Missives from Quilt Camp - October 2026

I brought several projects to work on this year, and managed to work on all of them!  I know this post is a month late.  I didn't take a lot of pictures ... so it's taken me a while to piece it all together to make a post.

Half-square triangles for the Magic Square Quilt.  I made 336 half-square triangles out of this Midnight Nectar layer cake.  Turns out, the Magic 8 Method worked great to turn 10-inch squares into 8 HSTs.  Now I have to trim all of them down to 4-1/2 squares -- one at a time.  That will take a while.  I guess I'll have some handwork for Charmers and Friday Girls for the foreseeable future!

 

This is what the basic block looks like.

 

  And this is how they fit together.

 

I also got a good start making these Manx Log Cabin blocks.  I may try to continue with this project, making 1 block a day like I did with the Raspberry one earlier this year.  I'm calling this one The Grape Soda Log Cabin Quilt.  This photo shows the kit I prepared for Quilt Camp, along with leftover Raspberry Manx blocks from last spring to act as samples.

 

One of the Grape Manx Log Cabin Blocks. 

 

 With 30 Grape Manx blocks done, here they are laid out on the design wall for a possible layout.

 

Rainbow Bargello - For some mindless sewing, I strip-pieced these rainbow strips together.  They still need to be cut and stratified along with the white sashing strips for the bargello.  This should go quick enough.  I did not want to do the cutting at Quilt Camp -- It's too easy to make a mistake that you cannot recover from if you are not paying attention, while someone is talking to you there.  Better to do the next part at home!

Here is the hand-made gift Laura made for each of us this year.  It's a quilted photo frame, complete with magnets on the back, so you can hang it on your fridge.  Nice!  Laura doesn't have to do this every year, but she does, and we are grateful and delighted for her efforts, though it is certainly not expected. [Laura: You are off the hook for next year, if you don't want to do it again!]

 

I gave Laura's 1950s iron a workout this year, and it worked beautifully--as always!  It has a nice flat bottom that presses better than my own steam iron at home.

When I went to Scotland in April, I brought back the cutest little wooden chicken for Laura.  She brought it to Quilt Camp and perched it on her sewing machine so she could look out over the great room at all the activity of the quilters present.  [The photo above is similar, but not the same chicken I gave her.]

Me and Laura at Quilt Camp, Lake Lucerne 2026.

We only had 14 people there this time, down from 21 last year.  We are considering other venues next year, as this place seems to be on it's last legs.  It's been a good place for us for 18 years -- with a fantastic lodge with a view of the Lake.  The cabins are not so great, and the food varies from year to year.  I think we might try a new facility next year ... 

Stay tuned!

Featherweight Club at Primitive Gatherings

I joined the Featherweight Club at Primitive Gatherings, which is the quilt shop closest to where I live.

A few of my quilting friends also have Featherweights and attend this monthly gathering.  Primitive Gatherings charges $25 to let us come and sew for the day.  They also serve lunch--a hearty home made soup and salad with dessert.  It's a chance to learn more about our fantastic machines and gather with others who love them too.

Lisa Bonjean is the owner.  They offer classes and retreats as well.  Allowing people to come and sew for the day gives us exposure to the property, making it more likely that we might sign up for a retreat some day.  And the official quilt shop is next door, just in case you need anything.

 

The property is beautiful and expansive, with high ceilings (think a barn floor) and gorgeous quilts on display.  See more about The Gathering space.

 

I spent the morning trimming the 388 half-square triangle blocks I made at Quilt Camp last month.  If I had known I'd have to spend 6 hours trimming all those blocks, I don't think I'll make another one of these quilts.  That said, it was much easier to do the drudge work of trimming all those blocks with friends to chat with.   And a handycutting mat the turns.  I filled up that little coffee cup 5 or 6x (or more) while I was trimming away ...

  

After lunch, I was able to do some sewing -- Finally got to use my Featherweight!  I paired up the HSTs and began stitching them together in the blocks.  I took them home and pressed them.  I may save the next round of stitching for the January Featherweight Club. 

 

My table mate Laura with her trusty antique 1950s iron and Rufus, the rooster travel case. 

Our friend Pat Schneider has been delving into collecting and re-habbing Featherweights.  It's bringing her such joy!  I'll have to ask her to oil and lube my Zora.  When I opened it up to oil it, some of the old lube was dried and cracked.  Time for a spa day with Pat! 

I am looking forward to the next session in early January 2027! 

