QuiltCon 2025
QuiltCon is the largest modern quilt show in the world and is produced by the Modern Quilt Guild. QuiltCon 2025 took place in Phoenix, AZ, and I’d love to share my observations about the show with you.
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QuiltCon is arguably my favorite quilty weekend of the year, and it’s always fun to take a bit of time to share my observations of the show with y’all. Please keep in mind that this blog is in no way definitive or even complete in its review of the show: it’s what I observed and pondered during the time I had to walk the show and enjoy all the gorgeous quilts.
If you’re not familiar, QuiltCon is a production of the Modern Quilt Guild, and it is the largest modern quilt show in the world. It is hosted at the end of February, but it moves around. Recent host cities have included Phoenix, Raleigh, Atlanta, Austin, and others. The show itself is a stunning collection of quilts, and it’s always a treat to witness the themes and evolutions in modern quilting year over year. Modern quilts often have a bold use of color, creative use of negative space, and/ or a fresh take on a traditional block, shape, or technique. This year’s show was a stunner!
Best In Show
The 2025 Best in Show winner was Veruschka Zarate (@prideandjoyquilting) for her quilt, Dignity. Veruschka is known for her use of gorgeous colors and amazing foundation paper piecing design skills. Dignity is a quilted representation of a massive statue in South Dakota of the same name and designed by DC Lamphere.
As always, Veruschka’s work was stunning. The quilt was double sided, a extra special homage to the statue that allows viewers to walk around and absorb the female subject and her lone star quilt from all angles. The choice of Dignity for Best in Show felt like a beautiful homage to the native peoples of the western United States.
Modern Traditionalism
For the fourth time, String & Story was proud to sponsor the Modern Traditionalism section of the show. As someone who loves prints and solids, traditional piecing, and all the funky FMQ, so many of the quilts that appear in this category speak to me each year.
As an added bonus, my friends Andrea & Erin had quilts hanging side by side in this category (we’re huge fans of Andrea’s new book Quilting & Erin’s Emerson Bag pattern!)
Trends
Walking QuiltCon is a gorgeous snapshot of trends through modern quilting over the last year or so, and it often gives a preview of trends to come as well since designers often enter quilts into QuiltCon before releasing a pattern. This year, there were a number of themes that stood out:
Note bene: the quilts I’m sharing are just a tiny snapshot of the whole show, capturing quilts and themes that caught my attention and themes that seemed significant to me
Circles
When circles began appearing at QuiltCon a number of years back, there were lots of Drunkard’s Path type blocks. This year’s circles made me think “perfect and playful.” Skill has progressed to where nearly perfect whole circles are being stitched– and then they’re being “broken” again by piecing, quilting, the use of trapunto, and other techniques that add an element of whimsy back to the quilt.
Appliqué with Bias Tape
Another technique that has been popular and being played with for awhile but that I thought levelled up this year (be sure to scroll up to Andrea’s quilt again from Modern Traditionalism, too). The detail, the forms, the whimsy… I love it!
Improv got really blocky… and really skinny!
And I’m kind of obsessed. I’ve only done a few improv projects, but I find my self drawn to it often. These quilts are just so dang striking!
Medallion Quilts
I have a thing for medallion and medallion-adjacent quilts (quilts that incorporate lots of shapes in groupings or rows rather than blocks or a quilt around a central shape), and this show had me running from medallion to medallion in absolute glee.
Reflections
This show makes me giddy with delight each year. It was fascinating to observe a few other trends that are harder to capture in just a few photos: a movement back toward solids and straight lines, the unabashed quilt JOY, and the high level of skill demonstrated in these quilts. It felt fresh and familiar all at once.
I’d be curious to see if the MQG would consider a few more categories in the show. I’d love to see a quilt from every guild chapter hanging, selected by the members of that individual guild. I’d love a section for our new quilters (quilting less than three years) so we can celebrate new makers. I’d love a section focusing on the use of color. We’ll see what the future holds!
I’m grateful for another amazing year. For Team Rockstar being willing to make the trek across the country and being the absolute best people in the world to work with (I laugh more the week of QuiltCon then the rest of February combined, I’m sure!). To the MQG for working so hard to produce an amazing show, hosting us, and welcoming me back as a teacher again. For our lovely neighbors, Ruby Star Society (STILL pinching myself that we got a picture with my Polaris quilt). For HandiQuilter’s invitation to teach in their booth (and for matching my shenanigan energy). And for all of YOU who came to the booth, did silly dances with me, followed along with our adventure, took my classes, shopped with us, and are always and forever ROCKSTARS! Until Raleigh 2026!
Resources
BLOG: Read other QuiltCon reviews here
PATTERN: Our FREE Sawtooth Star pattern was HOT at the show this year
