QuiltCon 2022 is in the books, and it was an inspiring show! It’s taken almost a week to process all that I saw and learned, and while this is a fully-acknowledged imperfect recap (as these are the trends that appealed most to my aesthetic), here are a few that I took away from the big show:

Lots of Beautiful Handquilting

Kintsugi VIII (Sutured): Delectable Mountain by Alexis Deise is an example of the exquisitely hand quilted work seen in this year’s show.

While matchstick and machine quilting have gotten to be the norm in modern quilts, this year I noticed a lot more hand-quilted finishes. Two years ago, there were many pops of color added with hand quilting, but this time it wasn’t just pops. Many quilts were finished entirely with hand quilting. And they were exquisite.

All That I Want by Kim Eichler-Messmer is another example of hand quilting and metallics (another trend) in one work.

Faced Quilts

Rhythm in Blues by Terry Sargent Peart is just one of many quilts that were faced instead of edged with a traditional binding.

Lots of artists opted to face their quilts rather than use a traditional binding. I was here for it!

Orange and Teal

S Marks the Spot by Naomi Bombardi-Wilson uses both teal and orange to make a statement. Both colors featured prominently in this year’s show.

I think because there were so many temperature quilts, teal and orange really stood out to me on the show floor. Even the quilt that Megan and I submitted had a teal background. Maroon and turquoise pops also featured prominently.

Tied Quilts

Poof, There It Is by Laura Loewen uses hand ties to secure the quilt, a more popular trend at QuiltCon 2022.

There were more tied quilts than I’ve seen in past years, and Laura Loewen of Quilt Fort Co’s was a super-fun rainbow example! I took an awesome class with Heidi Parkes to learn knots, trapunto, and how to tie a quilt, so I can’t wait to try this one out!

Metallics

Give and Take Quilt by Tara Faughnan uses metallic thread and is entirely hand quilted.

Known for its temperamental nature, metallic thread is often avoided because it is difficult to work with. But this year, makers were up for the challenge. Carson Converse (not pictured here because my pictures did not do it justice, but please do yourself a favor and check out her stunning work!) and Tara Faughnan both had notable works quilted with metallic thread. And Kim Eichler-Messmer (see “hand quilting” above) and Alexis Diese (below) both had metallic fabrics in their quilts. So gorgeous!

Kintsugi X (Scattered): Burgoyne Surrounded by Alexis Deise used metallics in an exciting way. I think it was my favorite quilt of the entire show.

Hand-dyed Fabrics

Breaking Tradition #2 by Hillary Goodwin uses botanical-dyed fabrics in a gorgeous and modern way.

Hillary Goodwin’s quilts made with botanical-dyed fabrics were some of the most beautiful examples in the show. But there were many quilts with hand-dyed fabrics that were used in ways that looked fresh and not dated.

Exciting Appliqué

Baptist Fan Redux by Hillary Goodwin is a stunning example of appliqué made modern.

There were exciting things going on in the appliqué category this year. Again, Hillary Goodwin’s work elevated to the next level. But there were also pop art quilts using bias tape, portraits, and Art Deco quilts that made appliqué completely modern.

Of course this is an incomplete recap based on the quilts that I managed to see, what stood out to me, and my personal preferences. So now, I’d love to hear — what trends stood out to you at this year’s show? Tell us in the comments below!