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Lifting and Stitching

WELCOME TO THE 2026 UNIVERSE

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WELCOME TO THE 2026 UNIVERSE ✦

Hello, you

My name is Joshua, and I am a vegan, weightlifting quilter

Guided by color, shape, and story, I create quilts inspired by the cosmos—stitched constellations that explore memory, feeling, and connection. Each piece I make is a reflection of where art, wonder, and the heart meet.

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What’s new

✦ 2/27/2026 ✦ A TRIP AROUND THE UNIVERSE ✦

A quilt, designed by Joshua Dunn of Lifting and Stitching, features an array of brown and blue colored four point stars against a dark background color lays across a park bench. In the background is an observatory.

A Trip Around the Universe, my first quilt pattern, is now available for purchase!

Nearly two years in the making has come to this! My first pattern, A Trip Around the Universe, is now available! The quilt is inspired by the famous image of the “Cosmic Cliffs” that the James Webb Space Telescope published in 2022 and grounded in tradition of the Trip Around the World pattern. I’ve created a dedicated page for you to learn all about the quilt. You will also get to see some  tools and partners who have boarded our voyage into the universe as well some awesome inspiration from quilters and friends. The pattern is available for purchase as PDF download in my Etsy shop.

A Trip Around the Universe

✦ 2/3/2026 ✦ NEWSLETTER PLATFORM UPDATE ✦

I’m moving the Lifting and Stitching newsletter off Substack and onto Patreon.

While Substack has been easy to use, I’ve been getting familiar with Patreon behind the scenes and feel it’s a better long-term home for what I’m building. You might associate Patreon with paywalls and membership tiers—and that’s true—but it also offers free options. I’ll be using Patreon strictly as a free newsletter platform. One small catch: I can’t seem to automatically move subscribers over. So if you’d like to continue receiving updates, pattern launches and info from me, I’d love for you to continue to follow me on Patreon to stay connected.

Latest posts from my Instagram

#igquiltfest2026day3 is about the sewing machine! This is the first time I get to share this machine in this context. Coming up on my second anniversary with my Juki TL2010Q and I love this machine. It’s a mechanical marvel in piecing and quilt
While I managed to piece and quilt several table runners as well as finish some of the inherited unfinished projects, the first quilt I ever actually made from start to finish was a baby quilt I started it in early 2021. I followed a pattern called S
I’m a day late and a dollar short… It’s been two years since I last participated. So, hi, #IGQuiltFest2026 My name is Joshua, and I’m a vegan weightlifting quilter. The picture I’m sharing here is of me at the gym, not
✨ The quiltiverse just expanded ✨ My very first quilt pattern, A Trip Around the Universe, is officially available for purchase! This design reimagines the classic Trip Around the World with curved piecing, depth, motion, and a little cosmic drama s
Part 7: #QuiltCon2026 selections from the show that caught my eye. *Not My Work*. I attempted to capture the artist statements for each following the quilt photo. Some include up close or backing photos. Enjoy!