Quilt Show and Etsy Updates

 Hello Everyone,

Since the quilt show, I've been busy decompressing after the show then ramping it back up to get ready for my last Sew'n Wild Oaks Retreat for the year.  I wanted to share my friend's Calico Cottages quilt which she entered in the show.

Diane’s quilt is absolutely spectacular! Every stitch reflects her incredible attention to detail and precision. I especially loved her use of low-volume sashing; it frames each block beautifully and really lets the design shine. It’s also a brilliant way to put those scrap bins to good use… and don’t pretend you don’t have a few overflowing ones tucked away. This is scrap quilting at its finest

Toward the end of the show, my sister Gail and I got a little giddy.  We roped Diane into taking our picture in the booth, but not before we perfected our strategy for disguising our double chins. 

After much thought, I’ve decided to begin offering my patterns on Etsy as digital downloads. This wasn’t an easy decision. Copyright infringement is a serious concern. I've seen my designs and patterns resold across the internet by people who didn’t create them. It’s disheartening, to say the least.

That said, I’ll still offer my original paper patterns for those who prefer a printed copy. But several factors have nudged me toward this change. Tariffs have driven up the cost of paper, toner, and even the plastic bags I use for packaging. Printing expenses are climbing fast, and it’s simply not sustainable.

Sending patterns as PDFs feels like a more eco-friendly option, too—less waste, less shipping, and less daily order fulfillment on my end. It’s a shift, but one I hope will make things smoother for all of us while still honoring the heart of what I love to do: sharing beautiful, thoughtful patterns with fellow quilters. 

In my Etsy site, you will see two listings for each pattern.  The digital copy will always cost less and is clearly marked DIGITAL.  It takes me awhile to create a new listing, so I'm slowly converting over to digital.  As of this morning, I only have three patterns listed digitally. I will be working on this over the next few weeks. 

I hope this will help all of the quilters across the world by making my patterns more accessible at a lower cost and no shipping charges!

Here's what I have converted so far:

Cozy Country Christmas is located HERE. 

Country Courthouse is located HERE.

Calico Cottages is located HERE. The download for Calico Cottages also includes my tutorial which I use when I'm teaching this pattern. I have to review my own tutorial prior to teaching paper piecing just to wrap my head around this technique.

On a humorous note, the bathroom facilities at the quilt show chose the worst possible time to throw a hissy fit—shutting down multiple times throughout the show. Not ideal when you’ve got hundreds of women of a certain age who appreciate regular access to such amenities. One resourceful guild member took it upon herself to make shuttle trips (yes, we cringed at the word “runs”) to a nearby business called The Glory Hole, offering much-needed relief to those in urgent need of a pit stop.  You just can't make this stuff up!

Soon,

Lynn

 

If Quilts Could Talk

 Hello Everyone,

My booth is set and ready for quilters at the Independence Hall Quilt Show at the Fairgrounds in Angels Camp, CA.

The majority of the quilts and projects in my booth are made with Marcus Fabrics.  I'm delighted to use the phrase Make it with Marcus when talking about my booth.  This image shows the new Country Charmer pattern and Cozy Country Christmas made with Cozy Christmas fabric designed by Katie Solberg.

I have bolts and bundles of Cozy Christmas.  I love the old basinet filled with Christmas joy instead of a bundle of joy.  You can also see Country Courthouse peeking over the bolts.  Gentry's Mill is draped in the corner next to Bridle Path is on the right.

Calico Cottages is on the left with bolts of Cheddar and Coal by Pam Buda are in the front.  Harvest of Hope is the appliqued and pieced quilt on the right.  I have a few bolts and bundles of my Gentry's Mill line.  Heritage and Lil' Orphan Scrappy grace the top of the tables.

Stardance in on display over the bolts of Gentry's Mill.  Country Courthouse is peeking out again along with Harvest of Hope.

October Magic is next to Calico Cottages. Simple Elegance is making her debut under the lights in the corner.  Little mice are peaking out at you from Peek-A-Boo Pumpkins.  

There’s something magical about gathering all my quilts and projects in one place and seeing them on display. Usually, the ‘girls’ are scattered throughout the cabin—draped over couches, tucked on beds, hanging on walls, or catching the breeze on the front porch. They rarely come together like this. Oh, if quilts could talk… what stories they’d tell about late night binding sessions or early morning stitching marathons over a cup of coffee, or the retreats they've been too. Maybe they would gossip about who gets the prized spots in the master bedroom or get to hang as the welcoming quilt on the front porch.  Quilts would talk about love, comfort, happy memories and the seasons they've seen.  What do you want your quilts to say?

