Sew'n Wild Oaks August Retreat

 Hello Everyone,

Here are some more pictures from the August retreat.  I have to get all of them posted before the next retreat starts!

I'm starting out the show today with Eileen's gorgeous Lil' Orphan Scrappy. The brights colors make this quilt dazzle!

Taimi has been working out of her stash for years and created another beautiful quilt.

I love this simply elegant Christmas quilt by Judy.

You need a long table to showcase this Christmas table runner by Trina.

Anne designed and made the center section for her new quilt.

She put the completed parts and pieces up on the design wall.  It's going to be a beauty.

Sharon's wonderful center section.

I start each day with a positive affirmation for the group which is a great way to begin our day together.

Linda made this little moose for her daughter's cabin.

Linda's granddaughter made a painting of the moose for her bedroom! It is so sweet.

Joy worked on her quilt during the retreat and had it altogether by Wednesday evening.

Julie started her table topper during the retreat and it's ready to be quilted!

I teach little mini-sessions each day.

Look how intently everyone is listening!

Trina gave us a moving glimpse into her work at Square One in Woodland, where she supports individuals facing significant life challenges. Her role focuses on equipping at-risk youth with the skills they need to navigate adulthood—and the results speak volumes. Square One has an impressive track record of helping students graduate high school, and their programs go beyond academics. They even offer quilting classes, weaving creativity and comfort into their curriculum. Trina shared several heartfelt stories that reminded us just how powerful compassion and community can be.

The quilting community is more than a gathering of makers—it's a living tapestry of stories, traditions, and shared joy. Across generations and geographies, quilters come together to stitch not just fabric, but connection. In church basements, sunlit studios, bustling retreats, and quiet corners of homes, they trade techniques, laughter, and life lessons.

What makes this community extraordinary is its generosity. Quilters give freely—of time, talent, and heart. They make comfort quilts for those in crisis, memory quilts to honor loved ones, and celebration quilts to mark milestones. Every thread carries intention.

And then there’s the magic of collaboration. Whether it’s a group project that spans states or a spontaneous show-and-tell at a retreat, quilters lift each other up. They celebrate each other’s wins, troubleshoot tricky techniques, and marvel at the beauty born from scraps. It’s a space where tradition meets innovation, and where every voice—no matter how new or seasoned—is welcomed.

In a world that often rushes past the handmade, the quilting community reminds us to slow down, to honor craft, and to find meaning in the stitches we share.

Soon,

Lynn

Retreat Pictures

 Hello Everyone,

Still soaking in the joy from August’s retreat—I've just posted more photos if you’d like to take a peek! Hard to believe I’m already deep in prep for my September retreat at Zephyr Point at Lake Tahoe…which kicks off two weeks from tomorrow. YIKES is right!

Enjoy your morning quilt show, friends. It is full of color, texture, and inspiration. Some of the pictures are from our nightly show and tell, and others are pictures I took while walking around the room.

Lots of parts and pieces for a basket quilt. 

All of those HST are going to make my For the Love of Baskets design.  My sister, Gail, made this quilt.

Lucy Boston blocks were popping up around the room.

Happy friends.

Mother/Daughter due.

With not much notice, I asked my friend, Julie if she could teach a wool applique class.  Julie is a natural teacher, and you'd never have known this was her first time teaching. I kept telling Julie she had to earn her keep since she was staying we me. 

I love Evelynne's organizational skills.

This group of wonderful women are the creators and presenters of your morning quilt show.  

Personal Note #1 - Mr. Joe has been camped out in his recliner these past couple of months, feeling pretty under the weather. Back in June, he volunteered to help set up at the Flea Market—loading and unloading around 30 hefty tables. The next day, he looked like he’d sprouted short T-Rex arms…poor guy could barely move without wincing.

After several doctor visits, X-rays, and bloodwork, they found significant inflammation in his shoulders and neck. He’s currently being tested for polymyalgia rheumatica, an autoimmune condition. This week brought a cortisone shot to the shoulder, and thankfully, he was feeling a bit better yesterday.  The condition is treatable without surgery.  I could tell he felt much better yesterday when he actually reached for the hummingbird feeder to add more liquid to it.  Small steps led to a great feeling of independence and a return to a better quality of life.

Personal note #2 -I threw my hat in the ring for our cabin’s homeowner's association Board of Directors—figured since I use the facilities often for my retreats, it was time to have a say in how things are run. Well, I won! Victory feels good… though I’m still deciding whether I’ve just invited a new headache into my already full week. Today kicks off with a three-hour orientation, and Tuesday brings a three-hour Zoom meeting—right on our 53rd anniversary. Not exactly how I imagined celebrating, but here we are.

Personal note #3 -The paper swatches and JPEGs for my next fabric line from Marcus Fabrics just arrived—and I’m absolutely smitten! This collection has such a bright, vintage charm that I couldn’t resist diving right in. I’ve already designed a quilt using the new line and sent it off to Marcus, so they’ll have a visual to pair with the color card when they debut it in Houston next month. It’s thrilling to see it all come together… honestly, it should be illegal to have this much fun! Hopefully the fabric will arrive directly from South Korea in about 6 weeks. 

So now I have to sign off and go and get ready to do my civic duty at my Homeowner's Association. Sigh.....

Soon,

Lynn

Safe for Now

 Hello Everyone,

I'm deeply relieved and grateful to share that our mountain community was spared from the lightning-sparked fires. Instead of spending the day packing up everything dear to us, I found myself back at the sewing machine, stitching peace and calm into fabric and myself.

I was deeply touched to hear from so many of you—from Nova Scotia to Italy—who reached out after seeing news of the fires on international broadcasts. Your concern and care meant the world to us.

This block is from my Country Charmer pattern, one of my earliest designs and still close to my heart. I’ve paired it with Cozy Christmas fabric by Katie Solberg for Marcus Fabrics—a festive, nostalgic choice that brings the whole piece to life. Over the years, my approach to pattern writing has evolved, so I’ve been revisiting and rewriting this one to reflect the clarity and style I strive for. I’ve stocked up on fabric to create kits, though the beautiful plaid backing is currently on backorder and expected to arrive in October.

Yesterday brought a delightful surprise—our UPS driver delivered paper copies of my upcoming fabric line, and I could hardly contain my excitement! I wish I could show you every detail right now. It’s a reproduction-inspired collection with a fresh, brighter twist, and I’m itching to dive into the design process. The line will make its debut in Houston this October, and I’ll be creating a quilt design to showcase it. Even more thrilling: I’ll also be designing a special quilt for Hobby House Needleworks in Pittsford, NY, where I’ll be teaching next May. So many beautiful things in motion—it’s all incredibly exciting!

Thank you again for expressing your concern about the fires. We are well into fire season and it's always a worry.

Soon,

Lynn