STARDANCE - My Pattern of the Week

 Hello Everyone,

This week, I'm shining a spotlight on Stardance—a wonderfully scrappy quilt pattern designed to make the most of your treasured fabric stash. With clear, detailed instructions and step-by-step illustrations using fabrics from my Hearthstone and Gentry's Mill lines by Marcus Fabrics, Stardance guides you every stitch of the way. You can find the discounted pattern HERE.

One thoughtful touch: each direction page includes space to attach your own chosen fabric scraps, making organization effortless as you sew. I loved to be organized.....but you'd never know it if you saw my sewing room!

And of course, the pattern features my signature block layout sheet—the true map to your success. If you love turning scraps into stars, Stardance is the perfect way to let your creativity dance across the quilt top. The block layout sheet includes the measurements and graphic of the exact size the components need to be.  If the piece doesn't fit, you'll know it immediately and can adjust accordingly.  The block layout sheet also includes the pressing directions. If your block goes together seamlessly, you are more likely to finish the quilt.

After a full and bustling week down in the Bay Area, it was a breath of fresh mountain air to come home and unwind. We spent a beautiful evening enjoying tri-tip sandwiches expertly grilled by our local firefighters, all while tapping our toes to the live music. The band, fittingly named Burn Permit, played for the fundraiser—clever name.

I’ve been up to my elbows in fabric, cutting yard after yard for the Cozy Country Christmas kits. One day alone I sliced through 90 yards, and followed that with another 60 the next—my back had a few choice words about all the standing and bending! The upside? I’ve cleared out bolts and bolts of fabric, which means the hallway is no longer lined like a fabric fortress. It’s starting to look like a normal hallway again!

Mr. Joe took command of the smoker this Fourth of July with an 8-pound pork butt, and let’s just say—I haven’t needed to set foot in the kitchen since. The mouthwatering aroma wafted through the neighborhood all day long. The real twist? He found a recipe that called for basting the pork every 45 minutes with cherry-flavored Dr. Pepper. It was bold, a little quirky, and absolutely delicious. 

The summer crowd has poured in this week, bringing a surge of traffic and energy to our quiet mountain street and community. Sadly, with it came heartbreak—one of the three bear cubs we've been watching was struck and killed by a speeding car right on our street about five cabins down the road. It’s been a tough reminder of how quickly things can change. We mountain folks tend to drive with a watchful eye, knowing that wildlife can appear in a flash. But the faster pace and unfamiliarity with these roads are taking a toll.  A couple of years ago, a large bear ran right in front of my sister's car as she was driving up the hill.  Her vigilance paid off and the bear scampered off into the woods unscathed.

I have a Zoom meeting with Marcus Fabrics this week to discuss two more fabric lines.  It is so exciting to see my ideas come to life!

Here's a toast to 'to-do' lists! I have a full to-do list this week.  I find I have to 'write it down' to keep me on task.

Soon,

Lynn 

  

 

Home to Stay & a Recipe

Hello Everyone,

My Gentry's Mill quilt has been out traveling around the country for months and she's finally returned home to stay for a bit.

My Calico Cottages design is on display on the left, and Minglewood is in the crock on the right.  Gentry's Mill is draped over a very old sled.

Calico Cottages is pouring out of a mailbox I found at an antique store here in town. The Rocking Chair Lodge sign came with the mailbox.  Perfect right?

I also use a sled to display my Americana collectibles and patriotic quilt.  Mr. Joe had glass shelves made for the sled and it's quite the conversation piece.

I took a picture of a new recipe I made for our company the other night called Smoked Deep-Dish Burgers.  

These are SO GOOD and would be great to make for your 4th of July celebration.

Here's the recipe:

Wood chips for smoking

1 T. butter

1 (8 oz) pkg sliced white mushrooms

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 C. chopped sweet onion

2 T. steak sauce

4 Thick-cut bacon strips, cooked crisp and crumbled

3-1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 Beer or soda can used to form the patties

12 Thick-cut bacon strips

Salt and pepper to taste

12 Slices of your favorite cheese

Soak a great big handful of wood chips in water for 30 minutes, then drain. In the meantime, melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion until softened.  Stir in the steak sauce and cooked bacon and set aside.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spritz with cooking spray.  Form the ground beef into six equal-sized balls and arrange them on the baking sheet.

Clean the outside of the beer or soda can and coat it with cooking spray.  Press the can firmly into a meatball to form a cup, pressing the edges of the meat to an even thickness and fixing any cracks; wrap each with two bacon strips and secure with toothpicks.  Remove the can and repeat with the remaining meatballs.  Season with salt and pepper and fill with the mushroom mixture.

Grease the grill grate and preheat the grill to 300 degrees for indirect cooking.  For a charcoal grill, toss a big handful of the soaked wood chips directly on the hot coals.  For a gas grill, place wood chips in a smoker box.

Set the stuffed burgers on the COOL side of the grill.  Close the grill lid and cook for 30 to 45 minutes.  Top each burger with a cheese slice and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. DO NOT FLIP THE BURGERS!  We rotated the burgers, so each side had a turn close to the heat, so the bacon was crisp.