Soon,

Lynn

Independence Hall Quilt Show

Hello Everyone,

Thanks to the incredible help of dear friends, my booth at the Independence Hall Quilt Show in Angels Camp is nearly all set up!

Yesterday, we rolled in with three SUVs packed to the brim—quilts, bolts of fabric, patterns, and kits tucked into every nook and cranny. We’ll bring one more load down today to finish the setup. The show kicks off Friday and runs through Sunday, and I’d love to see many of you there!

For me, the true joy of a quilt show is the people—the chance to visit with so many quilters whose paths have crossed mine over the years. You've become cherished friends and loyal followers, and I’m genuinely grateful for each and every one of you. Your stories, your creativity, sharing pictures of your quilts and your kindness make these gatherings feel like home.

Angels Camp, CA is a charming foothill town with a literary twist—made famous by Mark Twain’s short story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Every year during the Frog Jump Jubilee, the town leans into its quirky heritage: overalls, corsets, and even bloomers dangle playfully across Main Street, turning the whole place into a joyful tribute to Twain’s frontier humor.

We once took a friend and visitor from China to Angels Camp, and she thought this was one of the funniest things she'd ever seen.  Those crazy Americans!

The sidewalks are lined with the names of the winners on a bronze plaque. 

Angels Camp will be my cozy corner for the next few days—come on by and swap a few howdies! I’d love to see familiar faces and share a smile and a hug or two.

Soon,

Lynn

Country Charmer Kits

 Hello Everyone,

Yesterday afternoon I was able to cobble together enough plaid to make ten Country Charmer kits for the Independence Hall Quilt Show this weekend at the fairgrounds in Angels Camp.

Three more bolts of plaid are in transit to me as we speak so I can make more kits for my November retreat.  If there are any kits leftover, I'll post them for sale in my Etsy shop.

I’ve refreshed the Country Charmer pattern with a full-color update and newly added flange instructions. The Block Layout Sheet now includes pressing arrows for smoother piecing. Country Charmer was one of my very first designs and revisiting it has reminded me just how much my pattern writing style has grown and evolved over the years.

It was an enjoyable, stormy day up here under the pines.  While cutting the kits, I listened to a book on Audible while the wind blew and the rain came down outside.  It was the perfect day!  Luckily the rains will be gone before the quilt show begins.

I’ve been deep in show prep lately—pricing, packing, sorting, inventorying… all the non-glamorous behind-the-scenes work that has to get done before a show. And as for Halloween decorating? Let’s just say—hard pass! While working at my desk in the great room the other day, I glanced up at the snowman display on top of the TV armoire. The sunlight hit it just right, and oh my—what a sight! I debated whether to share this moment, because it’s a clear sign my housekeeping has taken a back seat. In my defense, we do have plenty of spiders up here in the woods!  Just keeping my life real!

I stumbled upon this display case in an antique shop years ago. It was originally used to carry canaries down into coal mines. That’s where the phrase “canary in a coal mine” comes from; the birds served as an early warning system for toxic gases, showing signs of distress before humans were affected. Judging by the state of my display, I think my own environment might be sending up a warning! Time to grab the step ladder and tackle some long-overdue dusting.

Soon,

Lynn

Simple Elegance

 Hello Everyone,

I've been busy pattern writing in anticipation of the Independence Hall Quilt Show which starts on October 17th and runs for three days. This is a block from Simple Elegance.

I wanted to create a pattern to showcase the large floral print from my Gentry's Mill fabric line. This pattern is ideal for using a bold, beautiful print you'd rather not cut into.  The large floral is the star of the quilt.

This is hands-down the simplest pattern I’ve ever designed for Sew’n Wild Oaks. Measuring 57" x 57", it’s just the right size for a cozy throw—perfect draped over a chair or snuggled up on the couch.

She's not quilted yet, but I do know how I'm going to quilt it which is half the battle.  All my new quilts get their picture taken draped on the old sled whether they are completely finished or not.

The kits are cut for this quilt, and the pattern is printed and ready for showtime!

Soon,

Lynn

  

Timeless Stitches

 Hello Everyone,

Just when it looks like I’ve been sneaking off and playing hookie, surprise! I’ve been busy behind the scenes. Now I get to unveil my newest quilt called Timeless which I'll make with my new line called Timeless Stitches, fresh from her debut at Quilt Market in Houston.

