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

Woodlanders Retreat at Shake Rag Alley, July, 2024

I love taking workshops at Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, WI.  Woodlanders Retreat is an annual event at Shake Rag. It’s held in mid-July.  This year I signed up for “Silk Scarf Dyeing and Painting”, taught by Nancy Welch of Madison.  The class was held July 13, 2024.  Nancy has taught the class a number of years and it typically sells out.  Some classmates were repeat students.

We used “Spectra Bleeding Art Tissue” to add color to our silk scarf blanks. Nancy taught us her method and we all left the class with colorful scarves!

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

Return to North House Folk School

I last took a workshop at North House Folk School in 2019.  The school, located in Grand Marais, MN, is a special place.  I was thrilled to take another class there in November!  Grand Marais is about 430 miles north of my home.  I made some stops along the way and stayed over in Duluth for one night before the final push to Grand Marais.

Busy Bobbin Quilt Shop, Rice Lake, WI

Yarn Harbor, my favorite yarn store in the Duluth area. 

One Old Loon Quilt Shop, Two Harbors, MN.  This was my first visit to this shop.  Loved it!

Gooseberry Falls State Park.  North of Two Harbors, MN.  Fellow visitors took my photo.  I returned the favor.

Split Rock Light House.  I love this view of it from an overlook on MN Highway 61.

View of Lake Superior out my motel window.  Outpost Motel, Grand Marais, MN

  Time & Again Antiques, Chetek WI.  I visited this store while enroute to Duluth. 

North House Folk School, Grand Marais, MN.  You'll be happy to hear that the weather improved markedly while I was there.  The school is on the shore of Lake Superior.

The workshop I was enrolled in was called "Making Hide and Canvas Boots".  It was taught by Jo Wood, a very knowledgeable and likeable teacher.  I'd been wanting to take this class for YEARS!  If you ever get the chance, sign up for this class!  You will love it!

Working in pairs, we each wrapped a foot with a plastic bag, then taped Duct tape all around it.  The "foot" mold was the cut apart to make a pattern for the boots.

Students chose leather from a selection of hides.  My choice was elk hide.  The leather is used to make the bottom/foot section of the boots.  Cotton canvas is used for the boot upper.  Felt boot liners were added at the very end, once the boots were sewn together.  The liners were purchased by students in advance of the workshop.  Most of us ordered those through Steger Moccasins, in Ely, MN.

Our classroom at North House Folk School.

There were breaks during the workshop.  Taking in the scenery was relaxing.

I collect embroidered trims.  I brought a selection of them with me to Grand Marais.

While cotton canvas was included in the class supply fee, I chose to purchase my own ahead to time.  I picked Hunter green as I love the color.  The boots are sewn almost entirely by hand.  Sewing machines were used to construct the canvas upper sections.  I sewed my trim on by hand.

Ta da!  The finished project!  Photo taken after I returned home.

 

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

Recently Sewn Batik Garments

Greetings!  Happy Spring!

I love to sew and I always have multiple projects in progress.  These are garments I've recently completed   I used the same two vintage sewing patterns for all four outfits.  The pattern I used for the top is Simplicity 8480 (©1977).  The harem pants are made using Butterick 5336 (©1991).  These patterns turn up on sites such as Etsy and ebay.  All of these outfits are made with cotton batik fabrics from Indonesia.

Fabric for this red and white outfit was purchased three years ago.  With a definite Wisconsin flavor, I couldn't pass it up!  All three red and white fabrics were ordered from equilter.com.  I have red and white shoes to wear with this outfit!

The “main” batik used in the outfit shown below was purchased at the Portage Quilt House, Houghton, MI, in 2019.  We were in the area, awaiting a trip to Isle Royale National Park.  I added patchwork and novelty yarn to the yoke.

Aiming for a bit of a “southwest” look, I combined three batiks in this top/harem pants combo.

The turquoise fabric and the dark brown fabric were purchased at the same location in North Dakota. I’ve had those two fabrics a long time, likely since ~ 2008. I know that I bought them while we were on an early trip to Yellowstone National Park.  We’ve driven there four times.

Lastly, an outfit in my favorite colors (jewel tones).  Note the patchwork on the sleeves, and the vintage trim on the sleeves, yoke, and the pants cuffs.  Most of the fabric used in this outfit was purchased at a nearby Joann Fabrics store.

Holiday Garb

Though it's now spring here in Wisconsin, I decided to belatedly post something about the blouse I made to wear to a holiday gathering last December.  

I/we were invited to a mid-December party, being held at a neighbor's home.  I needed something festive to wear and I wanted it to be something new!  So, I visited the nearby Joann Fabrics store.  It's less than two miles from my home.  Once in the store, I located a pattern I had seen featured on an internet site.  I then looked around the store for awhile, to choose fabrics I liked.  I wanted something for the main body, plus a few accent pieces.  I knew I'd be adding some embellishments from my own stash (I always do).

The pattern I chose is shown below.

These are the three fabrics I picked. 

I often gather up potential embellishment elements before I start a project.

I added some of these embellishments to my blouse.

Antique net lace was stitched to the yoke.

Other vintage laces and trims were used as well.

Sequins and beads!

Current sewing projects usually hang on the door to my sewing/art studio.  As you might notice, I initially added elastic to the waist, as shown in one view of the pattern.  I tried the blouse on and didn't like the look.  Out came the seam ripper and the elastic and casing disappeared.



Hot Fix crystals were applied atop the lace on the yoke. 



Ta da!  Ready for the party!