QuiltCon 2026
I’m getting excited for QuiltCon 2026. This will be my third time attending, and one of the things I love most about returning each year is seeing how my focus evolves as I grow as a quilter.
When I attended my first QuiltCon, I was all about the vendors. As a relatively new quilter, I was fascinated by the opportunity to explore products, tools, and materials I might never see in my local quilt shop. There’s something special about being able to touch fabrics, test tools, and talk directly with vendors. Shopping online is fun, but it simply doesn’t compare to experiencing everything in person.
By my second QuiltCon, my priorities had shifted. I found myself spending much more time in the quilt show itself. I loved studying the exhibits and really looking at the quilts — noticing what made them unique, where I saw similarities, and figuring out what personally resonated with me and what didn’t. There’s obviously no right or wrong in quilting, but I became more curious about technique, design choices, and what elements might help make a quilt strong enough for show entry.
That curiosity pushed me to set a personal goal for 2025: design my own pattern and [submit a quilt to QuiltCon (Which Way). I’m proud to say I accomplished that goal for the 2026 show. While my quilt wasn’t accepted, submitting it still feels like a huge milestone for me. Writing my own pattern and putting my work out there was both exciting and a little intimidating — but absolutely worth it.
This year, my focus is shifting again — toward learning new skills. I’ve taken classes at QuiltCon before, but this time I’m intentionally stretching myself. For the first time, I’m also participating in the Mini Quilt Swap. I hope my partner loves the wall hanging I created for her! I have to admit, gifting something handmade to someone you’ve never met is equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking.
Another creative adventure I began was opening an Etsy shop in early 2025. I design and sell custom acrylic templates for sewers and crafters, and it has been such a fun and unexpected journey. My husband, an engineer, and I are empty nesters living in western North Carolina with our two dogs. Together, we run the TigerSnika Etsy page. He drafts the template designs using AutoCAD, and I help guide the designs based on what makers actually need. I like to think I speak the language of a sewer, and together we translate that into tools that help others create.
As I prepared to attend QuiltCon this year, I wanted to make something special that I could share with others. That idea led to the creation of the Kite Scrap Template. My friend, Sarah, recently updated me on her scrap quilting adventure — “This project is fun and easy. No need to follow a pattern. Just pick a strip and get going. The best part is thinking about each quilt I made with each fabric I add to the scrap quilt.”
In 2025 my guild used kite templates to create scrap quilts that were donated to victims of Hurricane Helene. We were focused on using up fabric scraps and the kite gave structure to that endeavor. The quilts were incredibly well received, and the process of making them was surprisingly fun. The kite blocks are simple, relaxing, and wonderfully mindless sewing — the kind of project that lets you enjoy the rhythm of stitching without overthinking every step.
Using leftover acrylic from our template production, I was able to create kite templates designed specifically to help other quilters turn their fabric scraps into something beautiful and useful. I took scraps from a large custom order and created the templates I’m planning to give away at QuiltCon. You’ve very likely landed on this page because you took home one of these templates. If so, welcome — and thank you for giving it a try!
It feels especially meaningful to create a tool that encourages creativity while also celebrating the resourcefulness that quilting has always embraced. I used my acrylic scraps to give you a tool to use your fabric scraps!
Now, as I head into my third QuiltCon, I’m excited to see what new inspiration, skills, and connections this year will bring. One of my favorite parts of quilting is that there is always something new to learn, try, or share — and QuiltCon continues to be such an incredible place for that growth.
Quick Tutorial: Using the Kite Scrap Template
If you picked up one of my Kite Scrap Templates, here’s a simple way to get started!
This template was designed to make a 6 inch finished block. Four blocks will come together to make a star shape (12 inch finished block). Multiple stars are pieced to make your quilt. I’ve include pictures of quilts made using the kite template shape (please note- these are not necessarily from the same size/ dimensions as the gifted template).
Step 1: Choose Your Scraps
Sift through your leftover fabric scraps. Make strips of fabric from your scraps that are a minimum of 0.75 inches wide. Use varying widths for more visual interest and to minimize too many seams coming together in one place.
Step 2: Cut Your Kite Pieces
Cut out your Kite shape using the template from a common fabric. The consistent center fabric gives the eye a place to rest among the chaos of the scraps.
Step 3: Sew Your Strips onto the Kite
Start sewing your strips onto the long edges of your kite. Continue sewing strips together. As you approach the corner of the block you can use smaller lengths of strips.
Step 4: Trim Your Block
Trim your block to a 6.5 inch square block.
Step 5: Sew the Kites Together
Continue joining units until you reach your desired size.
Step 6: Enjoy the Process
This pattern is designed to be relaxing and scrap-friendly. Don’t worry about perfection — the variety is what makes scrap projects so visually interesting and personal.
Step 7: Share Your Creation
Share what you made! Spread the word and inspire others.
Designing templates has become a meaningful extension of my quilting journey. If you ever find yourself in the middle of a project thinking, “I wish there was a template for that,” there’s a good chance we can turn that idea into something real!