Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (3)

The 2025 Quilt Arizona show features hundreds of quilters, many of whom spend the winter months in this sunny locale.  Here are some highlights from the show.  We hope you enjoy our photos!

Note: Please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns, jewelry, and collectibles. You also can follow us on Twitter!

Here Kitty Kitty, made and quilted by Jo Willis

Jo Willis says, "I fell in love with this kit several years ago and purchased it at the Rusty Barn show in 2022.  I finally decided it was time to make this adorable kitty." The published design was Drum the Cat by Liam Brazier for Legit Kits.

Rosemary's English Garden, made and quilted by Penny Boese

Winner of 1st Place in the Pieced- Large Solo category, Penny Boese says: "I began this quilt a few years ago but only got serious about it this year. As I was making it, I thought of it as an English garden, thus my fabric color choices."  This quilt is distinguished by beautiful jewel tones and spectacular quilting. 

When my childhood and long time friend's mother, an avid gardener, died this year, I decided to name it in her honor.  Penny Boese based her quilt on the Star Upon Stars pattern by Edyta Sitar at Laundry Basket Quilts.

 SEW... My Needle Pulling Thread, made and quilted by Kate Glenn

Here is some gorgeous wool applique, embroidery, and machine quilting! Winner of 1st place in the Applique - Solo category, and a special award for Exemplary Non Professional Machine Quilting, Kate Glenn says this is her first wool applique quilt. 

 Kate Glenn says, "I liked how the pattern used whimsical flowers and vines to decorate many of my favorite sewing things. That encouraged me to revisit the embroidery stitches that my mother taught me when I was a young girl and I used them to embellish the center blocks." The published design is called Thimble Blossoms by Buttermilk Basin.  

Dragonfly Dance by Elaine Mahaffey, quilted by Nancy Stein.

Whirling pieced flowers done in batiks give so much energy to this quilt! Elaine Mahaffey says, "This project was exciting as it combined paper piecing with a design that utilized scraps. The paper piecing was necessary in order to achieve all the matching angles coming together.  The lattice in the background gives a framework for the whimsical flowers in a random pattern."

Winner of a red ribbon (2nd Place) in this category, Dragonfly Dance was based on a published design in American Quilter by Marjorie Rhine.  Check out the fun dragonfly quilting as seen on the back of the quilt, below!

Desert Rose, made and quilted by June Batty 

This lovely paper pieced quilt, with its complementary pink and green colors, was based on a published design from Lakeview Quilting by Linda McGibbon.  June Batty says, "This originally came as a kit but the substituted colors made it look like a circus tent to me.  [It was] not at all like the designer intended, so I purchased batiks from three different quilt stores... I'm quite happy with the colors now and think they are truer to the designer's vision."

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

Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (2)

The 2025 Quilt Arizona show features hundreds of quilters, many of whom spend the winter months in this sunny locale.  Here are some highlights from the show.  We hope you enjoy our photos!

Note: Please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns, jewelry, and collectibles. You also can follow us on Twitter!

Girl with the Pearl Earring, made and quilted by Denise Farnworth. 

Winner of 1st Place in the Kit Quilt - Solo category, Denise Farnworth says: "I saw this beautiful quilt on Instagram @PrideandJoyquilting.  I have seen this painting in Holland in The Hague, Netherlands.  I have read the fictional book about her and when I saw this quilt, I knew I had to make it." Denise's use of straight-line quilting was the perfect choice for this modern quilt. (Note: More information on the Girl with a Pearl Earring design can be found at the Pride and Joy Quilting website.)

 My Comfort Zone, made and quilted by Darla Orndorff

 This was the only quilted clothing we saw at the show, and it really caught our eye! Winner of 1st place in her category, Darla Orndorff says: "I had an old chenille robe from Lands End.  When it wore out, I tore it apart and used it as a pattern to make another chenille robe.  when that one wore out, I used the pattern to make a quilted robe - mimicking the use of chenille."

