2024 Wall Quilt Show, Portage, WI

I have a quilt in the current Wall Quilt Show at the Portage Center for the Arts!  See my photos.

My quilt is titled “In the Shade of the Old Cupcake Tree”.  It was originally made as an entry in a Great Wisconsin Quilt Show challenge.  The challenge theme was “baking”.  P.S. The vest I’m wearing was made for a different challenge, in a different show, 20+ years ago.

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

September Happenings

Calling all fiber artists!  If you’re available September 7th - 10th, consider attending one, or both, of these events!

The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show and the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival have overlapping dates.  Both are excellent events offering classroom instruction, exhibits, and massive vendor malls!

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

Stops Along the Way: Part 1

I drove from Wisconsin to North Carolina at the end of May.  I was headed to the John C. Campbell Folk School where I would be teaching two classes!  I planned out the long drive to North Carolina ahead of time, noting points of interest along the way.  Points of interest, at least for me, include quilting-related venues and shops, yarn shops, and antiques stores.

Aware that there was an exhibition in Peoria, IL of some of the quilts owned by Ken Burns, I knew I needed to detour west on the first day of my drive through Illinois.  Ken Burns is someone I’ve actually met!  The photo directly below was taken at the Denali National Park train depot in August of 2016.  Ken was there as a guest of the National Park Service.  As it happens, he was staying at the same lodge as my husband and I.  How cool is THAT?

The quilt exhibit was being held at the Peoria Riverfront Museum.  This exhibit

will be on display at the upcoming Great Wisconsin Quilt Show, here in Madison!

Once I was done viewing the Ken Burns quilt collection exhibit, I walked over 

to a yarn shop LESS than a block away!  I didn't even have to move my car.

After spending money at the yarn shop, I hopped in my car and worked my way

South, to Effingham, IL.  This would be my first overnight stop. When choosing 

a hotel prior to starting my trip, I discovered one that was within five blocks of 

a quilt shop!  Oh my! 

Photos below are from the Wooden Spool, in Effingham, IL.







Stops Along the Way:  Part 2 will be published next month!  Stay tuned!

A Week at the John C. Campbell Folk School; a Place of Art and Beauty

I've had much of this post written since last October.  Then I kept thinking of more photos to add.

Now that I'm about to return to the Folk School, I decided to put the pedal to the metal and

publish this post.  Please scroll all the way down to see all of the photos.

Lucky me!  I finally got to attend a workshop at the school I've been dreaming of for years!  Wanting to learn a new skill, I enrolled in "Moccasin Making", held Oct. 14 - 20, 2018.  I was duly impressed by everyone at the school.  Not only do you meet new people, you get to see, and hear about, the
projects of students in other classes.  In addition, you're treated to lively music and dance
performances.

The two women teaching my workshop, Peggy Patrick, and Kay Patterson, were wonderful teachers. Spirited and highly competent, they provided a great atmosphere for imparting their knowledge of leather and shoe making.

I loved the Folk School!  I promptly signed up for another weeklong workshop (in late June, 2019).  I hope to teach at the Folk School in the future!

You'd be hard pressed to find a more beautiful setting than that found at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, N.C.

Some scenes from the John C. Campbell Folk School:
Looking east from the dining hall.

Taking in the trees.

Classroom where my workshop took place.

Starting my second pair of moccasins.

Photo (below) by Kay Patterson.

Modeling my first pair of moccasins.

Next two photos by Kay Patterson.

Everyone in the class did a great job!  Our work

was displayed to all on the final day of class.
Most of the workshops were represented in the
the student exhibit.  The fiddle students played
at the final gathering.

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival

These two vests have been selected to be shown at the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival.

The festival takes place in Hampton, VA, February 28 - March 3, 2019.

If you're at the festival, stop by and see my vests!

Top: “ Stunning Strawberries”, bottom: “ Five Year Plan”.  And yes, Five Year Plan
took five years to complete!  I started it in 2013 and finished it in 2018.

Quilt Expo 2018, Madison WI

Another Quilt Expo has wrapped up. Started in 2005, the expo continues to

draw large crowds!  I have been a presenter at Quilt Expo thirteen times.

Photo below shows yours truly posing in front of the official 

Quilt Expo photo board. Photo taken Saturday, Sept. 8th, the final 

Day of the three day event.  I made my colorful outfit in 2014. Not 

having shoes to match, I found some sandals at a thrift store. I painted 

the sandals, using Jacquard textile paints.

I visited my Bake Off challenge quilt, “In the Shade of the Old Cupcake

Tree”, on display at Quilt Expo. I was hopeful I’d get a ribbon . . .that 

was not to be.  The quilt is now on a two year tour.  Perhaps you'll see
it at a show in your area.

These recently completed vests were part of the “Vibrant Vests” trunk 

show I presented at Quilt Expo. I was lucky to have pleasant and 

good-humored attendees!

