The Outdoor Quilter™

Welcome! I'm Melanie Hays, The Outdoor Quilter™. I love to create quilty, weather-resistant projects that bring my love of quilting (and hopefully yours) to the outdoors!

Quilting Beyond the Walls

Quilting has always been a tradition of warmth, artistry, and storytelling—stitched together inside our homes and shared with family and friends. But what if quilts could live outdoors, adorning porches, fences, mailboxes, and gardens with vibrant canvases of fabric and color?

That’s the question I asked when I saw the Midwest tradition of barn quilts—painted wood patchwork designs on barns across the countryside. I wondered: Could real fabric quilts be made to withstand the elements and shine in the open air?

From that spark, The Outdoor Quilter™ was born.

From Living Spaces to Landscapes

My vision is to expand quilting to the great outdoors. I want to inspire a whole new category of quilt artistry and admiration—quilts designed not just for indoor display, but to brighten outdoor spaces, bringing beauty and creativity into the places we share in our communities.

"At The Outdoor Quilter™, I teach you new techniques for fabrics and stitching so you can confidently display your work outdoors. Stop hiding your talent inside—let nature be your gallery."