My goal for QuiltCon 2025 was to shine a light on all things upcycled at the show. In this post I'm sharing the quilts I found, and some stories behind these creative works, and the awesome people I met along the way.
Émilie: Using Limitations to Push Creativity
Émilie Trahan's passion for upcycled materials instantly won my heart. Listening to her talk about the inspiration behind her material choices made me want to jump up and down and yell, “Yes, this!!” (and you might even catch me doing that in my video!). Émilie’s genuine enthusiasm for hunting down materials and using them to fuel her creativity is contagious.
Inspiring Kids
I was so excited to get a note from Cut & Sew Philidelphia about five youth quilts that were going to be hanging in the show. They let me know that all the materials the kids used (fabric, batting, thread) were secondhand--donated to Cut & Sew PHL and used by students in their sewing classes.
There is something so special about seeing youth quilts that are made from the heart, without the expectations or rules around what is good or what is modern. These quilts were some of my favorites at the show!
Heidi: Storytelling Through Personal Materials
Heidi Parkes is a master storyteller whose quilts take you on an emotional journey through her life. In our conversation, she shared the backstory of her award-winning quilt, “Mimi, Mimi, Mimi”—a heartfelt tribute to her grandma. Heidi’s use of upcycled and secondhand materials isn’t just about sustainability; it’s about weaving history and personal narrative into every stitch. I love how these materials, with all their past lives, add depth and character to her storytelling.
Swatch Books and Samples
These three quilts were so different, but all used discarded fabric from the apparel industry. Bright and colorful fabrics from the early 90's, suiting wools, and textured cloth from India, all told unique stories in a beautiful way.
by Naomi Detre
by Phong Lai
Clothing in Quilts
These quilts all used clothing, some in obvious ways and some completely disguised. The bright red pants in 'Splitting Seams' and the vintage clothes in 'Dripping with Memories' caught my eye immediately. But then I was pleasantly surprised to learn that 'Joik:02' and 'Girls Day Out' both used men's shirting as you would regular quilting cotton.
And then Kristin La Flamme's use of masks created a colorful explosion in the best way.
by Stephanie Jurgensen
by Laura Shaw
by Gail Sevilla
Denim
These quilts had a special place in my heart because they used denim of course! I love how these two used jeans in such different ways.
by Margo Yang
Hand-dyed & Printed
Both these quilts used hand-dyed fabrics, either by dying leftover scraps so they created a cohesive whole or rescuing discarded fabric after a printing class. I loved how the more muted palettes let your eyes rest after all the bright colors that were throughout the hall.
by Laura Brown
Unique Expression
This quilt really stood alone—a unique perspective and response to climate change, asking what happens to quilting as the world grows warmer.
Shopping Secondhand
The QuiltCon vendors take over almost 1/3 of the hall, and I was so excited to see Sew Renewable. Zak Foster and I found them walking the floor at QuiltCon. They are a secondhand fabric store that travels around to quilt and craft shows, Zak and I both found some great stuff. You can check out their website and they have a list of all their upcoming shows!
QuiltCon 2025 was a reminder that upcycled materials are more than just eco-friendly choices—they’re a way to infuse creativity, history, and passion into every quilt. I hope you have seen something here that inspires you and the next quilt you make is repurposed and upcycled!
Stay creative!
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