The Works of Tara Faughnan (1)

Tara Faughnan was the featured artist at the 2025 QuiltCon show, presented by the Modern Quilt Guild. Tara is a quilter, teacher and pattern designer who began quilting in 2001. For many years she worked for Michael Miller Fabrics, Pottery Barn Kids and Riley Blake creating textile designs. It was fascinating to see her work in person! We hope you enjoy these photos.

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

Double Wedding Ring (2014-15), 78" square, by Tara Faughnan

This quilt was made entirely from scraps including cottons, linen blends, poly blends. It was pieced and quilted by hand. Tara Faughnan says, "I was inspired by a pair of amazing double wedding ring quilts by an unknown maker, in the collections of Bill Volckening and Roderick Kiracofe.  I wanted to hand piece this quilt as an homage to this woman, and in the process I fell in love with hand sewing, and the life that all the little imperfections bring to this quilt."  

Tara continues, "To say the making of this quilt transformed my practice is an understatement - I learned new ways to look at colors, and began my hand sewing and quilting journey here."

Bars (2015), 63" x 70", by Tara Faughnan

Simple in principle, but it's the choices and arrangment of colors and values that make this quilt so interesting.  Tara says, "My focus with this quilt was to play with the interaction of colors within a structured grid.  I was curious how shape and proportion informs color interaction."  Bars was machine pieced, hand and machine quilted. The hand quilting stitches add subtle interest to the composition.

Big Log Cabin 2 (2024), 66" square, by Tara Faughnan

 

Tara says, "This quilt is a dive into imbalance and color relationships.  I love to create quilts that keep the eye roving, trying and failing to find a pattern to follow.  The wonderful thing about log cabin quilts is there is a never-ending number of variations to play with!  Big Log Cabin 2 was machine pieced and hand quilted.

Here's the full description of the exhibit at the show.

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

Wedding Stars: A Smaller Scale

Small quilts are a growing trend!  Here are two Wedding Star quilts made with only 4 interlocking "rings". What a great way to try out this technique without making a huge quilt! These were designed to be used as table toppers. We love the use of colorful batiks in this design!

Note: Please check out our eBay shop for great bargains on jewelry, patterns, and collectibles !  

Wedding Star table topper, made and quilted by Jane Smith

  Jane Smith says, "I have always loved wedding ring quilts as my paternal grandmother made them. This was a fun opportunity to take a class with Rosie Lysinger and make a wedding star for my table.  I also love batiks and the color purple."  Pattern source: Quiltworx.

 Wedding Star, made and quilted by Mary Anne Strauss.  

 Mary Anne Strauss says, "I started this quilt in a class and finished it much later.  This is the first time I've made a Judy Niemeyer pattern and found it very daunting at first.  I'm glad I persevered as I do like the finished table topper." Pattern source: Quiltworx.

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

Wedding Stars

The Double Wedding Ring is the most popular pattern in the history of quilting, and the addition of stars takes the design to a new level. Here is a gorgeous Wedding Star quilt in blues and white with a flying geese border!

Note: Please check out our eBay shop for great bargains on jewelry, patterns, and collectibles !

Blue Bayou by JoAnn Hinchliffe, quilted by Valeria Greenwell.  

 We love the gorgeous blue and white contrasts and ombre effects of the piecing in this wedding ring quilt! JoAnn Hinchliffe says, "I started this quilt in a class a long time ago.  I picked it up again years later and finished it, only to be very hesitant about how to quilt it. I finally realized my freehand quilting would not do it justice, so I asked Valeria Greenwell to quilt it for me (Valee G/Quilt Artistry). She did an amazing job. 

  JoAnn says: "As I was sewing on the binding, Linda Ronstadts' "Blue Bayou" came on the radio... and my quilt had its name!" Pattern source: Judy Niemeyer's Bali Wedding Star. 

