HIghlights of Quilt Arizona! (1)

The annual Quilt Arizona show is a highlight of spring!  Here are some highlights of this year's show (part one of 4)!

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Zerschmettert (1), made and quilted by Victoria Nelson  

Winner of the Exemplary Hand Quilting award, and 1st Place in the Art - Abstract category, Victoria Nelson says: "I started Zerschmettert (Shattered) in a workshop with Maria Shell. "Working from my own photo, I created a simplified composition, drafted shapes for the major areas and improvisationally pieced each area of the quilt.  Largely hand quilted after machine stitching to stabilize the main sections."

 

Pedal Power and Petal Pushers, made and quilted by Patricia Charity 

Winner of Best of Show - Solo and 1st Place in the Pictorial-Medium category, this art quilt was inspired by Patricia Charity's photo of a quiet street in Syracuse, Sicily. This quilt captures the charm of everyday life - the ever-present Italian bicycle leaning against a stone wall, backpacks, and sunlit textures. She layered fabrics to evoke the time-worn beauty and warmth of Mediterranean light and color.

 

 

Color Wheel Cha Cha by Kathi Shunn, quilted by B'nae Pulve.  

 

 

This stunning English paper pieced quilt is based on the Dresden Dance Party pattern by Sami Casanova for Darty Kite Pattern Co. Kathi Shunn says, "While creating a version of my company's Dresden Dance Party pattern, I was inspired to explore the color wheel. I love playing with color, fussy cutting, and whimsical motifs, using saturated hues and circular movement to celebrate color theory through rhythm, repetition, and joy." Winner of a 3rd Place ribbon in its category (Pieced - Duet - Medium). 

 

 

Tucker, made and quilted by Leilani Purvis   

 

Such a clever quilt! Winner of 1st Place in the Pictorial - Small category, and Award of Merit from the NACQJ,  Leilani Purvis based this original quilt on a photo of her grandpuppy, Tucker. "He has brightened our family for eight years. The gear-patterned background honors our maintain-biking daughter.  This quilt is a tribute to his love, energy, and companionship."  Leafy fabric was used to represent Tucker's furry ears.

 

 

Here's the original photo that inspired this wonderful quilt:

 

  

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

 

 

Highlights of the 2026 Quilt Fiesta! (4)

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 4 of 5.

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Cactus Trio, made and quilted by Barbara Lambrecht.  

This still life of cacti in pots is beautifully done. Winner of a 2nd place ribbon in the Art- Realistic category, Barbara Lambrecht says: "Two cacti from the class with Jane Haworth needed a companion.  I designed the barrel cactus to accompany the others. I used eyelash yarn for the spines and fused flowers for the blossoms."  

The Color of Music, made and quilted by Stephanie Nordlin

Winner of a ribbon for 3rd place in the Art - Realistic category, Stephanie Nordlin says, "My granddaugher recorded herself playing keyboard and guitar.  Her jacket [in the quilt] is made from leftover fabric from a shirt I made her 16 years ago.  Her face is made from layers of dyed silk."

Blossoms, made and quilted by Barbara Lambrecht

 Oh my... This gorgeous floral quilt is hand quilted; scroll down for closeup photos. Winner of the Exemplary Hand Quilting award, plus a red ribbon (2nd place) in the One Person Primarily Applique category. 

The blocks are original designs by Barbara Lambrecht, plus one from the book, East Quilts West by Kumiko Sudo.  Barbara Lambrecht says, "I designed these blossoms and finally found a setting design that was public domain.  This quilt is the first of two I made." We hope you can see the tiny hand quilting stitches in the background in these photos...

Sonoran Star Burst by Saddlebrooke Quilters entered by Tami Graeber; quilted by Athena Taylor.  

Winner of a ribbon for 2nd place in the Group Quilt category, this is the Saddlebrooke Quilters' 2026 Raffle Quilt. A chocolate background was chosen to make the desert color palette pop! The scallop border was added to soften the sharp lines. The quilt included two patterns designed by Linda McGibbons: Canyon Twilight & Luminary.

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.

Handmade Quilts from Japan (2)

Quilts that are entirely handmade are rare these days. We marvel at the technical excellence, precision, and patience it must have taken to create these works of art! All were made in Japan by groups of friends, turning hard work into companionship and fun.

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Quilt Village by Kimi Sakamaki with five friends (Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan).  

Quilts are hanging everywhere in this tiny village! Made entirely by hand piecing, hand applique, and hand quilting, it was designed by Kathy Nakajima. Teensy quilts even hang on the clothsline, shown below:

 Regarding the quilt's name, the makers say: "If there is a village where people who love quilts live, we would name it Quilt Village. What kind of scenery would that village have? We created this work while talking about these thoughts."

 

Olive Groves in Italy by Sachiko Miyagawa with 12 friends (Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan)

Made entirely with hand piecing, hand applique, and hand quilting, this quilt too was designed by Kathy Nakajima. The pieced pattern is known as Burgoyne Surrounded, which has a long tradition in American history dating back centuries, uses tiny squares to create a pixelated effects. 

The extensive applique work softens the geometric pattern. Olive Groves in Italy was made by friends who have been growing together for a long time, with olives that bring happiness.

Spring Milky Way by Mutsuko Shindo with 6 friends (Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan) 

The Winding Ways quilt pattern is beautifully overlaid with applique. The star of the show is the appliqued mimosa which sways in the gentle breeze of a spring day.  For the base, we used pieced work with beautifully coordinated colors.  The quilting was carefully hand-stitched to express the softness of the entire piece. We enjoyed the hand quilting (and fun fabrics) which you can see in this closeup photo:

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.

