Annual Calendar
The complete 2026 calendar of NiftyFifty quilt block swaps, quilting bees, quilt-alongs, mystery quilts, and block-of-the-month programs. Open enrollments, signup deadlines, and finish dates.
2026 is shaping up as another full year for the online quilting exchange community. NiftyFifty— running since 1997 — hosts ongoing block swaps, year-long quilting bees, and monthly quilt-alongs throughout the year. Beyond our community, the broader quilting world has its own annual rhythms: Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville mystery quilt drops in late November, the Modern Quilt Guild's QuiltCon convention happens each February, designer-run free QALs cycle through spring and fall, and major block-of-the-month programs launch each January.
This page tracks the 2026 schedule for everything happening on NiftyFifty plus the major community-wide events you might want to plan around. Bookmark this page and check back monthly — new swaps and programs are added throughout the year.
No swaps scheduled yet for q1 (jan–mar). Check back — new swaps are added throughout the year.
No swaps scheduled yet for q2 (apr–jun). Check back — new swaps are added throughout the year.
No swaps scheduled yet for q3 (jul–sep). Check back — new swaps are added throughout the year.
No swaps scheduled yet for q4 (oct–dec). Check back — new swaps are added throughout the year.
Annual events that happen across the broader quilting community — not run by NiftyFifty but worth planning around. Dates are approximate; verify on the official sites.
The Modern Quilt Guild's annual convention. Held in a different US city each year; includes workshops, vendor booths, and the QuiltCon juried quilt show. Tickets sell out 6+ months in advance.
The American Quilter's Society's flagship show in Paducah, Kentucky. The longest-running major quilt show in the US, with workshops, vendor floor, and an extensive judged show. Held annually since 1985.
Pat Sloan's free QALs cycle through the year. Watch patsloan.com for the next announcement; typical 6-week runs each spring and fall.
Bonnie Hunter's annual mystery quilt. Six weekly clues from the day after Thanksgiving through early January. Free participation; fabric requirements published in October.
The largest quilt show in the world, held annually in Houston, Texas. Workshops, vendor floor of 1,000+ booths, juried show. A bucket-list event for serious quilters.
Most major BOM programs (Fat Quarter Shop, Moda Bakeshop, Pat Sloan, designers' own programs) launch in January with the first block of the year.
NiftyFifty hosts ongoing block swaps, year-long quilting bees, and monthly quilt-alongs throughout 2026. The current open swaps are listed above; new ones launch each month. Other major 2026 events include Bonnie Hunter's annual Quiltville mystery quilt (clues releasing late November), Pat Sloan's spring and fall QALs, and Modern Quilt Guild local-chapter swaps. Watch the NiftyFifty swap calendar throughout the year for new openings.
Bonnie Hunter's annual Quiltville mystery quilt traditionally begins clue release the day after Thanksgiving (late November) and runs six clues weekly through early January. The full fabric requirements list is published 4–6 weeks before the first clue drops. Watch quiltville.com for the official announcement.
Many. Most designer-run QALs are free to join — the pattern may be free or paid (typically $10–25), but the QAL community participation costs nothing. Fat Quarter Shop, Moda Bakeshop, Pat Sloan, and several other designers run free QALs throughout 2026. Check the active QAL list on NiftyFifty.
Browse the active swaps section above and click any open swap to read details and join. Most NiftyFifty swaps have a 1–2 week sign-up window; you'll provide your mailing address and agree to the swap rules. Some swaps are first-come, first-served; others use a lottery if oversubscribed.
BOM programs typically launch in January and run through December, releasing one block per month for twelve months. Some shops also run six-month BOMs starting in July. If you missed January, look for a six-month or self-paced BOM, or wait for the January 2027 programs.
Lead your own swap or host a quilt-along — NiftyFifty makes it easy to organize a community project with quilters from all 50 states.