Meet Mr. Wise

Meet Mr. Wise, a wide-eyed owl highlighted against the moon in a midnight blue sky. Sharon Terrill created this artistic wall quilt based on a pattern by Arlene Walsh Designs (link below.) Also, scroll down for some FREE patterns for Owl quilts!

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Meet Mr. Wise, made and quilted by Sharon Terrill.  

This wide-eyed owl sports a colorful pelt of feathers made with tiny pieces of batik fabrics! We love the colors and textures of this art quilt. It was based on the "Guess Who" quilt pattern and class by Arlene Walsh via Quilt Central Studio (Green Valley, Arizona.) The printed pattern by Arlene Walsh Designs also can be found at her shop on Etsy along with patterns for desert animals, birds, cactus, and other Southwestern themes!

For FREE patterns for owl quilts, please visit our Free Pattern Day (CLICK HERE!)

 Image credits: Photos of "Meet Mr. Wise" were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Tucson (Arizona) Quilt Fiesta.

Modern Quilt Month: Improvisation! (3)

In quilting, improvisation refers to a freeform, intuitive approach to design where quilters create without strictly following traditional patterns, precise measurements, or pre-planned templates. It has its own category within modern quilt shows! We hope you enjoy these photos of improvisational quilts.

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

Lifelines by Emilie Trahan (Joliette, Quebec, Canada) @mili.tra 

Winner of Judge's Choice award at the 2025 QuiltCon show, Emilie Trahan says this piece was created at a point of exhaustion, as she was working as a healthcare professional during the pandemic in 2022. "Whether you see it bursting and being torn apart, or being held and pulled together, this quilt explores how sinuous the lines of our destiny can be, and how a narrow lifeline could change everything," she says.

Lifelines was created with improvisational curve piecing. Amazingly, the quilt was made entirely of upcycled fabrics (mainly sheets and pillowcases), improvisational curve piecing, and machine quilting without a frame (domestic).   

Scattered Thoughts by Deborah Boschert (Texas) @deborahboschert 

Here is a lovely art quilt collage made by Deborah Boschert with a variety of techniques: machine applique, hand embroidery, machine quilting without a frame, printmaking, and surface design. Notice the chair, stitched in red, in the open space at the right of the quilt. Deborah says: "For me, the chair symbolizes the importance of stillness. And making space.  And the idea that clarity can come from rest."

Deborah explains the quilt title, Scattered Thoughts: "Even when I have the opportunity to sit quietly and observe everything around me, sometimes my thoughts are chaotic and interrupted. Other times they are ordered and predictable. I created this textile collage during a time when I was grasping for control and predictability. And yet I made something completely random, irregular and unexptected."   

Embers by Barbara Danzi (California) @barbdanzi

 

Embers was inspired by the warmth of a campfire and the glowing embers; the red hot hues bring the embers to life. Barbara Danzi says that Embers is a study in figure/ground composition, with the ground, or negative space forming shapes so similar to the figures. Embers was improvisational pieced  and machine quilted on a frame (longarm) with matchstick quilting.  You can see more of Barbara's fine art quilts at her website.

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 QuiltCon show in Phoenix, Arizona.

The 50th Annual Utah Quilt Show! (6)

Welcome back to the 50th Annual Utah Quilt Show! This show features some of Utah's finest quilters. Each quilt displays a convergence of artistry and creative decision-making, with the meticulous technical work required at every step of the quilting process. We hope you enjoy our photos!

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for quilt materials & patterns, jewelry, and collectibles! We also invite you to follow us on Twitter ! 

Colors at Sunset (2024), made and quilted by Jared Moore

Tucked a way in a corner of the show were two outstanding wall quilts by Jared Moore, one with an autumn theme and the other with a springtime theme. Jared says, " I have an obsession with trees. For me, trees evoke an endless array of emotions and meaning." This outstanding collage is made with hundreds of tiny fabric pieces with the end result looking like a painting. The background light source reminds us of the rising moon, casting shadows of the tree on the forest floor.

The Tree (2024), made and quilted by Jared Moore.  

The Tree is intended to represent the Tree of Life blooming in spring.  Jared Moore says, "I am a self-taught amateur quilting artist. My quilts began out of a desire to create something interesting and beautiful, and turned into an outlet that expresses my feelings. I use fabric and quilting because I have no talent with any other medium. This is the only medium that I know... It is typically for this reason that I am unwilling to sell my quilts. They hold my thoughts and my feelings in a way that nothing else can."

Amish (2023) by Karen Martindale, quilted by Emmy Evans.

We love Amish quilts and it's rare to see such an outstanding *new* creation! Winner of a Blue Ribbon (Award of Excellence), Karen Martindale says: "My husband and I loved visiting Lancaster Pennsylvania. We visited the Quilt Museum that displayed the "Esprit Quilt Collection" of beautiful Amish quilts. Sadly, the museum closed permanently.  I've wanted to make an Amish quilt for a long time."