Fingers crossed my sample fabric should be arriving within the next six weeks, and then I can dive into creating Timeless. The full line is shown below, and it’s everything I hoped for: fresh yet vintage, with a beautiful balance of lights and darks. I’ve got BIG plans for this collection, especially since I won’t be juggling the demands of a block-of-the-month. Time to let the creativity flow.

I love working with the talented graphic artist and staff at Marcus Fabrics.  There have been many ZOOM calls and iterations discussing each numbered SKU until we got it just right.  Numbers 4, 6 and 9 are recolored from my Gentry's Mill line. The graphic artist reworked #6 to make the dots smaller and closer together. 

This stripe fabric had humble beginnings when I discovered it tucked away in the archives of the Smithsonian. When I first shared it with the team at Marcus Fabrics, they were understandably skeptical about including it in the line. But they trusted me, stood by my vision, and the graphic artist brought it to life.

And here is the end result, which is so sweet, gentle and different.

I'm showing a close-up of this SKU so you can see the look of 'netting' around the flowers adding texture.

Here are two of my favorites.  We should have named them 'pearl clutching'!

I’ll be offering kits for this 90" x 90" quilt, and while they won’t ship until the first quarter of 2026.....it’ll be here before we know it! To help me plan fabric orders, I’d love to get a sense of interest. If you think you might want a kit, just drop me a quick email at sewnwildoaks@gmail.com. No prepayment, no deposit...just a note to say “I’m interested.” Pricing is still TBD, as I’ll need to factor in potential tariff changes.

As soon as I get the quilt made and quilted, I'll be shipping her off to Hobby House Needleworks in Victor, NY where I will be teaching this quilt next May. They will be posting information about my class soon. They will also be making kits for the quilt. I will also be doing my humorous trunk show the day before the class. 

There’s been a flurry of activity here under the pines at Sew’n Wild Oaks. New fabric lines blooming, kits in the works, preparations underway for the Independence Hall Quilt Faire, and the final retreat of the year just around the corner. It’s the kind of creative whirlwind that has me dreaming in quilts long after the lights go out.

Soon,

Lynn  

New Country Charmer

 Hello Everyone,

It took me a few days to recover and regroup after the retreat in Tahoe.  There's a lot of unpacking to do and invoicing for the product sold.  Now, I'm totally focused on the Independence Hall Quilt Show beginning on October 17th in Angels Camp. Part of that focus was getting Country Charmer 2.0 together for the show. 

I did it—finally! It nearly wore me out yesterday, and I missed most of the football games in the process, but every border is now attached, flange and all. That little gold flange, fabric from my Hearthstone line adds just the right spark to the design. It plays beautifully between the plaid and the red.

My plan is to have the kits at the quilt show, but I'm anxiously awaiting the delivery of 65 yards of plaid which I ordered back in July.  This kit wouldn't be complete without the plaid.

On a completely different note, our final night at the Tahoe retreat took an unexpected turn around 10:30 p.m. One of the quilters was chatting with her husband on her phone in the lobby when a bear rounded the corner… just six feet away! She stayed remarkably calm, even noting that the bear had an adorable face. With quiet composure, she slipped into the workroom, slammed the door behind her, and alerted another quilter who hadn’t noticed a thing—thanks to her ear pods. Word is, that same bear may have visited the workroom the week before and helped himself/herself to the snack table a little too enthusiastically.

I heard a commotion and the slamming of a door, but I didn't get up to investigate.  Which was probably a good thing as the bear most likely walked or ran by my door to get to the exit.

The next morning, a freshly printed sign appeared on the door—management suspects it was the bear’s chosen entry point into the building.

On a personal note, it’s probably time I retire the nickname “T-Rex arms” for Mr. Joe. He saw a spine specialist recently, and while his spine shows the usual wear and tear of age, the real culprits seem to be tendinitis, arthritis, and inflammation in both rotator cuffs. Physical therapy has been ordered. The trouble started back in mid-June when he was helping at the Flea Market, and he’s spent the past four months mostly recliner-bound, alternating between ice packs and the heating pad. Cortisone shots didn’t help, and prednisone only worked while he was on it—plus it kept him wide awake for days while he grazed his way through the refrigerator. Low doses of Gabapentin are easing the pain a bit, thankfully.

Soon,

Mrs. T-Rex (I have to stop that....this is the last time!)