 

Handmade Quilts from Japan

Quilts that are entirely handmade are so rare these days. As you can see, Japanese quilters excel at hand applique, piecing, and quilting!  We marvel at the technical excellence, precision, and patience it must have taken to create these works of art.

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

Peacock by Naomi Ootomo (Toda-shi, Saitama, Japan)

Notice the gorgeous colors, the appliqued peacock feathers in the upper and lower borders of this quilt, and the pieced blocks resembling tail feathers! Hand piecing, applique, and quilting, and trapunto were used to create this original design.  

Naomi Ootomo says, "I can't forget the beauty of a peacock feather I saw at my grandfather's house as a child.  I loved the color of the peacock's feathers. This quilt was created with the image of a peacock spreading its wings.  The quilting designs were also created with the image of its feathers.  While I was making this quilt, beautiful colored fabrics made me happy." 

In the Quiet Forest by Setsuko Sofue and 6 friends (Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan)

 Such a calming effect is achieved by the soft colors and the echo quilting of In the Quiet Forest. This beautiful piece is entirely hand appliqued and hand quilted over an ombre background.

The design, by Kathy Nakajima, was carried out by Setsuko Sofue with 6 friends.  The quilt was inspired by a plumeria tree growing wild in the forest, with the petals quietly drifting away. 

The Shimmering Blue Rose by Yachiyo Katsuno (Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan)

This original design quilt also was made entirely by hand (!) including the piecing, applique, and quilting.  Yachiyo says, "It has been over 20 years since I created the piece titled Sunshine Rose Garden. I spent about three years re-creating a quilt inspired by that original image, and now it is finally complete."  Imagine hand piecing all those spiky points!

 The shades of blue in the patchwork and the colors of the appliqued roses harmonize beautifully, just as she had envisioned.  "I would be so happy if many people could see and enjoy this work."  YES, Yachiyo: We and thousands of others admired your stunning work of art.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.

 

Ukrainian Quilters Association: The Cossak Mamai Quilt

The biggest group quilt in the history of Ukrainian patchwork was made by 47 quilters from the Ukrainian Quilters Group.  Based on a painting by artist Orest Skop, this collaborative work celebrates Cossak Mamai, a figure who has long represented the unbreakable spirit of the Ukrainian people. Cossak Mamai is not just a historical or folkloric figure but a symbol of the resilience of the Ukrainian people. 

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Cossak Mamai Quilt, The Ukrainian Quilters Association, curated by Mariia Nelha (Krakow, Malopolska, Poland)

The quilt consists of 65 segments, sewn by Ukrainian quilters settled in different cities and countries as refugees. A team from the Ukrainian Quilters Association made a textile reproduction of the painting by Orest Skop and converted it into a huge quilt that could be made in segments. A symbol of strength, resilience, and peace, this collaborative work unites quilters from across Ukraine and beyond, some near the frontline. 

The segments were made with hand applique, embellishment, embroidery, painting, dying, piecing, and quilting; machine applique, embellishment, embroidery, piecing, and quilting; and photo transfer.  The finished quilt is captivating in its details and impact.

Some of the hand quilting stitches can be seen in this closeup photo.

 Here is more of the stunning imagery from the quilt:

 

 

 

 

The quilters explain: "As our work represents Ukraine to the world, we are keenly aware of the weight of our responsibility.  In our creative process, pursuit of knowledge, and communicating our collective wisdom, Ukraine resides deeply within our hearts."

 

Photos of each of the quilters, and the segments for which they were responsible, are shown in this photo montage. In the upper left is Natalia Lashko, who coordinated this massive project.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.

Modern Quilt Month: Minimalist Design! (2)

Minimalism refers to a design approach that emphasizes simplicity, clean lines, and a restrained aesthetic. Within the Modern Quilt Guild, it has its own category for shows! We're honoring modern quilts for the month of July, starting with minimalist designs.

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Klee for a Day, 37" square, by Karen Duling (Michigan) @karenbduling

Paul Klee's inspiring work "Fire in the Evening" influenced the use of color and line in this quilt.  Karen Duling explains, "My version started by sewing together a long-held collection of medium and dark value strips.  Strips were arranged using lessons learned by studying Klee's work.  Textile artist Rosalie Dace opened my eyes to Klee's work in her virtual class "The Thinking Eye." Klee for a Day is machine quilted in a grid using silk thread, adding subtle texture to the minimalist design.

Off Kilter by Margo Yang (California) @Quiltmagic

  

This quilt with its creative use of reclaimed materials and its minimalist design conveys a heartfelt message: "Distractions in life happen, They can throw your world into chaos. That's when you hold on to things that anchor you, be it faith in God, family, and friends. These distractions will be but a short while and then life goes on and everything will be okay at the end. This quilt is made of old denim, garment top and painter's drop cloth as background. It reminds me that life is not perfect but beautiful." For more about Off Kilter see this post by Margo Yang.

 

Extreme Dopamine by Jenn Burt (North Carolina) @jenngeorgeburt  

Dopamine is a chemical messenger that works in the brain and is associated with pleasurable reward and motivation. This quilt is titled "Extreme Dopamine" because of the way the artist felt about creating this piece: "It was joy-inducing from the design process to the color scheme selection, to the embracing of a newly-found love of piecing inset organic shapes, to the time devoted to hand quilting." 

We found our eyes moving from the subtle curves and contrasts in the background, to the intense colors and quilting within the circles, shown below.

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