Note: Photos of Blue Bayou were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Tucson Quilters Guild show.  If you enjoyed this post, you might also like our Free Pattern Day for Wedding Ring Quilts (CLICK HERE) and our Free Pattern Day for Blue and White Quilts (CLICK HERE!)

 

Double Wedding Ring quilts: Metro Rings!

The Double Wedding Ring is the most popular pattern in the history of quilting. Here are two beautiful examples. These quilters show that it's never too late to make a wedding ring quilt... these were made to celebrate decades-long anniversaries! 

Note: Please check out our eBay shop for great bargains on patterns, jewelry, and collectibles ! 

40th Wedding Anniversary Quilt, made and quilted by Jana Knutson (Tucson). 

 Jana Knutson says, "I've wanted to make a wedding ring qult for many years! Finally, for my 40th wedding anniversary, I did it.  It was not as hard as I thought it would be using this pattern and curved rulers."  It must have been fun to choose the pretty batiks for this design. Pattern:  Metro Rings by Sew Kind of Wonderful.  

Double Wedding Ring, made and quilted by Sheila Arnold.  

 Winner of 1st place in its category at the recent Arizona Quilters Guild show, Sheila Arnold says: "I finished this quilt for our 60th wedding anniversary celebration in June, 2024. I used the Quick Curve ruler for the pathwork, quilted the motifs (computer guided) on my embroidery machine (Anita Goodesign) and free-motion stippled the remaining spaces on my home sewing machine."

We love Sheila Arnold's sunflower quilting design in the centers of the rings. Pattern source: Metro Rings by Sew Kind of Wonderful.

p.s.  If you enjoyed this post, you might be interested in our Free Pattern Day for Wedding Ring quilts (CLICK HERE)!

 Image credits: The original quilt photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Tucson Quilters Guild show (4oth Wedding Anniversary by Jana Knutson) and the 2025 Arizona Quilters Guild show (Double Wedding Ring by Sheila Arnold).

Free pattern day! Wedding Ring quilts

The Double Wedding Ring is the most popular pattern in the history of quilting. Here are some inspiring free patterns!  To go to a pattern: Scroll down the page until you see the quilt you like, then click on the words "CLICK for PDF download" (or the hyperlinked website name) in the title above the quilt.

Note: Please check out our eBay shop for great bargains on patterns, jewelry, and collectibles ! 

Beach Day baby quilt, ~33 x 43", free pattern at Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Forever Yours quilt, ~53 x 70", free pattern at Tilda's World (CLICK for PDF download)

Forever Yours pillows, free pattern at Tilda's World (CLICK for PDF download)

Jot Dot quilt, 72 x 84", free pattern by Denise Russell for Blank Quilting (CLICK for PDF download)

Lovey Dovey quilt, 52 x 52", free pattern by Marsha Evans Moore for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Viennese Waltz quilt, 85" square, free pattern by Natalie Crabtree for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Blue Jean Baby quilt, 48 x 48", free pattern at Robert Kaufman (CLICK for PDF download)

To Have and to Hold, free pattern designed by Kathryn Smith for McCall's Quilting (CLICK for PDF download)

A Graceful Wedding, 70 x 83”, free pattern by Shelley Pagliai for Quilt Alliance (CLICK for PDF download)

Modern Love quilt, 43 x 43”, free pattern by Victoria Findlay Wolfe for Quilt Alliance (CLICK for PDF download) 

Garden Rings quilt, 84 x 96", free pattern at Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Double Wedding Ring Quilt, ~54 x 54", free pattern by Marsha Evans Moore for Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK or PDF download)

Double Wedding Ring quilt, 61 x 75", free pattern by Debby Kratovil for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) (designed for fusible applique)

Double Wedding Ring quilt, 54 x 70", free pattern by Kathy Hall for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Flea Market Fancy quilt, 97 x 106", free pattern by Lucy A. Fazely for Free Spirit Fabric (CLICK for PDF download)