Karen adds, "I knew I wouldn't be able to do the massive quilting.  My hands and wrists said they wouldn't do it! so, Emmy [Evans] came to my rescue and did an awesome job!  She is the most talented longarm quilter!"

Just look at the gorgeous border quilting, below.

Summer Quilt Along (2022) by Kara Southwick, quilted by Charlene Nelson.

Kara Southwick says, "I love bright colors and had been collecting some while waiting for just the right quilt to come along. I knew when I saw a few of this quilt's blocks that my colors would pop.  I am so happy with how it turned out!"

Night Skies (2023) by Colette Lindemann, quilted by Judy Jackson. 

Winner of Honorable Mention, Colette Lindemann says: "Since my son likes astronomical anomalies, I wanted to make something along the lines of the northern lights by using bright fabrics against black.  I named the four center blocks (which represent the earth's 24-hour rotation) Morning Light, Sun So Bright, Evening Delight and Moon at Night.  The blue and green crosshatch blocks represent meteor showers.  Three of the purple blocks are constellations: Land-Bear's Paw (Ursa Major), Sea-Seahorse (Barnard 150 Cepheus) and Air-Soaring Eagle (Aquila). Others are various stars, comets or asteroids."

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the Springville (Utah) Museum of Art.

The 50th Annual Utah Quilt Show! (4)

Welcome back to the 50th Annual Utah Quilt Show! This show features some of Utah's finest quilters. Each quilt displays a convergence of artistry and creative decision-making, with the meticulous technical work required at every step of the quilting process.  We hope you enjoy our photos!

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for quilt materials & patterns, jewelry, and collectibles! We also invite you to follow us on Twitter ! 

Boho Heart (2023), made and quilted by Marcia Peterson. 

We love the warm colors in this large sampler heart quilt. Marcia Peterson says, "My quilt group each used their own favorite fabrics to make Jen Kingwell's Boho Heart pattern. I loved seeing how each quilt turned out different.  This was my take on the pattern."

Ezi's Quilt by Mary Duke, quilted by Dawna Sine.

Mary Duke says, "This is my first collage quilt. I started this quilt when my daughter was pregnant with our sweet granddaughter, Ezi. Some people say the baby has too much hair. When our sweet girl was born, her hair was over 2 inches long in some spots. I changed the pattern a bit to look more like my daughter. It was so fun creating this quilt... This quilt now hangs over our granddaugher's bed."

My 100 Block Journey (2024), made and quilted by Helen Butler.

Helen Butler says, "What started out as one quilt ended up being a completely different quilt simply by laying these 100 "Log Cabin" blocks out a completely different way.  Each block began with a black velvet square and was surrounded by a variety of silk, batik, and cotton fabrics. One day I was playing with these blocks and I artfully laid them out in the "Barn Raising" pattern according to their color.  It turned out to be a completely different quilt!"

 

The hand quilting lines can be seen in this closeup photo, below.

My "Happy" Carnival Flower (2024), made and quilted by Diane Wilber.

Diange Wilber says, "My "Happy" Carnival Flower is merrily twirling within sun-kissed waves. I colored the quilt in Quiltster, try8ing to capture Mother Nature's vibrant organic blends with my fabrics.  This quilt features hand appliqued dots and gumdrops, original center yellow flange, scalloped/wave border with double flange split binding, and braid trim edging" [shown below].

Mariners in a Pickle with Sunset (2023) by Sherrie Chambers, quilted by Cecile Wilson.

Winner of a Blue Ribbon (Award of Excellence), Sherrie Chambers says: "I thought the pattern looked lovely, so I accepted the challenge to make this lovely quilt. The sunset came from a picture I took while on a cruise in Alaska." Details of the beautiful batiks and precision piecing are shown below.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the Springville (Utah) Museum of Art.

Intersections: A Utah Surface Design Group Showcase (3)

Surface Design encompasses the coloring, patterning, and structuring of fiber and fabric. The processes may include dyeing, painting, printing, stitching, embellishing, quilting, weaving, knitting, felting, and papermaking. The Utah Surface Design Group is a group of artists dedicated to this genre. Here are some highlights of their 2024 exhibit — titled Intersections — at the Brigham City Museum.

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt materials, collectible items, and new and vintage jewelry! We also invite you to follow us on Twitter ! 

she said 'no' by Lone' Vilnius

This lovely framed portrait was made with fabric collage, constructed with machine and hand top stitching and stamping.  The stamped lettering includes many positive words such as 'exceptional', 'glorious', and 'pre-eminent'. The portrait itself was made with several lines of stitching in black thread, creating an elegant profile.

A series of intersections with native species, and engaging conversations  (2024) by Debbi Sigg.  

