A wedding keepsake becomes a published quilt pattern

Some quilts begin with a fabric pull, others with a sketch. This one began with a wedding.

When my husband and I got married in October of 2023, I wanted to do something meaningful with the love and well-wishes our guests brought to that day; something beyond a card tucked into a box. I am a quilter, so naturally the answer felt rather obvious. We agreed: guests would sign our “guestbook” on squares of fabric.

I cut squares of a plain fabric, processed them with a stabilizer and set them on the welcome table for guests to sign during the cocktail hour.

Each group of guests signed their names and wrote a message directly onto the fabric squares.

Some were short and sweet. Some were funny. Some made me tear up on the spot. Every single one was irreplaceable.

Then came the part that was entirely mine to design: how to frame them. I agonized over what pattern to do and scrolled Pinterest for ideas, but ultimately decided to design one myself. I wanted the surrounding fabric to feel like the day itself: a little dreamy, a little celestial. I chose a collection of star and constellation prints (one of our favorite themes in our home) called Moonlight by Wishwell for Robert Kaufman. I had a fat quarter bundle of the collection.

The signed squares floated inside frames like memories suspended in the night sky. When the quilt top was finished and laid out on the floor, I could see everyone who had shown up for us with love and intention.

That quilt lives in our home. But it planted a seed.

The pattern that grew

It wasn’t until two years later I felt a return to this pattern: a framed center square set against an array of fabrics that give it room to be seen. It is deceptively simple and endlessly versatile. The framed block format works whether you are showcasing a novelty print, a cherished collection, a photo-transfer fabric, or a square your event guests signed.

That idea became Snapshot.

Snapshot is a pattern built around the concept of the memory quilt — the idea that fabric can hold a moment the way a photograph does. Each block is a frame. Each center square is a snapshot. Together, they form something that tells a story.

Snapshot available in Quiltmaker Magazine

Snapshot is now available in Quiltmaker Magazine Summer 2026 issue!

The quilt photographed was pieced and quilted by me using the fabric collection Barcelona by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics.

I am beyond thrilled to share that Snapshot is featured in the Summer 2026 issue of Quiltmaker Magazine, alongside a designer spotlight Q&A. It is my first published pattern with Quiltmaker and an experience I will be forever grateful for.

For the magazine version, I worked with Barcelona by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics, a stunning collection with rich color, painterly florals and that unmistakable AGF hand feel. The palette is warm and layered, the kind of fabric that practically frames itself. The blocks have energy without being busy. It is exactly the kind of collection I had in mind when I imagined makers bringing this pattern to life with their own favorites.

The digital edition is available now. The print edition hits newsstands June 16, 2026.

Make it yours

This is a pattern with a built-in invitation. Use the fabric collection you have been waiting for the right project to feature. Center a fabric that means something: a print from a trip, a remnant from another quilt, a piece someone gave you.

Or set out some fabric squares at your next celebration and let the people you love sign them.

The pattern is easy for beginners and satisfying enough for experienced makers looking for something meaningful to stitch. I hope it finds its way into your hands and home. And when you do make it, post to social media using the #SnapshotQuilt, #quiltmakermag, #quiltingdaily so we can see!

Snapshot is available in the Summer 2026 issue of Quiltmaker Magazine. Find the digital edition now at QuiltingDaily.com. Print edition available June 16, 2026.