Zephyr Point Retreat Day One

 Hello Everyone,

Revving our engines like Grand Prix racers, six of us made our way to Lake Tahoe, ready to kick off the Sew’n Wild Oaks retreat with heart, hustle, and a whole lot of fabric.

The sky and the day were beautiful for our 3-hour drive to the lake.

Our destination was the Presbyterian Retreat Center at Zephyr Point—our home base for stitching, storytelling, and a little joyful chaos. I’ll take a photo today of our room, bursting at the seams with people and projects. And the best part? We can swing open the doors and step straight out to the lake. It’s like the view itself is part of the retreat.

It's the perfect arrangement as all of our rooms are on the same floor as our work area.

Once we got unpacked, we began the retreat with words of inspiration.  

Time to get ready and head over to Cabin 28, our little haven for the morning coffee ritual. The girls will be gathering soon, coffee in hand, and laughter already brewing.

Soon,

Lynn

Bridle Path Under the Stars

 Hello Everyone,

One of the true delights of designing patterns is seeing how quilters around the world make them their own. I recently received a photo from a talented quilter in France who made my Bridle Path pattern with a beautiful twist—she swapped out the house blocks for stars, adding her own sparkle to the design. What a joy to see creativity cross borders! She's calling this Bridle Path Under the Stars.

The stars dance across the quilt in their beautiful colorway.

Here's the creator peeking around the side of this gorgeous quilt.

I received these beautiful images from Emma, the owner of Le Patchwork d'Emma in France. You can explore her beautiful shop HERE. Emma and I stay in touch from time to time—she’s carried several of my Block of the Month programs and occasionally places pattern orders. Most recently, I sent Cozy Country Christmas patterns to the Marcus Fabrics warehouse so they could ship out with her fabric order. Bundling the shipment this way helps Emma avoid the steep international shipping costs, and I’m always glad when we can make things a little easier across the miles and across the pond.

Oh, how I would love to shop in Emma's shop!  Emma's style is so my style.

On another note, I've been very quiet lately as I've been busy preparing for the retreat that I'm hosting at Zephyr Cove on the shores of Lake Tahoe. This is our magical retreat area.  We walk out the doors and we are at the shores of the lake.

I leave on Sunday with a car full of fabric bolts, kits and bundles.  I'm also planning on getting some quilting accomplished while I'm there.  I'm working on my new version of Country Charmer using Cozy Christmas fabrics. 

I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of the plaid fabrics so I can wrap up cutting kits for my booth at the Independence Hall Quilt Faire coming up in mid-October. The quilt is coming together—I have a nice little stack of finished blocks, and the rest of the pieces are cut and ready to go under the needle. Today’s task: cutting sashings and nine-patch sections from the fabric I starched yesterday. It’s one of those satisfying, quiet prep days where I can cut while listening to a book on Audible. 

Last weekend our grandson, Jess competed in his last high school rodeo at the Northern California Junior Rodeo Association. We were there to watch the event on Saturday.  He came in 1st on the final day, Sunday.

He was awarded the Senior Cowboy Academic Scholarship.

Right after the awards ceremony, he had to hop in his truck and make the 4-hour drive back to Quincy to be in class at Feather River College the next morning.

His event is Chute Dogging.  He begins in the chute, the gate swings open and he brings down the steer.  He brought this bad boy down in 1.87 seconds which was his personal best and the best time for the entire year for all of the boys. He finished 3rd for the year out of 28 competitors. Two boys tied for 1st with 15 points.  Jess was one point behind with 16 points.

He’s riding with the college rodeo team and just stepped into the world of steer wrestling. That means galloping alongside a steer, sliding off his horse mid-run, and wrestling the steer to the ground. I’ll admit, those horns make me a little nervous! But rodeo isn’t his long-term plan. He’s majoring in Ranch Management with a focus on welding—something solid and skillful that’ll help him build a future and earn a living. I admire his grit and heart every time he climbs into that arena. 

This is one busy kid!  He's in the gym two mornings a week with the rodeo team at 5am.  He goes to class throughout the week and also works as a diesel mechanic a few hours a week to help pay the bills.

We are anticipating a nice rainstorm tonight complete with thunder and lightning.  I hope the lightning doesn't cause any fires like it did two weeks ago.  There is supposed to be more rain with this storm which is the remnant of a tropical storm.

Gotta scoot!  I have a lot on my to-do to accomplish today.

Soon,

Lynn

 

My Bobbin is Full

 Hello Everyone,

Yesterday’s afternoon walk carried that unmistakable whisper of fall—crisp air, golden light, and the promise of changing leaves. Inspired by that seasonal shift, this week’s Pattern of the Week is Leaf Peepers. Honestly, if the leaves in my yard looked anything like the blocks in this pile, I’d be out there raking with a smile. Thankfully, Mazey takes her raking duties very seriously—she’s always ready to lend a paw.

Here's the finished quilt from the photoshoot taken at Ironstone Winery.  The fire last week burned right up to the fences of this spectacular Gold Country Winery.

Every quilt has her picture taken on this old sled by the woodburning stove.

I had a lot of batiks leftover from another project, so I decided to put them to work in a new Leaf Peepers.

I pulled out the brown setting squares and laid all the leaf blocks side by side, shading them from light to dark—like watching the sky drift down to the forest floor. It’s got that quiet, earthy rhythm I love. This one’s nestled in my “need to finish” pile… and it’s whispering louder every day.....especially during this time of the year I think it's shouting at me!

The pattern can be found on sale in my Etsy shop HERE.

On a personal note, one year ago today, my life took a sharp turn. I was rushed from the ER in Walnut Creek to Kaiser’s Neurological Hospital in Redwood City after a stroke—caused by a brain bleed from too many blood thinners. That week was long, uncertain, and stitched with worry. But somehow, I came through it. Aside from a few balance hiccups (which might just be age doing its own patchwork number on me), I’ve made a full recovery.

This past year has reminded me that life—like quilting—can unravel in an instant. One moment you’re piecing together something beautiful, and the next, the thread breaks, or your bobbin runs out. But it also taught me that every day is a square worth saving. That love—like a well-worn quilt—should be wrapped around your family and friends with intention, warmth, and love.

So today, I’m treasuring the scraps and the masterpieces alike. And loving my family and friends with every stitch I have left in me....and my bobbin is full!

Soon,

Lynn