This lovely piece is a tribute to biodiversity and a plea to preserve native plants and animals. Made with Jacquard silk and supont french silk dye, which was hand painted using the Serti method. Debbi Sigg says, "I cherish childhood memories of wandering through lush grasslands alive with insects, ampibians, and birds.  Sadly such experiences seem elusive now... Through my art, I aspire to ignite conversations and advocate for restoring biodiversity.  The journey ahead is not linear; it's a series of intersections where those who plant native species intersect with the species benefiting from our efforts."

 Haute House Couture (2024) by Kandace Steadman.

Kandace Steadman says, "I enjoy juxtaposing, or intersecting different media in my collages.  For this piece, I used watercolors of Paris in the background, overlaid with fashion sewing pattern pieces to soften the edges. The figures are composed from women in magazine advertisements from the 1950s and watercolors of exotic, hot house flowers from the 1700s.  I titled this Haute House Couture as a playful nod to the haute couture found in Paris and the flowers which clothe the figures."

Sketched and Stitched 2 (2024) by Jen Tarchin. 

 Jen Tarchin says, "My goal is to create a dialogue between myself and the fabric, color, and texture."  This intriguing piece was made with ice dye on linen and cotton.  The top was hand sewn with applique, and hand embellished with custom dyed embroidery floss, creating movement from the curved and intersecting lines.

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the Brigham City Museum in August, 2024.

Intersections: A Utah Surface Design Group Showcase (2)

Surface Design encompasses the coloring, patterning, and structuring of fiber and fabric. This involves processes such as dyeing, painting, printing, stitching, embellishing, quilting, weaving, knitting, felting, and papermaking. The Utah Surface Design Group is a group of artists dedicated to this genre. Here are some highlights of their 2024 exhibit — titled Intersections — at the Brigham City Museum.

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt materials, collectible items, and jewelry! We also invite you to follow us on Twitter ! 

Stag Quilt (2023) by Quincy Davenport, quilted by Jami Herndon

Stag Quilt was inspired by a love of kaleidoscopes, quilting, and the challenge of using fabric panels innovatively.  Quincy Davenport says, "By stacking and cutting six stag panels into vertical strips, then further dividing them into sets of equilateral triangles, a transformative process unfolds... The resulting hexagons, the kaleidoscopic windows, encircle the original panel, offering a glimpse into a world of vibrant symmetry and intricate design." 

The piece was created with cotton fabric panels from the Whispering Pines collection by Northcott Fabrics.  The One Block Wonder technique used 6 panels to create hexagons which are arranged around one of the panels.  The closeup photo below shows the intriguing kaleidoscope patterns.

Black Vase (2020) by Susan Reese.

Black Vase is wonderful still life bouquet, made with collage and commercial fabrics, which were machine stitched and appliqued. Susan Reese says, "In our vegetable garden we have a section for flowers - a cutting garden. My husband makes beautiful bouquets (his art) that fill our home all summer.  So once again, it's an intersection of nature and fiber and family. I find that I'm inspired to express my work series."

The Mother Tree: Keeper of Wisdom (2023) by Jane De Groff.

The Mother Tree is a beautiful piece created with shibori on cotton, dyed with juniper, curly dock seeds, and indigo. Shibori is an ancient, shaped resist, dyeing technique that involves manipulating cloth by stitching, folding, binding, and compressing it before dyeing. Quilting and applique were also used.

Jane De Groff says, "This piece represents a tree but is also symbolic of the divine feminine, who connects us deeply to the earth... Using my hands, the tactile and magical nature of shibori, and harvesting plants for dyes, all help create a stronger intersection between earth and heaven." 

Ancient Connection (2024) by Polly Masaryk.

Here is a fascinating piece made with reclaimed cotton dish cloths and the artist's daughter's baby diapers. Raw edges, embroidered patches, and frayed edges add to the visual interest. The full title of the piece is Ancient Connection: Mother's Blood and Children's Tears, Children's Blood and Mother's Tears.  The artist's description begins with a poem by Herman Hesse, including this phrase: 'This is our way of listening to it, the huge serene heart, and it is the heart of the mother whose children we are." 

Polly Masaryk says, "The act of patching, stitching, and mending my old dish towels and my daughters diapers is my way of listening to it."  

A large embroidered outline of a human heart is in the center, shown above. In addition to the reclaimed clothing and cotton dish towels, this piece used cotton embroidery floss and cotton batting. The materials were cut, pieced, patched, layered, mended, and stitched.

Paper Quilt (2020) by Judy Elsley.

This alternative quilt is composed of 25 individual collaged pieces. As Judy Elsley says, "The piece invites the viewer to ask such questions as: What constitutes a quilt? Is a quilt always made from fabric?  Can we make quilts without sewing?"

Judy Elsley used fabric paints, stamps and stencils to create works on paper. Each piece of geli-printed paper was created with stencils and wood blocks, using fabric prints on paper.  The papers were then cut up and collaged onto canvas frames. 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the Brigham City Museum (Brigham City, Utah).