New Quilt Along: Stitching the Southwest
Hello, my dear creative quilters! I can hardly wait, I finally get to tell you about my brand-new quilt along! I’ve been working on this quilt adventure for over a year, and now the time has come.
After our exciting Quilt Safari last year, this time we’re setting out on a new journey, a journey through the vast landscapes of the Southwest of the North-American continent. We’ll follow dusty trails, listen to the crackling of a campfire, feel the wind in the cactus fields, and let ourselves be inspired by the shapes and colors of this fascinating landscape. 🌵🌄
Welcome to “Stitching the Southwest” — a quilt along everyone who loves adventure, who wants to feel the wilderness, and who enjoys telling stories through their sewing!
Are you in? Then pull on your cowboy boots and saddle up your sewing machine! In today’s blog post, you’ll find all the details about the quilt, the schedule, and the giveaways. There are fantastic prizes to win once again!
What Does the Quilt Look Like?
I worked, tested, adjusted, and refined this quilt for a long time. Now, each block tells a little story of life and dreams under a wide-open sky, of campfires and guitar music, of rides through endless landscapes, of cozy summer evenings among friends, sharing stories…As you can see, this quilt is pure inspiration for dreaming.
I hope you’ll be just as thrilled as I am by the colors and patterns of this quilt.
👉 Here’s the Southwest Trails Pattern
BERNINA WeAllSew Blog readers get a 20% discount with the code: SOUTHWEST
The quilt offers 11 unique FPP patterns, featuring familiar symbols and geometric patterns reminiscent of the culture, rhythm, and energy of the Southwest:
- A striking longhorn skull
- Cowboy boots and a hat (for all horse lovers)
- A guitar for the campfire music
- Feathers, cacti, and horseshoes
- Aztec-inspired designs tying it all together.
The quilt is beautifully framed by a border that unites all these elements like a sun-and-earth horizon.
The finished quilt measures approximately 56″ x 80″ (142 x 203 cm), large enough to snuggle up in or to proudly display on your wall.
Mine currently adorns my sofa, where it keeps me warm and cozy by the fireplace every evening.
What Technique Will We Use?
As so often, this Quilt-Along features one of my favorite methods: Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP).
If you’re already familiar with FPP, you know how much fun it is, and if you’re new to it, you’ll love how easy it makes even the tiniest details.
No tricky cutting, no worries about grain lines, just follow the paper step by step and watch the design come to life piece by piece.
I’ll guide you through the entire process with step-by-step instructions, tips, tricks, and videos, so you’ll reach your goal safely and happily.
All instructions and videos will be published step-by-step on the blog and will be listed here:
👉 Stitching the Southwest on the WeAllSew Blog
This quilt along is suitable for both experienced quilters and beginners. Even if you’ve never tried paper piecing before, you can join in! You’ll gain confidence with each block you sew.
The Fabrics – As a Kit or From Your Stash
The color palette of this quilt is inspired by the nature of the Southwest: desert sand, turquoise, rust red, sunset orange, and deep petrol to complete the look.
For my quilt, I used Riley Blake Basics, as they blend beautifully and bring out the motifs perfectly.
If you’d like to use the same colors, you can order matching fabric kits from Elli at Mojave Farms Quilt Co. The sets are already pre-cut in the correct amounts, just order, unpack, and start sewing! Elli has also prepared a second color way. Check out her site for more info.
For Canada, we’ve partnered with Jason from Kingfisher Craft Company. If you’re in Canada, please reach out to him for fabric for this quilt.
Of course, you’re free to create the quilt with your own fabrics and colors, from earthy tones to vibrant contrasts. The Southwest Trails Quilt is your personal expression, your own trail.
More details about the fabric requirements will follow in next week’s blog post.
The Pattern
The complete Southwest Trails pattern includes all eleven blocks, plus the border, layout, and instructions.
You can purchase it in German or English on my website:
BERNINA WeAllSew Blog readers receive a 20% discount with the code: SOUTHWEST
Participation in the quilt along is, of course, voluntary, but with the pattern, you’ll be perfectly prepared to travel a little further each week.
The Schedule – Our Trail Through the Southwest
Here’s our route so you know exactly what to expect:
A new post will appear every Thursday, giving you the weekend to sew and enjoy!