These smelled so amazing that we couldn’t wait to dig in—I completely forgot to snap a pic of the finished dish! They were incredibly flavorful, and no bun required. I paired the burgers with Danish potato salad and fresh sliced melon. It is the perfect summer meal!

I hope you all have a delightful weekend!

Soon,

Lynn

 

Gentry's Mill Errata Page

 Hello Everyone,

I made a mistake in the Gentry's Mill pattern.  A friend said that it's not a mistake, it's a variation to see who is paying attention.  Luckily, two people were paying attention.

I created an 'errata' page for Gentry's Mill which is listed as a 'Page' on my blog.  It will always be located toward the top of the blog.  Hopefully I won't have to be adding to it!  You can see the page by clicking HERE.

I'm very grateful to the two quilters who were paying attention.....as it appears that I wasn't totally tuned in while writing the pattern.

We turned the taxes over to the accountant yesterday.  It's such a good feeling to have that out of the way.

Now I'm working on more tutorials for Laurel Ridge for The Quilt Show.  My granddaughter is going to film some more tutorials for me at the end of March.  I have to have everything ready, so I can show and talk about all of the different steps.  I've been working on the large applique.

If you don't hear from me in a couple of days, it means the snowstorm knocked me off the Internet.  I will be all comfy, cozy and quilting in the cabin.

Soon,

Lynn    

Stardance Update

 Hello Everyone,

I have so many fun things planned for the day that it's hard to decide what to do next.  I've been playing around with Stardance in EQ8.  This is what I decided on yesterday.....that could change today.....but I'm really liking this look of the well-defined star blocks dancing around the quilt.

This is what the design looked like before I started to play.  The blocks were cut off and I think they looked incomplete.  To remedy that, I made half-blocks to put in the border.

I keep adding to my little pile of blocks.  I try to quilt every day even it's for only a half hour.  All of that time adds up to a finished quilt.

In addition to quilting, Mr. Joe and I have been stuffing patterns for Gentry's Mill.  The orders are rolling in and the patterns will be rolling out.  The first order is shipping to Australia tomorrow.  Maybe I can pack myself up and deliver them in person.  Now that would be fun!

Every time I do a BOM, the dining room is turned into a shipping dock.  I find myself apologizing for the mess, but it's a wonderful mess and one I can live with. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week and have a lot of fun projects to keep you busy, energized and engaged.

Soon,

Lynn

Stardance

 Hello Everyone,

I've been working on a new design, and I have a nice little assortment of blocks for Stardance. This is a snapshot of what I'm working on in EQ software.

This is what the actual block looks like.  I love that what I see in EQ software is very similar to the real block.

This is a snapshot of another block in the quilt in EQ.  The block placement in the quilt determines the framing around the block.

This is the actual block.

I'm combining my Gentry's Mill fabric line with my Hearthstone fabric line. I'm so happy with what I'm seeing so far.  When the graphic artist at Marcus Fabrics sends me the files, they are ready to import directly into EQ software.  I get a wonderful rendition of the quilt right from the get-go. 

I go between EQ software, to the pattern directions, and then to the sewing machine.  I'm also using my little organization progress sheet to keep track of what I've accomplished.  These sheets will definitely be included in the pattern.  I feel as though this is the most organized I've been while creating a new pattern.

On a personal note, it's coyote mating season here in the Sierra Nevada mountains and the coyotes are 'talking' every night.  When our dog Mazey hears them, she chimes right in and howls unlike any howl she's vocalized before.  It's a primal howl coming from deep within her chest which sends chills up my spine.  It feels like I'm in a horror movie and I never watch horror movies!  I'm blaming these dark circles under my eyes on the coyotes.....and Mazey.

Soon,

Lynn

Gentry's Mill is Starting Soon

 Hello Everyone,

Coming to a quilt store near you.....Gentry's Mill BOM from Marcus Fabrics.

Both the quilt and the fabric line are called Gentry's Mill.  When we were driving back from Quilt Market in Houston in 2023, I saw a road sign that said, 'Gentry's Mill', and I thought that's a great name for a quilt.....and here she is.  I always keep a notebook with me to write down ideas as they come to me, because I know I'm going to forget it in a nanosecond!

The quilt above the bed is my pattern called Emilie Elizabeth, made for me by my dear friend Deborah.  See the precious story behind this quilt HERE.  

The color palette is rich and just plain classy.  I've enjoyed every minute working with this line. I'm working on a new design which combines Gentry's Mill with my Hearthstone line.  I can work away in my sewing room and lose all tract of time while playing, I mean working with the fabrics.

Yesterday, I took a much-needed day off and Mr. Joe grabbed the old lady and packed up the baby (Mazie) and we headed to the Shenandoah Valley in Plymouth, CA to pick up a wine shipment and do some wine tasting.

