The 2026 Sweater Weather Sampler Is Here!
Megan FowlerPull out the cozy fabric, make yourself something warm to drink, and prepare for nine weeks of autumn sewing. The Sweater Weather Sampler is back for its fourth year, and the 2026 designer lineup is extra good.
This year's sew along begins Thursday, September 3, and registration is $35. You'll receive nine individual quilt block patterns, with one new design released every Thursday through October 29. You'll also get access to our online Circle community, where you can download the patterns, meet other participants, ask questions, share your blocks, and cheer everyone through the inevitable date-with-the-seam-ripper portion of the process.
Whether you've joined us every year or this is your first Sweater Weather season, you're invited. Choose a cozy fabric palette, work from your stash, or treat yourself to a fabric-shopping side quest. There isn't one right way to make your sampler.
What's Included
Your $35 registration includes:
- Nine individual quilt block patterns created by seven designers
- A new block pattern released every Thursday for nine weeks
- Access to the private Sweater Weather Sampler community on Circle
- Weekly encouragement, help, and chances to win prizes
- A free digital coloring page on QuiltInk for planning your quilt
Circle works in your web browser or through the Circle app, so you can keep the sew along handy wherever you feel like checking in.
Join the 2026 Sweater Weather Sampler
Meet the 2026 Blocks
Every Thursday beginning September 3, a new pattern will be added to the Pattern Library in Circle. Each block has its own story, and together they capture the changing landscape, cozy traditions, and small pauses that make autumn feel so darn good.
September 3: “Speckled Maple” by Sew Joyful Studio
“Speckled Maple” opens the sampler with a reminder that change can bring its own kind of beauty. Rachel designed the block during a season when her children are little and every minute feels worth holding tightly. The maple leaves changing along the streets of Minneapolis inspired her to consider what might happen if we loosened that grip just a bit and welcomed the unknown beauty waiting in the next season.
Construction: Traditional piecing
Difficulty: Intermediate
September 10: “Sewing Circle” by Patchwork Revival
After four years, the Sweater Weather Sampler has become a favorite fall tradition for Emily, and “Sewing Circle” celebrates the people who have made it one. The block is a welcome to everyone joining us, whether you've been sewing along since year one or just found your way here. You are the reason this project exists, and we're so glad you're part of it.
Construction: Traditional piecing
Difficulty: Confident Beginner
September 17: “Snug Shroom” by Abby Maed
“Snug Shroom” began with Abby's youngest child and a shared love of gnomes and dollhouses. That spark sent Abby imagining the tiniest, coziest little gnome home tucked inside a mushroom. The result feels like stumbling across a secret woodland address where the kettle is probably already on.
Construction: Traditional piecing
Difficulty: Intermediate
September 24: “Paradise Found” by Carnelian Quilting
“Paradise Found” gives us a little house nestled among rolling hills with mountains rising in the distance. Dana's design feels like a quiet retreat, the kind of place where you could open the windows to cool air and happily ignore your phone for a while. A mix of improv and traditional piecing gives the landscape its relaxed, one-of-a-kind personality.
Construction: Improv and traditional piecing
Difficulty: Intermediate
October 1: “Pit Stop” by Quiltbound
There is something magical about pulling over when you don't have to. Roll down the windows, stretch your legs, and pour something warm from the thermos you packed just in case. “Pit Stop” was inspired by those in-between moments on a journey, including the impromptu stops and simple joy of a hot sip on a cool day.
With its classic plaid body and familiar thermos silhouette, this block is equal parts nostalgic and practical. It's a reminder that some of the best parts of an adventure happen during the little detours that warm you up along the way.
Construction: Traditional piecing
Difficulty: Confident Beginner
October 8: “Little Fox” by Abby Maed
“Little Fox” looks to the night sky for its inspiration. Vulpecula, whose name means “Little Fox,” is a constellation visible in the northern sky. Abby paired that bit of stargazing magic with a sweet fox to celebrate those early autumn evenings that are still warm enough to spend outdoors.
Construction: Foundation Paper Piecing and Traditional piecing
Difficulty: Intermediate
October 15: “Leaf Wreath” by Heck Yes Sew Co.
Autumn is one of Heather's favorite times of year, filled with cooler temperatures, family festivities, and trips to the orchard in search of the crunchiest apples. Living in the Pacific Northwest, she especially loves seeing gold and orange foliage against the region's dark green evergreens.
“Leaf Wreath” was inspired by the leaves covering the forest floor during an autumn hike. It brings a little of that crisp, crunchy trail feeling indoors, minus the leaf bits that somehow follow you into the car.
Construction: Traditional piecing
Difficulty: Intermediate
October 22: “Rosemaling” by Cream City Studio
Kristina's “Rosemaling” block was inspired by the Norwegian folk art of the same name, which means “rose painting.” The style features flowing floral designs that often appear on wooden boxes, plaques, and small pieces of furniture.
The inspiration is personal too. Kristina's grandmother, Elsie, painted many pieces that are now precious to her family, including Kristina's recipe box. This block recreates those swirling floral elements through a clever twist on classic log cabin blocks.
Construction: Traditional piecing
Difficulty: Confident Beginner
October 29: “Homespun” by Patchwork Revival
“Homespun” brings together Emily's love of geometric designs and woven fabrics in a cozy block reminiscent of traditional gingham. The pattern lends itself beautifully to strip piecing and gives you a chance to practice a consistent scant quarter-inch seam.
Emily's advice for this final week is a fitting note for the whole sampler: choose to enjoy the process instead of chasing perfection. Your blocks don't need to be flawless to hold the memories of the season you spent making them.
Construction: Traditional piecing
Difficulty: Confident Beginner
Join the 2026 Sweater Weather Sampler
Community
The patterns are fun, but the community is the part that makes Sweater Weather feel like an actual sew along instead of another project quietly joining the collection in your sewing room.
We'll be gathering in Circle throughout the event. This is where you'll download each week's pattern, and the community spaces are there for questions, encouragement, and sharing your progress.
Plan Your Quilt with QuiltInk
Want to audition fabrics before committing to a palette? A free digital coloring page for the 2026 Sweater Weather Sampler is available through QuiltInk.
You can experiment with countless color and fabric combinations using preloaded fabric swatches. It's basically permission to tumble down a very satisfying color-planning rabbit hole without cutting into the good fabric first.
Meet Our 2026 Sponsors
We are so grateful to this year's sponsors for adding even more fun to the sampler through fabric, longarm quilting, prizes, and their time.
Sweater Weather Sampler 2026 sponsors include:
Join the 2026 Sweater Weather Sampler
The fourth annual Sweater Weather Sampler begins Thursday, September 3, and registration is $35. Your first block will be waiting in Circle on opening day, followed by a new pattern every Thursday through October 29.
Join the 2026 Sweater Weather Sampler
Come sew with us, meet a very cozy corner of the quilting community, and make something that feels like autumn one block at a time. We can't wait to see what you create.