 

Blazing Shuttles Fall Sparkle on a Jean Jacket

 

8-shaft Twill on a Sherwood Forest Warp from Blazing Shuttles

Remember that Sherwood Forest Blazing Shuttles warp I was working on last summer?  I finished a while back, but didn't want to take it off the loom until I had a new project ready to go on  The Big Loom.   It took me about 5 years to get up the courage to use this beautiful warp.  I was so afraid to ruin it with a weave that would obliterate the incredible colors.  But I took the leap a few months ago, and more than pleased with the way it turned out!

Part of this weaving became a scarf, and the rest of it got incorporated into the jean jacket above -- perfect colors for fall!  I am getting a lot of mileage out of it already!

 

The weaving pattern is an 8-shaft twill with a mercerized navy blue Perle cotton weft.   The beautiful colors are a hand-dyed warp from Blazing Shuttles called Sherwood Forrest. 

 

Unfurling the Sherwood Forest warp from Blazing Shuttles [60 sec. video]

 

LSQG Challenges through the Years

The Kiss - 2024 March Madness Challenge

Since Lakeside Quilts is more than 40 years old, and we have so many new members, it was proposed that we share our Quilt Challenges through the years.  These will be shown (with all submissions) at our Christmas party in December.  

Here are mine -- in no particular order:

 

Initials Challenge 2025

M = Midnight Blue [color]

L = Log Cabin {block]

M =  Matrix [quilting pattern]

 

 Spring Migration - 2007 Challenge

 This one did not have a theme other than to encourage members to think outside the box and try something new.  I wanted to try paper piecing that curvy flying geese trail.  We were given a small bag of things that had to be included in the quilt:

• 1 fat quarter
• beads
• eye lash yarn 
• sparkle gold braid
• tulle

It won Viewer's Choice that year. Whoo-hoo! 

 

Dancing Crane: Black -White + 1 Other Color - 2023 Challenge

For this one, I used a convergence method to combine the red and white, and added the dancing crane with black paint and a stencil.  I was worried that the black being stencil paint might disqualify this one, so I made a 2nd one ...

 

 Winter Nights - Black-White +1 Other Color - 2023 Challenge

I made a 2nd challenge quilt that year because I thought the dancing crane might be disqualified because the black was added as a surface design, and wasn't fabric quilted into the whole piece.  

A little more practice with convergence quilts.  

 Moonlight Sleeping on a Midnight Lake - Quilt Jam 2026

This challenge was to take a favorite song or lyric and render it visually as a quilt. 

I chose Ladysmith Mambazo's song Homeless, made popular in the 1980s with Paul Simon.

 

Red-Tailed Hawk Sailing Down the Canyon - Quilt Jam 2026 

 

Because this challenge was so juicy, I had 100 ideas for other quilts that would illustrate a favorite lyric or song.  This one is inspired by John Hiatt's song "Before I Go."

 

I used techniques learned from Pat Bishop who taught a workshop for the Guild the year before. 

 

 

Peace by Piece - 2005 Challenge

This time, we were to incorporate this poem into a quilt.  I chose to play with 3D effects.  The flying geese pop out, as do the pin wheels and the ruffles.  At the time, I was also learning to do free-motion quilting, so I got to play with that, too.  The poem is the centerpiece.  I gave this one to my mom, and it hung on the wall in her sewing room until just recently when I passed it on to my sister in Japan.

 

Embrace Your Curves - 2024 Fly-In Challenge

 What has more curves than an octopus with tentacles waving?  Ha!  Clyde the Octopus

 

 The Kiss - 2024 March Madness Quilt Challenge

For this one, the only requirement was to use the Roman Glass fabric, which I made into her dress.  I added my own challenge for this one in that I had to use only fabrics from my stash and scrap pile.  I could not purchase anything new for this piece.

This is a modern rendition of Klimt's very famous painting, The Kiss, which is one of my all-time favorites! 

I thought there might be a few more, but I guess this is all I did as far a challenges for the Guild. 

I'm so glad to have this blog that provides a record of all these projects and challenges, as well as my process and thinking behind each one.  Here's to documentation! 

 

Quick Star Block

 

 

This seems vaguely familiar.  I think it's the disappearing hour glass block #1.

It's easy enough to do with this method. 

 

Maybe this would be a good option for my Solid Colors Quilt Challenge for the Lakeside Quilt Guild? 

I think this one is destined for a tote bag. 

 

Here are my quick notes on how to make this star: 

 

What to Bring to Quilt Camp

 

Fall color in Antigo, WI last week.  They are ahead of my part of WI.  There may not be any color yet at Quilt Camp, which is due west of here.

 

Here are the kits / projects I am planning to work on this year:

1) Grape Soda Manx Log Cabin

2) Magic Squares Quilt x2 

 

3) Deck the Halls Wall Hanging

4) Light Rainbow Bargello

5) Fusible Applique Project?