- Nov 13, 2025: Fabric & material details + start giveaway
- Jan 8, 2026: First block – Aztec pattern Desert Peaks (2 blocks)
- Jan 15, 2026: Cowboy Hat
- Jan 22, 2026: Aztec pattern Canyon Tides (2 blocks)
- Jan 29, 2026: Guitar
- Feb 5, 2026: Horseshoes (2 blocks)
- Feb 19, 2026: Cowboy Boots (2 blocks)
- Feb 26, 2026: Campfire
- Mar 5, 2026: Feathers (2 blocks)
- Mar 12, 2026: Cacti (2 blocks)
- Mar 19, 2026: Longhorn Skull
- Apr 2, 2026: Border + Grand Finale Giveaway (submit photos by May 10, 2026)
- May 14, 2026: Announcement of the winners
Join & Win!
Of course, a bit of excitement is part of the fun, there will be two big giveaways with fantastic prizes!
Starting with the next blog post on November 13, 2025, you can already win amazing prizes, including a large Mettler thread case and other surprises, so don’t miss it!
And for the grand finale in April, when all quilt tops are finished, we’ll have the main giveaway. You don’t need to sew the “best” quilt, I just want you to finish your Southwest Trails Quilt, learn something new, and, most importantly, have fun sewing. Winners will be chosen at random.
To take part, share a photo of your finished quilt top (no need to quilt or bind it) on Instagram using #SouthwestQAL, or in the WeAllSew Community Section by May 10, 2026.
The main prize: a BERNINA 475 QE! 🎉
Thread Sets from Mettler
A special prize comes from Mettler! Each winner will receive one of the new high-quality Silk-Finish Cotton 40 kits , 12 spools (1000m each) in a practical storage box.
You can win either the vibrant “Passionate Quilting” set or the elegant “Sense of Tradition” set.
Silk-Finish Cotton 40 is a premium long-staple cotton thread, ideal for patchwork and quilting.
Three Fantastic Quilting T-Shirts from JoesPrintsStore:
Fabrics from Riley Blake
Of course, fabric prizes are a must! Riley Blake Designs has generously provided 2 beautiful Fat Quarter bundles!
1 bundle will be available for our first giveaway, and 1 in the final giveaway.
- Stripes – 18 Fat Quarters
- Gingham – 20 Fat Quarters
- Check Please! – 30 Fat Quarters
- Pin Dots – 30 Fat Quarters
How to Enter the Final Giveaway
To enter the giveaway you need to post a photo of your finished quilt top on social media or the BERNINA WeAllSew blog Community Section May 10, 2026.
Requirements:
- Your quilt top should be made in the original size following the Southwest Trails pattern instructions.
- Fabric and color choices are completely up to you.
- Binding and quilting are not required.
- Post your picture on Instagram using the #SouthwestQAL.
- Please note, Instagram profile must be public to enter.
If you don’t have social media, you can upload your photo to the WeAllSew Community Section. Don’t forget to select “Stitching the Southwest” in the drop-down list under “Participate” when uploading to the community area:
The winners will be chosen randomly. You can participate on Instagram and in the Community Section of the WeAllSew blog.
More info about the initial giveaway will follow next week, and of course, I’ll remind you again about the final giveaway in April.
Share This Button on Social Media
Are you joining in? Yay! Then put on your boots, grab your sewing machine, and show everyone you’re on the trail!
You can use the following graphics for your social media posts. Click on ‘Download Button’ to save them to your device!
Please include the hashtag #SouthwestQAL and tag @BERNINAUSA and @joejuneandmae on Instagram for an opportunity to be featured!
Your Ticket to the Adventure 🌄
Would you like to join the Quilt-Along? Then hop on the saddle with me … you’re more than welcome! No registration, no pressure, just a love for sewing and a sense of curiosity!
Here’s a quick summary:
- Next Thursday: fabric requirements & initial giveaway
- Jan 8, 2026: first tutorial
- Quilt along ends mid-May 2026
- The instructions are always published on the BERNINA WeAllSew blog. Here you can find an overview of all Stitching the Southwest blog articles: Stitching the Southwest on the BERNINA WeAllSew Blog
- Subscribe to the WeAllSew blog newsletter or my newsletter for regular updates
- It’s a community project, share your progress with us anytime! On social media using #SouthwestQAL or in the Community Section of the blog.
- Get your fabrics and pattern before Jan 8, 2026 (or use fabrics from your stash!)
I’m so excited to embark on this new creative journey with you!
“Southwest Trails” is more than just a quilt along, it’s a tribute to craftsmanship and the magic of the moment. Every stitch, every block tells a story. In the end, you’ll have a quilt full of warmth, symbolism, and soul.
Let’s discover the Southwest Trail together… stitch by stitch.
See you soon,
Yours, Ingrid