Ophelia Wedding Ring quilt, 84" square, free pattern by Konda Luckau for Timeless Treasures (CLICK For PDF download)

Farah Flowers quilt, 60" square, free pattern by Debby Kratovil for P&B Textiles (CLICK for PDF download)

Three Ring table runner, ~21 x 42", English paper pieced, free pattern at Connecting Threads (CLICK for PDF download)

Dill Pickles quilt, 60 x 72", free pattern by Christine Stainbrook for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Bright Pickle Dish wall hanging, ~48" square, free pattern at All People Quilt (CLICK for PDF download)

Pickle Dish quilt, 60 x 60", free pattern by Michael Michalski for Fons and Porter (CLICK for PDF download)

Image credits: Note: this post was updated on February 17, 2025. All images are copyrighted by their owners. Please respect their generosity in sharing their free patterns, and the restrictions they have placed on the use of these designs. Complete information can be found at the designers' websites provided in the links.  Some of these are tutorials while others include downloadable (.pdf) patterns; we have tried to note which is which in the titles. If any link is broken, we'd love to know so we can fix it; email us at quiltinspiration {at} gmail {dot} com.

Quilt Fiesta! Highlights of the Show (finale)

Here are more favorites from the Quilt Fiesta, the annual Tucson (Arizona) Quilters Guild show, including awrd winners. We hope you have enjoyed the photos!

p.s. Please see our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns and vintage collectibles. For continuous free quilt patterns and blog updates, please visit us on Twitter.

Four Ladies by Diana Strzok

Primarily appliqued and machine quilted, this piece was made and quilted by Diana Strzok.  It was inspired by a Monica Stewart Unity print.  Diana Strzok says, "A Monica Stewart unity print has hung over my fireplace for years, when my partner suggested that I use the design to create a quilted wall hanging." These dancing ladies even have earrings as embellishments.  The freeform quilting designs enhance the sense of movement within this quilt.

Joanna Canada's Last Gift entered by Catherine Mombourquette; top made by Joanna Stephenson, quilted by Joanna Stephenson, Sara Rumbaugh, Joyce Kaiser, & Ruth Martin

Joanna Stephenson, long-time Tucson Quilters Guild member and past Best of Show winner, nursing instructor, private pilot and Canadian wilderness homesteader, was a member of the Piecepatchers Bee.  After her passing, this original design quilt was bequeathed to the Bee to finish for Quilt for a Cause. 

The themes include flowers and birds, including a hummingbird and cardinal. The appliqued blocks and borders are beautifully hand appliqued and hand quilted.

 Perennial Favorites by Gloria Magee, quilted by Carolyn (Nubin) Minerd & Brenda Smitley

We enjoyed this beautifully appliqued quilt which highlights sashiko embroidery. The use of white thread on the black background really stands out! Gloria Magee says, "This pattern [Perennial Favorites by Sylvia Pippen] was supposed to have been done with wool appliqued flowers, but I felt the wool was too heavy for the black fabric so I chose batiks.  I found sashiko to be very addictive but fun!"

Circa 2024 Double Wedding Ring by Stephanie Nordlin, quilted by Athena Taylor

Here is a stunning double wedding ring quilt with great fabrics and some lovely quilting [by Athena Taylor]!  Stephanie Nordlin says, "Papers purchased for a three ring tablerunner and eight fat quarters grew on me! I wanted an updated version of my grandmother's quilt circa 1933.  [The] Hand pieced rings are machine appliqued to background."

The Goldie Richmond Project / Goldie's Rodeo by Kay Walen, quilted by Whisper Stitch Studio

Here is a fantastic sampler quilt with 25 appliqued blocks featuring rodeo and Southwest themes.  Kay Walen says, "This quilt is a combination of the Goldie Richmond Project and Goldie's Rodeo patterns with an original layout.  I chose this pattern to challenge my needle turn hand applique and embellishment skills."

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2024 Tucson Quilters Guild show.