Whimsical Mystery Quilt by Janet Strafalace, quilted by Matt Seamons  

 Winner of the Laurene Sinema Award* for Exemplary Workmanship, Janet Strafalace says: "My quilt is the result of having made several raw edged applique quilts. Having lots of fabric already backed with Steam-A-Seam2, and being a no-waste kind of gal, I decided to use it all, with some entertaining modifications. Fun project!" The project was based on the Mystery Quilt pattern by Yoko Saito. 

Many intricate details were created!  See if you can spot the colorful stained glass windows in the church; a dog and cat; and a street resembling cobblestones. (*Note:  Laurene Sinema (1929-2003) was the founder of the Arizona Quilters Guild; this special award honors her legacy.)

Butterflies in the Garden Trellis by Gail Witt, quilted by Jessica Jones

 

Butterflies in the Garden Trellis was awarded Best of Show - Team, and 1st Place - Mixed Technique Duet. Gail Witt says: The quilt center is an adaptation of a traditional Carpenter's Square design.  Butterflies were added to the quilt center to echo the butterfly border.  Fussy cut Kaffe flowers and leaves were appliqued to curvy vines swirling around the trellis center.  Jessica Jones' quilting adds beauty and creativity to the quilt."

 

Birds and Birds, and Birds in the Air by Darla Orndorff, quilted by Penny Boese 

 This is most intricately pieced quilt we saw at the show, and we were amazed by the precision needed to create this beauty. Darla Orndorff says, "The quilt was designed in the style of "British Frame Quilts." The traditional block called Birds in the Air was used to create new blocks.  Winner of a red ribbon (2nd place) in the Large Pieced Duet quilts category!

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

Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (1)

The 2025 Quilt Arizona show features hundreds of quilters, many of whom spend the winter months in this sunny locale.  Here are some highlights from the show.  We hope you enjoy our photos!

Note: Please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns, jewelry, and collectibles. You also can follow us on Twitter!

PIMA, made and quilted by Deb Deaton  

Winner of 1st Place in the Art-Innovative category, and Best of Show, Deb Deaton says: "When I create art, I think of how I can make it stand out, be different. PIMA took more than a year to complete with over 1000 pieces of fabric, needle felting, and mixed media (wow!)

Inspired by a copyright-free photo found on the Unsplash photography website; the image was altered significantly in creating this work of art. The painterly effects were created with silk threads, hand dyed fabrics, and mixed media including inks, pastels, & paints.  

 To Walk in Beauty by Jane McCabe, quilted by Rose Maynes

This incredible quilt won 1st Place in its category (Pieced - Large Duet), and a special award for Exemplary Machine Quilting - Computer Guided. Jane McCabe says: "To honor Arizona Native American art aesthetics, the center medallion pattern is "Hopi Basketry" by Southwest Decoratives. 

 Jane McCabe says that pieced borders of pineapple blocks, half-square triangles, and flying geese squares echo Navajo and Zuni rugs and pottery designs.  The quilting by Rose Maynes represents tribal design forms.

Faceted Jewels in Blue by Judy Locke, quilted by Penny Boese  

Winner of 1st Place in the Modern - Duet category, this brilliant quilt was based on a published design called Faceted Jewels from Paper Pieced Modern by Amy Garro.  

Judy Locke says, "I had seen this pattern in the Paper Pieced Modern book and wanted to make it when I found the right fabrics. A new collection called Ebb & Flow from Windham Fabrics was available in the summer of 2024.  The collection's geometric designs and solids work together well creating the faceted jewels."  It was machine quilted by Penny Boese, who echoed the geometric designs of the pieced blocks using blue thread to emphasize the "jewels". 

Go West by Naomi Marin, quilted by Matt Seamons  

 This fantastic Southwestern design quilt won 1st Place in the Pieced - Small Duet category. Naomi Marin says: "The indigenous designs of tribes across the world have always been interesting to me. They express a message or tell a story. In the pattern Go West (by Bonjour Quilts) I find the colors striking and the sharp points are perfectly placed for a stunning pattern."