 This post serves as a utility to remind me year-to-year 

What to Bring to Quilt Camp:

• Bedding and pillow
• Towel
• Overnight Bag 
• Tech Bag with chargers
• Flashlight [Check batteries!]

• Sewing Machine
• Tool Box (My tool box is jam packed with lots of things I don't have to list separately here ...)
• Project Kits
• Sew Steady Table
• TV Tray Side Table
• Cutting Mat and rotary cutter
• Rulers
• Flannel Backed Table Cloth as a design wall 
• Tea and Travel Mug 
• Water Bottle 
• "House" Shoes / Slippers (so as not to drag in sand from outside)  
• Easily removable shoes so I can use the foot pedal on my sewing machine in socks.

 

Magic Square Quilt (aka Summer Season Quilt) Tutorial by Jenny Doan

 How to Make a Summer Season Quilt - Jenny Doan

aka Magic Square or 4 Seasons 

I am prepping quilt kits to take to Quilt Camp in October.  

I purchased this garden-inspired layer cake in Madison.  I have a cream-colored neutral background to go with it.   I will add borders, but I don't think I'll bother with the scalloped edges.

 I like to do at least 1 as a test case or a model of what I need to do ...   You can see those half-quare triangles in the foreground.  I used the Magic 8 method, and it worked out very nicely!

Making half-square triangles seems like a good project for Quilt Camp. 

 

Here is the basic layout for this quilt.  Though there are so many possibilities with HSTs. 

Grape Soda Manx Quilt Kit

Grape Manx Log Cabin Quilt Kit

I'm setting up kits for Quilt Camp in October.  I made a Raspberry & Cream Manx log cabin last spring, and loved it so much, I wanted to make another one. 

In the kit, I cut out 2 possibilities for the centers: 1 blue and 1 gray.  Not sure which one will work better yet.  There will be some color mavens at Quilt Camp whom I can consult on the weekend. ;-) 

Turning a Hand-Sewn Manx Quilt Block into Machine-Sewn by Timothy Totten.

For reference, here is the video tutorial I used to make this quilt.  It's by machine, whereas most Manx Quilts seem to be done by hand, which would completely fall apart if I did it that way!

Haul from FREE Quilter's Rummage Giveaway

This quilt top is missing 1 block.  Will I make one to fit, or just remove the last row of blocks?  I liked it because it reminds me of summer breezes and waves on the lake.  Light and airy.  It's also similar to our own Lakeside Quilters logo, though not the colors.

 

Here's a close-up of one of the blocks -- should I choose to make a fill-in for the missing block.  

 I did not make this quilt top.  It came from ...

The person who heads up the Charity Quilts for Lakeside Quilts gets a lot of donations, and some of it isn't really all that usable.  So today, she held a FREE rummage sale for anyone in the Guild to come and take away whatever was on display, just to make some room in her garage.  

Here's what I got [Bear with me.  If I do an inventory like this, it helps me remember what I've got for future use.] :

 

I was looking for some basic rulers, but apparently they got claimed for the boutique.  I could have had my pick from my mom's stash 6 years ago, but I didn't need anything then.  I did find these 2 rulers.

This is a heavier canvas-y like fabric.  It might be nice to refinish my ironing board when I need to do it again. 

There was a box of homespun plaids, too.  I like to use these for chenille pot holders -- either for me or for gifts.

There was a box of pretty trims and ribbons, too.   I can add this to a jacket or fleece to dress it up a bit.

 

Some ticking, which is always good for lining or backing. 

   

Some additional fabric that I can add to the stash.  Perhaps one of these could be used for the missing block in the quilt top above?

What I left there: 

There was also a box of dye supplies (books, measuring cups, blue-red-yellow dye) and a box of silk ties, bags of scraps, stencils for particular patterns, and lots of other fabric, but I left all of them there.  Yeah for at least some self control!

Little Things: French Press Tea Cozy in Red

Tea Cozy for a French Press - in Red 

I made a little tea cozy for a French Press.  I'd given the French Press to my friend Laura a few months ago so she could make "proper" tea when I came to visit.  But I did not gift it with a jacket.  She had to ask for one!  I was so embarrassed that I had not thought of it sooner.

I'd made a tea cozy for my house a while back, and used the same general pattern.

Someone left a bundle of red patchwork squares on the Free Table at Quilt Guild the other night, and I thought that would be perfect for this project, since Laura loves red. ;-)  It was!

I paired them up, and made them into hour glass blocks, then  pieced them together into a larger piece of fabric, then cut out the pattern, added a back and voi la!  a cute little jacket for her French Press!

I had to fold the top down so it would fit nicely through the handle, and not interfere with pouring the tea. 

The closure is a simple button with a sturdy hair tie. 

 Here's the inside.