It was a beautiful day considering we are in January.  We sat outside on the deck at Iron Hub, our new favorite winery, and enjoyed a charcuterie board for lunch.

The sky was crystal blue with interesting cloud formations.  We thought this one looked like the bones from a fish. Seriously we did not have too much to drink! 

On a personal note, our granddaughter evacuated from her condo just north of the LA fire area.  Her place should be okay, but the winds are supposed to pick up again today. They had been without power for days and she decided it was a good time to pack up her car and leave with their dog and cat.  Her fiancé stayed behind and is packed and ready to leave at a moment's notice.  

My heart is breaking for those who have lost everything and have to start over.  It is such a daunting thought to think of the infrastructure that needs to be rebuilt before anyone can start to rebuild their life. If you read the story behind the Emilie Elizabeth quilt, you will see how the Paradise fire touched my life.

Living in the mountains surrounded by towering trees is a constant reminder of the fragility of our way of life. No matter how much raking we do to keep our lots clean, it's not really going to matter if a huge blaze comes through with howling winds.  

Treasure your way of life and be thankful for each day and every minute.

Soon,

Lynn 

Stardance Quilt

 Hello Everyone,

Thank you all for your input about the organizational sheet that I'm going to start including in my patterns.  I used it while making the first four blocks for my new Stardance pattern. The stars will dance their way across the quilt.

I'm going to make 40 blocks in 10 different colorways.  This is a picture of the first four blocks.

I took your suggestions to heart and reconfigured the organizational sheet to make it less busy.  I used it while making the blocks and got a great deal of satisfaction checking off the components after I finished making them.

The new Stardance quilt combines both my Gentry's Mill fabric line with Hearthstone.  The two lines have been playing well together!

  

The sheet is streamlined and gives you more room to make 'notes' along the way.

I've also been asked to make these organizational sheets for all of my older patterns.  Although I think that is a great idea, there are just so many hours in the day.  I'll try to make the sheets for Gentry's Mill which is currently being offered in quilt shops beginning in Feb/March.  The patterns have already been printed, so it would be hard to re-coup the cost of the sheets.  I'll have to think hard about this request.

Have a great rest of the week.

Soon,

Lynn

Sew'n Wild Oaks Happenings

Hello Everyone,

Marcus Fabrics just sent me the full-page ad, which is going to run in Creative Spark, the online arm of CT Publishing. I LOVE it!

It was a very busy week under the pines at Sew'n Wild Oaks.  Between Thanksgiving and the arrival of my granddaughter with all of her video equipment to film the tutorials for The Quilt Show, things were hopping around here.

Here are a few photos of the filming of the videos in my jam-packed sewing room.

We also did some filming outside and took pictures of the entire Laurel Ridge quilt. This image really showcases the machine quilting done by Diane Schweickert.

I've been juggling the workload between Laurel Ridge and Gentry's Mill.  WHEW!!! It can be exhausting.  I just mailed off Gentry's Mill to Stitchin Heaven in Texas yesterday morning.  I'm crossing my fingers and toes that it arrives safely.

Soon,

Lynn

Weekly Update

 Hello Everyone,

I've decided to just do weekly updates on my activities on my Sew'n Wild Oaks blog. This week has been a busy one, so what else is new?  I'm thoroughly cleaning the cabin as my granddaughter arrives the day after Thanksgiving to record my videos for The Quilt Show (TQS). I put tutorials together for those making the Laurel Ridge BOM.

I have one corner of my sewing room clean and tidy.  The quilt hanging is called Grammy Squares, and it is available in my Etsy shop. 

I love my little mail sorter which I found in an antique store years ago. It's perfect for fat quarters and wool bundles.

I store the Valdani thread in old typesetters' drawers.  How do you like the Valdani Easter Eggs?  That's what one of my followers called it. 

The antique pie safe holds bolts and flat folds of fabric.  When I think about it, everything is 'old' in my sewing room. I just might be the youngest thing in there!

My grandfather made this little hutch for me when I was about 6-7 years old.  I treasure it.  Country Charmer is hanging in the background.

When I'm not cleaning, I'm machine quilting Gentry's Mill.

I'm stitching around every single one of the motifs in the border.  Time consuming but worth it.

I was really on a roll until Thursday when my HandiQuilter decided to throw a tantrum. After watching several YouTube troubleshooting videos, I finally figured it out and resumed machine quilting, but I lost a lot of valuable hours.  I also called Richard at Elk Grove Sewing and Vacuum Center and he had some good advice for me. He's a gem and if your sewing machine or long-arm needs servicing, Richard is your man!

I'm down to the final border and hopefully will finish quilting this behemoth today.  The binding is all made and just waiting to be sewn to the quilt.  I will be so glad to check this one off of my to-do list! My goal is to watch football tomorrow and stitch binding at the same time.

My little community was right on the edge of the atmospheric river which hit California.  It finally caught up to us yesterday, and we've received 2" of rain in the last 24 hours with more on the way.  Another rainy day for us which means a good day to quilt......or clean the cabin......I think I will quilt!

Soon,

Lynn