Monday, March 2, 2026

QuiltCon Recap Part 1 - My Quilts


QuiltCon returned to Raleigh this year. I was able to attend all 4 days of the show plus I volunteered to hang the show, worked registration on Wednesday and then helped package up and mail all the quilts.

Was I exhausted by the end? Most certainly! But the week long event was so much fun, it was quite worth it!

As I have in past years, I am going to spread my thoughts about QuiltCon over a series of blog posts - this is the first in the series.


Play Time! hung in the Group and Bee category. I so enjoyed watching people react to the stick figures all over the quilt.

The prompt for my bee mates was Balance. I asked everyone to give color and shape to everything they were dealing with on a daily basis. A common theme was finding enough time to create and play. As the blocks came together, they took the shape of a giant playground structure. There are 37 stick figures scattered around the play structure. How many can you find? (Be warned, one guy blends right into the background.)
I was able to grab a photo with 8 of the 10 friends who contributed to the quilt. Such a wonderful group of people!


Standing: Emily @emilylangquilts, Ellyn @ellynz, Me! @elmstreetquilts, E.A. @eacox24, Elizabeth @elizabethkray and Charles @feltlikesweets
Kneeling: Chris @scarf.mama, Isabell @southbaybella, and Jenn @jenngeorgeburt
Not pictured: Sarah @sarahgoerquilts and Sara @bysarahruiz



Lavender Marmalade hung in the Diamonds Quilting Challenge category. Of particular excitement for me is that the quilt and pattern was featured in QuiltCon magazine!
While making this quilt, I kept (softly) singing the first verse and chorus of the Beatles song 'Diamonds in the Sky'. The line "tangerine trees and marmalade skies" inspired the quilt name. Creatively, the biggest challenge was using my walking foot to create the detailed quilting while trying not to focus on the overwhelming task of burying over 1,000 threads!
In addition to the walking foot quilting, I added some hand quilting.



I feel both honored and fortunate to have 2 quilts juried into the show.

Back soon with my next recap - the show quilts!

Have a wonderful day! Patty

Monday, February 16, 2026

Introducing Play Time!


I am thrilled to share that my quilt Play Time will be on display at QuiltCon in just a few days.

Early last year, I was invited to join the @unscriptedquiltsbee . My month was June and my prompt for my bee mates was Balance. I asked everyone to give color and shape to everything they were dealing with on a daily basis. Bee members were sent a color palette and a FQ of Painter's Palette Blackberry for the background. You can see all the blocks below - aren't they fun?


Top Row: @emilylangquilts, @sarahgoerquilts and @southbaybella
Middle Row:  @ellynz, @bysarahruiz, @elizabethkray,, and @jenngeorgeburt
Bottom Row: @scarf.mama ,@feltlikesweets, and @eacox24 

As I shuffled the blocks around to figure out the final design, the result resembled a giant playground structure which fit nicely with a common theme that balance was needed to find enough time to create and play.

The background was quilted in a cross-hatch grid and then all the balanced shapes were quilted differently in coordinating colors. (Quilting was done on my domestic machine. I did use a fusible batting for the first time with great results and will do so again. )

As I was quilting it, the idea to add stick figures enjoying the playground was born! There are 37 stick figures scattered around the play structure. If you've a chance to see the quilt in person at the show, let me know how many can you found? (Be warned, one guy blends right into the background!)



Have a wonderful day! Patty

Friday, January 30, 2026

Lavender Marmalade


I am thrilled to share that my quilt plus the pattern for Lavender Marmalade will be featured QuiltCon magazine! Physical copies of the magazine will be available at QuiltCon. Digital copies are available now! Grab yourself a copy and use the discount code QC2650% for 50% off!


Lavender Marmalade is a throw size quilt which finishes 50" x 50". I quilted it on my domestic machine - resulting in lots of threads needed to be buried. The quilt was created as part of QuiltCon's diamond challenge. 

I am honored to have my quilt accepted into the show and featured in the magazine!

Have a wonderful day! Patty