Recent and Current Projects

I typically have multiple art projects in progress at the same time.  Some are finished quickly, others, not so much.  As you can tell, I love the Boho style!  

The butterfly-themed harem pants were made from fabric purchased at Joann Fabrics right before they closed permanently.  

The dress in the second photo was made from batiks I had on hand.  The pattern, "Wilder Gown", is easy to make and is flattering to most body types.

 Lastly, I'm knitting a scarf in garter stitch.  The bulky yarn was purchased in Bozeman, MT last February. 

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

Boho Fabric Beads at Shakerag Alley, Mineral Point, WI

I enjoyed an evening workshop at Shake Rag Alley in July.  “Boho Fabric Beads” taught by Jonna Wensel was a fun class! Jonna is the Assistant Director of Shake Rag Alley.  This event was part of the monthly “Makers & Shakers Art Party”, sponsored by Shake Rag Alley, Mineral Point, WI.

 

 

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

Woodlander’s Retreat: Darn Socks

Taught by Christina Kubasta, Director of Shake Rag Alley, this 3 hour class was held outdoors on a breezy July morning.  While the focus of the class was on repairing holes in socks, participants were free to bring other projects.  

 

I chose to bring a favorite shirt, a thrift shop find purchased years ago.  I was repairing a/k/a covering up a few paint spots on my shirt.  I employed fusible web and a small amount of fabric printed with chickens.  My favorite embroidery stitch (raised chain band) was done with red floss. . . it encircles the chicken patches.  You can see before & after photos below!

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

Irreverent Embroidey

Offered in May of 2026, the title and description drew me into this workshop.  Given the current political situation in this country, most of us understood the assignment.  While most supplies were provided, I decided it was time to embroider the pinafore style apron I’d purchased from Dick Blick.  Sorry, my photos aren’t great, but you get the idea.  I used my favorite embroidery stitch, Raised Chain Band, for most of the lettering.  I added a running stitch in black around each letter to make the words more visible.

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

Paper & Book Camp 2.0, Shake Rag Alley, April 2026

This multi-day workshop was held April 24th - 26th at beautiful Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, WI.  I take many classes there.  I'm also a volunteer at Shake Rag.  Karen Robison, our instructor (and a friend) is a wonderful teacher.  She is very knowledgeable and down-to-earth! 

Most workshop supplies were provided.  Students were invited to bring additional items from home if desired.  I brought lace, in addition to paper. Lots of lace!

We learned many interesting techniques!  Among them tea dyeing, cyanotype, layering, masking, and more!  Some students choose to bind their papers into books.  Karen showed several binding techniques. Other students are using their dyed/manipulated paper/fiber creations for collage projects.  

 

 

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

Old Faithful Winter Expedition

Our fifth visit to Yellowstone National Park took place early this year. "Lodging and Learning" vacations are offered through Yellowstone Forever, the educational arm of the park.  All of our trips to Yellowstone have centered around their lodging and learning offerings.  

We'd originally been scheduled to go on this trip in February of 2024.  We had to cancel that trip due to unforeseen circumstances.  So, we decided try again this year!  This was our first wintertime visit to the park.  The program we attended, Old Faithful Winter Expedition, was held February 12 - 16.  We flew from Madison to Bozeman, MT on Monday, the 10th.  We then traveled to Mammoth Hot Springs on Feb. 11th, via Zanterra’s winter shuttle service.  We purposely arrived early in order to acclimate to Yellowstone’s high altitude.

Our expedition group included 10 participants plus a naturalist guide and a snow coach driver.

Winter is a great time to see Yellowstone.  Only two of the park lodges are open during winter and we stayed in both of them.  While the lodges were full, there were FAR fewer visitors than we've seen on any of our previous trips.  Most of the roads are closed to private vehicles in the winter.  Travel is only by snow coach or snow machine (snowmobiles as we call them in Wisconsin).

I took hundreds of photos on this trip.  I'm posting just a few of them here. Usually we'd drive to Yellowstone, but this was a winter trip, so we traveled via Delta Airlines.  The first photo shows the Bozeman/Yellowstone Airport.  The setting is very pretty.  Other photos show scenery near, or in, Yellowstone.  The last photo (which doesn't want to be centered) features my yarn haul from "STIX" in Bozeman.  I bought the locally produced yarn on the last full day of our trip. I then had it shipped home to Wisconsin. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                      

                    All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

Go Pack Go!

My husband won a pair of tickets to a Green Bay Packers home game at Lambeau Field.  As part owners of the team, we were delighted to attend a game.  We’ve been to a few Packers games, but it had been awhile since we’ve been to Lambeau Field.  The game was the Packers vs. the Ravens on Dec. 27th. Our seats were in a suite (!).  They were donated to a Middleton organization by a generous woman who lives in Beaver Dam.  All of our food and drink was included, as well as a stop by a dessert cart outside the suite during halftime (who knew?).

Not wanting to drive to Green Bay on a winter day, we found chartered bus transportation through a local Packer fans club.  We've DONE the drive to Green Bay in winter.  And it is not pleasant!

While the Packers went down in defeat, the trip was still enjoyable.  We were able to visit parts of Lambeau Field we'd never seen before. 

 

 

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto