The Passing of a Friend

 Hello Everyone,

One week ago, my friend Judy packed up her rotary cutter and headed off to the great quilting studio in the sky. I’m sure she’s already reorganizing fat quarters and telling the angels their seam allowances are too generous. At my Sew’n Wild Oaks retreat last November, she surprised me with this adorable pincushion which she made from one of her extra little houses from Calico Cottages. Leave it to Judy to turn leftovers into something charming. Even now, her creativity is still sitting right beside me, holding pins and memories in equal measure.

Here she is presenting me with the gift of the pincushion.  She was always making fun of me for putting a flange on so many of my designs, so what does she do....she put a flange around the cottage. She always made me laugh.

Here is Judy's Calico Cottages quilt.  Judy was an excellent quilter and loved creating for others.

Here's a picture of four of us with our Calico Cottages. Everyone else has a finished quilt, mine is still waiting patiently to be quilted!

Judy was the kind of quilting friend who stitched beauty into every part of life. Her quilts were extraordinary and full of precision, color, and heart.  It was her kindness, humor, and steady friendship that made her truly unforgettable. I saw her only once a year, and we always picked up right where we left off.  She shared her talent generously, lifting others up and inspiring everyone around her. Losing her leaves an empty chair at the sewing table, but her legacy of creativity, compassion, and joy will remain wrapped around all of us like one of her quilts, always comforting, warm, and made with love.

I miss you, Judy.

Soon,

Lynn

Retreat Preparations and Updates

 Hello Everyone,

In my last post I showed you my friend's Calico Cottages quilt she entered into the Independence Hall Quilt Show......Diane won a well-deserved Viewer's Choice ribbon!

We went out for lunch to celebrate after the guild meeting. Mr. Joe met up with us down at The Bistro and Diane took our picture to show off the fall colors in the area. 

Speaking of fall colors, our dogwood tree is spectacular this year.  The tree is located right outside the windows in our great room, and we get to enjoy it all day every day.

I’ve been busy prepping for my final retreat of the year, which kicks off this Sunday. Three quilters are arriving early—this Friday, just two days away… YIKES! On Saturday, a few of us are heading to Yosemite for a little adventure before the stitching, laughter, and creative magic officially begins.

As part of my retreat prep, I’ve done just a touch of autumn decorating with nothing too elaborate. These days, I find myself thinking, “Whatever goes up now has to come down soon… because Christmas is just around the corner!” Still, it’s nice to enjoy the cozy colors and little touches of fall, even if only for a few fleeting weeks 

I also cut six more kits for Country Charmer yesterday.  Whatever is left over after the retreat, will go into my Etsy shop after the retreat. 

Speaking of Etsy shop, I'm slowly adding new listings for DIGITAL DOWNLOAD in my shop.  As I track the orders, I'm noticing many sales outside of the United States to Australia, France, Germany, Italy and the UK.  I feel this has been a very positive decision and quilters seem to be happy to have easier access to my patterns without the huge shipping costs both inside and outside the US.

This week I've added digital downloads for Bridle Path and Heritage to my shop.

Digital download for Heritage is located HERE.

Bridle Path DIGITAL DOWNLOAD is located HERE.

Yesterday I tackled the cobwebs in the cabin. though honestly, they could’ve passed for Halloween decor! I also began swapping out quilts and gave the master bedroom a deep clean. One of my favorite things is creating cozy little areas to showcase different quilts, moving them around until each one finds its perfect spot.  I'm having a tour of the cabin during the retreat, so it has to be spotless.....tell that to Mazey so she won't leave trails of golden hair around the cabin. She sheds so much, I'm surprised she's not bald!

I'm off to begin my workday of making those pesky cobwebs disappear.

Soon,

Lynn

  

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

 

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

 

Beautiful Quilts

 Hello Everyone,

I always encourage you to make the quilt your own—add your unique touch, reinterpret the pattern, and let it reflect your creativity. A pattern is just a starting point, not a rulebook! I was thrilled to receive these photos: one from a wonderful follower and another from a dear friend. Both quilts are beautiful reflections of their personal style and thoughtful craftsmanship.

This is my Calico Cottages pattern made by my friend, Judy.  She named the quilt English Cottages since she used the English Garden line by Laundry Basket Quilts. I'm so glad she's coming to my November retreat so I can see this quilt in person!

I love the backing fabric! It's like having a 2-sided quilt.

The following images are from Joan who made turned my Country Sampler pattern from 9" blocks to 18" blocks using her AccuQuilt dies. The ribbon border is striking and frames the blocks so nicely.

Look at those perfect points!

It brings me so much joy to receive pictures of your quilts. I truly understand the time, heart, and effort that each quilt demands, and I absolutely love seeing the beautiful work you’ve created.

Both patterns can be purchased HERE in my Etsy shop. 

A dear friend from high school and her partner are coming for dinner tonight, so today’s agenda is all about cooking and giving the cabin a good tidy-up. Honestly, if it weren’t for company, I’m not sure I’d ever bother to clean—nothing like a visit to spark some motivation!

