Best Hand Workmanship Award at AQS QuiltWeek Branson 2025, Make Hand Stitched Word Stories with Beth Cunningham, It's a Panel Palooza with Cyndi McChesney, Memory Match Game, A Puzzle That Dances with the Stars

Welcome to Wednesday - April 23, 2025

Featured Quilt - Best Hand Workmanship Award at AQS QuiltWeek Branson 2025

Wild Rose by Noriko Kido won the Best Hand Workmanship Award at AQS QuiltWeek - Branson 2025. In addition to being celebrated for its handwork, Noriko's quilt was also awarded for its use of appliqué, as it took home Second Place in the Appliqué category (Sponsored by The Quilt Show) at the 2023 Houston International Quilt Festival.

Noriko created her own design using aspects from several others to arrive at the one featured in her quilt. She says, "I like the traditional flower appliqué pattern. I made my own original flower pattern and unfolded it into a large quilt. The small triangles are remnants of the Feathered Star that I tried to combine at the beginning. The composition became complicated, and I had a hard time sewing it together."

See The Quilt

Make Hand Stitched Word Stories with Beth Cunningham

Let Your Quilting Say What You Can't

Beth Cunningham demonstrates how to create an emotional narrative on a mini dress using hand-embroidered words in our brand new show. After selecting the words and writing them out on graph paper, she transfers them onto the fabric.

Her favorite stitch for lettering is the reverse blanket stitch, typically done with just one or two strands of thread to create a delicate effect. She also shares helpful tips for using other vintage pieces as backgrounds—such as how to avoid shadowing and ensure the background and dress don’t blend together.

Learn from Beth, and Michelle Freedman, by watching Embroidery Stitches to Create Bugs and Words on Quilts with Beth Cunningham | Juna Star Quilt with Michelle Freedman.

Watch The Show

It's a Panel Palooza

Panels, Puppies, Pisa... and a FREE SHOW TOO!

Alex and Ricky are off to Paducah, so we thought while they were gone we'd have a Panel Palooza featuring Cyndi McChesney (and of course we had to feature a picture of a panel with a puppy in Pisa).

Never sure what to do with those cute little fabric panels? How to cut them up? How to put them into a quilt? Well, Cyndi McChesney will show you the way in How to Work with Fabric Panels with Cyndi McChesney | How to Make Dolls with Stacy Iest Hsu. This show is FREE and open to all.

Watch The FREE Show

Take a Class from Cyndi McChesney

Want You or Your Guild to Have a Class with Cyndi?

Cyndi has a number of classes available both in-person and Zoom including:

Panel Palooza
Row by Row Using Panels
Montage Art Quilts using Panels
Sew a Panel Quilt with Me

and more...

Click through to find out more about Cyndi's many wonderful classes and how you can sign up for one, two, or all of them!

Learn More About Cyndi's Classes

Want to Pick a Panel?

Look at These Beauties

Panels offer a great way to whip up a fast quilt, and you can do SO much with them.

Watch How to Work with Fabric Panels with Cyndi McChesney | How to Make Dolls with Stacy Iest Hsu to see how easy it is.

Shop For Panels

Watch Cyndi's Show

Jinny Beyer's Memory Match Game

Jinny Beyer's Memory Match Game is here to get you through the week! What does Jinny have up her sleeve? Play the game and find out about some new quilt blocks.

Play The Game

The Quilt Show Puzzle: Dancing with the "Stars"

"Star Dance" by Jill Finley

Star Dance is a fresh and pretty quilt from Jill Finley that measures 56" x 56". She says, "This quilt is a perfect size to use as a topper for a bed or table, or as a bold wall hanging. Charming pieced stars made from many colorful fabrics dance across a crisp white background. The appliquéd border showcases star flowers on vines, making this a stunning quilt."

See more of Jill's quilts in How to Do Applique Stems and Leaves and How to Make a Border with Jill Finley.