Karen Fisher as a challenge to create a quilt, and the result was "WOW"! The quilt was then returned to the "giver" with the challenge, "Now quilt this"!  Beads and other embellishments add tons of visual interest.

Image credits: Photos of Thanks for the Scraps and WOW were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the the Tucson Quilters Guild 2024 show. Photos of Scrap the Universe, Bad Kitty, and Bits & Pieces were taken at the 2025 Quilt Arizona show.