Vest trunk show set up in my basement . . . ready to go to Quilt Expo!

UW Health is a sponsor of Quilt Expo. They were giving out bags and

other items. The bags were popular and there were none left by

Saturday.

Nancy’s Notions has, in recent years, given out clever shopping bags with

a minimum purchase of $50.



Another purchase, another bag from Nancy’s Notions!

This purple shirt was available for purchase.

I had the great pleasure of knowing Nancy Zieman  for sixteen years.  She was 
one of the most kind people I've ever met. A new book by Rich Zieman, Nancy’s
husband, has just been published.  The book is very touching.

Quilt Expo 2018 Bake Off Challenge

I spent a good chunk of time this month working on my entry for

the Quilt Expo “Bake Off” challenge.  Entries are to feature a baking

or baked goods theme. Completed quilt must be 30” wide x 40” high.

I started hunting for fabric in early spring this year. I found an attractive
cupcake print at Joann Fabrics. I  purchased both the turquoise/white fabric, and the
yellow (cooking terms) fabric, at Blue Bar Quilts. I didn't know at the time how
I'd use those two fabrics. In the end, I used one for the background, and the
other for the "cabin"and for the quilt backing! Fabrics from my stash were used
for the tree and grass.  I came up with my design while watching a P. Allen Smith
garden/home show on Wisconsin Public Television.

I used raw edge applique and free motion quilting techniques to create my
quilt!  The cupcakes were cut from the print I found at Joann Fabrics. I used
the same fabric to bind the quilt. My quilt was enhanced by the use of brightly
colored rick rack, vintage tatting, and heat set crystals. The end result was an
only-in-my dreams cupcake tree!

My finished challenge entry, “In the Shade of the Old Cupcake Tree”, is
pictured below.  I submitted my entry about ten days ahead of the June
30th deadline!

Hoffman Challenge Entries

The Hoffman Challenge will celebrate 30 years in 2018!  Each year, the 

company designs a challenge fabric. Sometimes the fabric is offered in a 

choice of two colorways! Entrants can use one, or both, colorways in their 

entries. There are rules to follow and different categories (i.e. quilts, clothing)
to select. I have submitted entries in this contest four times. I submitted my 

first entry in 2000. At that time, entries were shipped to a curator before
they were judged (entries are now submitted online).  I waited anxiously
for news about my first entry. A few weeks later, my entry was
unceremoniously sent back to me. Obviously my vest was not selected
to go on tour. That entry is shown in the first photo below.

“Quilter Gone Bonkers”, ©️2000 Suzanne Myers Otto. I used raw edge

crazy quilting to compose the front of this vest. I collect mother-of-pearl
buttons and I incorporated a number of them into this vest. Pre-washed flannel

was used for the batting in this vest.

Vest back (below) is made of the 2000 challenge fabric. Note the decorative
machine stitching I used to quilt the vest. The stitching was done BEFORE the
lining was added.

Not to be deterred, I entered the Hoffman challenge again, in 2003. The challenge
fabric is the cherry print on a black background. This time I was successful, as
“Cherry Folkfest Vest” was chosen to go on tour. Yay!

©️2003 Suzanne Myers Otto

I often add hand-couched novelty threads/yarns to my garments. They introduce
additional color and texture to the piece. They are sewn on through the patchwork
layer and the batting (before I add a lining). Pretty Bavarian embroidered trim
adds to the folksy theme of my vest!





Ten years after submitting my 2003 entry, I got into the groove again and submitted
another entry. My 2013 entry (shown below) was selected to go on tour. I especially
liked the challenge fabric in 2013, as it my favorite color, turquoise. I used
a tool called “Flip Flop” to create the zig zag piecing on the vest front. Additional
strip piecing and vintage trims enhance this vest.

“Spirit of Valley Ridge”, ©️2013, Suzanne Myers Otto








Vest back view (below). The 2013 challenge print is featured. Vintage

lace adds interest.



I decided to enter a quilt in the 2016 Hoffman Challenge. The navy blue challenge print

focused on butterflies of many colors. I didn’t know what to do with the print!

Ultimately, I ironed fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric, then cut out

some of the butterflies. After creating a tree, I appliqued the butterflies, along with some 

“leaves”, to my tree and sky background. The leaves were cut from various green fabrics

in my stash. I painted the leaf edges with Jacquard metallic paint. All of the

applique on this quilt is done with raw edges. The coneflowers were painted on with

textile paint. This quilt was selected to go on tour. Hoffman Challenge entries chosen

for exhibition are usually on tour for one year.

Fritillary Fantasyland”, ©️2016, Suzanne Myers Otto

The 2018 challenge print is shown below. Light and dark backgrounds are available.

Entrants can use one, or both, prints. I plan to submit an entry! How ‘bout YOU?