Have a great weekend.

Soon,

Lynn

Calico Cottages on Steroids

 Hello Everyone,

My friend Diane came over yesterday and she brought her incredible Calico Cottages quilt for me to see.

Diane super-sized her quilt and it fit perfectly on our queen-sized bed. There was absolutely no chance that she was going to leave it with me......I tried.

Every house is different giving you a feast for your eyes as they travel around the quilt.  All of the blocks are bordered with one of the stripe fabrics from my Hearthstone collection.  

The muted hourglass units really set the house blocks off nicely.

The quilt was masterfully quilted by Dianne Schweickert in Livermore, CA.

Diane and her husband are spending a few days at their cabin up here in the mountains.  While it snows, Diane has been working on the binding.  Snow, quilting, and a finished quilt......what could be better?

This quilt is an excellent way to use up some of those scraps that are filling bins in your sewing room.  All of those itty-bitty scraps can be put to work and turned into an amazing quilt.  

Diane started making this quilt at one of my quilt retreats at Snowflake Lodge.  The houses are very addicting, and she couldn't stop making them.  She has enough houses to make another quilt!

If you are interested in making a Calico Cottage quilt, the pattern is located by clicking HERE where you will directed to my Etsy shop.

I have a question for all of you quilters in Quiltland.  I received a message from a very disappointed quilter that I did not include paper templates in my Heritage pattern.  I told her I only include templates in my one and only foundation paper-pieced pattern, such as Calico Cottages.

The quilter said ALL patterns she buys include paper templates which she prefers since she has a hard time cutting accurately.  Since I do not buy patterns from other designers, I'm wondering if other designers include paper templates for pieced quilts.  Am I behind the 8-ball here?  Should I include paper templates in my patterns?  I do include detailed cutting charts which I always thought were more than sufficient.  Please weigh in with your thoughts.

We've had a snowy week here at Sew'n Wild Oaks.  Next week looks like we are going to be buried under a lot of snow.  This makes for good quilting weather!  The folks in my area are calling this Marchuary.  (That's too close to mortuary for my liking!)  Anyway, we had just a few dustings of snow in January and February.  March has roared in like a lion, and we are getting our much-needed snow.

Soon,

Lynn

Calico Cottages

 Hello Everyone,

Since I haven't been able to do any quilting in the past couple of weeks, I asked my sister if she would send me pictures of her finished Calico Cottages quilt. 

Her cat, Quinn, wanted to be in the picture while he was checking out the quilt. Her kitties become a problem when it comes time to work on the binding. 

Gail really disliked foundation paper-piecing when she started this quilt.  It took about 3 days for the process to sink in.  Once she got it, she got it, and she couldn't stop making the little cottages. Every time I start paper-piecing I have to get my tutorial out and read it before I begin.

This quilt makes use of all of the little scraps you have in bins and on shelves in your sewing room.  Gail had so much fun selecting the fabrics, and she did a great job combining the different colors.  She loves this quilt as well she should!

The pattern is available HERE in my Etsy shop. 

I'm feeling better and I had a good day yesterday, Friday.  I'm not doing much at all which is hard for me as lounging around is not in my vocabulary.  But I've learned I can lounge around, and I know that's what I need to do right now.  This picture was taken three days after surgery.  I'm standing, and walking, but not for very long.   Alex and Ricky were so concerned about me.  Alex texted me a couple times a day on the trip back to California.  Alex, Ricky and the entire Quilt Show crew are very caring, and I appreciate them.

Soon,

Lynn

Calico Cottages

 Hello Everyone,

My sister, Gail, has a beautiful Calico Cottages flimsy ready to send off to be machine quilted.

The little cottages within the setting triangles, measure 3" x 3".  You can see the wonderful selection of strips surrounding the block.

This quilt is truly a scrappy quilt and it's amazing just how much fabric you use while making it.  It feels so good to put all of those scraps to work and showcase them.

Here are the corners.  The little 9-patch has strip after strip around it.  Gail's fabrics are all from the same family of reproduction fabrics from many, many different fabric lines.  They all work together beautifully.

All of the roofs, windows, and the chimneys are the same.  This was her first attempt at foundation paper-piecing.  She was not a fan at first......I can attest to that!  But, once she got it, she got it and couldn't stop making these precious little houses.

You can find the pattern HERE in my Etsy shop.  The quilt measures 62" x 62" which makes a wonderful wall hanging or lap quilt.  Gail loves her quilt as well she should!

On the home front, taxes have been submitted to the accountant as of yesterday.  Mazey is now eating and drinking a lot as she's making up for lost time.  The steroids are making her feel better and she's now able to chew without pain.....but a case of the 'trots' has her running to the door day and night.  We take turns nightly on who has to get up and take her out.  It's a bit scary out there in the woods at night. Luckily, she gets straight to work, and we aren't standing around outside for too long.  What we do for our precious pets!  

Soon,

Lynn