 Wildflowers at the Cabin, made and quilted by Jo Ann Kilgroe  

We loved this original quilt with its pineapple blocks and colorful, appliqued flowers. Winner of 1st place in the Mixed Technique - Solo category, Jo Ann Kilgroe says, "Camping in the mountains and seeing all of the brilliant wildflowers is a favorite of mine." Here you can see sunflowers, poppies, and other mountain flowers that echo the primary colors in the pineapple blocks.

Jo Ann says, "Paper pieced scrappy pineapple blocks in numerous rich colors [were used] for my background.  Then I drew up an assortment of wildflowers, placed them on a vine, and then appliqued it all on my blocks." 

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

Note: This post has some affiliate links for products cited by these artists. Even if you don’t want to buy the items online, you could buy them at your local craft store. If you do make a purchase from one of these links, we’ll make a small commission. There is no additional cost to you.

Welcome to the Quilt Fiesta! (3)

We attended the 2025 Quilt Fiesta in Tucson, Arizona, and had a wonderful time.  This show is produced by the Tucson Quilters Guild, and there were so many beautiful quilts to admire. We hope you enjoy our photos of the show! Here is part 3.

Note: Please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns, jewelry, and collectibles. You also can follow us on Twitter!

Retro Living, made and quilted by Tami Graeber

This fantastic, large art quilt was one of the top award winners at the show.  The original design was awarded 1st Place - Viewers Choice, Judge's Choice, and 1st Place - Art Whimsy.  Tami Graeber says, "I grew up in the 50's - sat in front of a TV like this.  The good old days! [It was] fun creating the mid-century modern iconic images." Check out the retro wallpaper, a pole lamp (on the right), stylized cats, a French poodle, and even a martini glass on the arm of the sofa. 

The black poodle has a daisy collar and a real bow in her hair. She sits next to a modern potted plant.

Tami says, "I wanted to use "I Love Lucy" on the TV, but copyrights made me use the NBC peacock that was first used in color in 1957."

Summer's Night and Day by Caroline Ellermann, quilted by Glenda Davis

Multiple borders surround this fabulous medallion quilt with its lollipop flowers, houses, Dresden plates, hearts, and more beautiful elements. Caroline Ellermann says, "After seeing this Sarah Fielke pattern made by one of our accomplished guide quilters, I decided to make it. With all of the machine applique, it was a very big challenge.  However, I now have new skills." Pattern source: Sarah Fielke with adaption.

The Blue Door, made and quilted by Lisa Fryxell

Lisa Fryxell is known for her original paper pieced quilt designs.  She says, "This quilt is based on a photo I took in France in June 2024.  It is foundation paper pieced and quilted on my domestic machine."

Psychedelic Carpenter Square, made and quilted by Penny Boese 

A stunning color combination with its an ombre effects truly light up this modern quilt.  It is made with numerous brightly colored batiks. Penny Boese says that her design was inspired by a traditional pattern and Carpenter Square pattern.  The detailed machine quilting adds considerable interest to the design.

 Firewall by Carol W. Carpenter, quilted by Kris Neifeld  

A wonderful stained glass effect is achieved with this design, thanks to the vertical black borders and bright geometric fabrics. The pattern Source is Free Spirit Fabrics' "Play Quilt" by Adrienne Leban (this is a free download).  Carol Carpenter says, "I'm unsure why these wild, swirly fabrics from Adrienne Leban captivated me, but they certainly did. I had a great time under the tutelage of Susie Weaver, making sense of diverse directions, shapes and colors with a cohesive, beautiful result."

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

Modern Quilt Month: Bento Blast

It's Modern Quilt Month here at Quilt Inspiration! We'll be posting a new modern quilt each weekday... we hope you enjoy our photos! Today's fun quilt is a "Bento Box" design.

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.

Bento Blast by Nicole Wegleitner, quilted by Penny Boese

Bento Blast was based on a Nine Patch Bento Box quilt pattern by Janet Wickell. Nicole Wegleitner says, "In 2020, I was inspired by my best friend's mother, and decided to take up a quilting hobby. This is the first quilt I ever made and it took roughly 6 months from start to finish." The greens and blues make a lovely complement against the bright white and gray squares.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2023 Quilt Fiesta (Tucson, Arizona).