Friday, April 24, 2015

Finish It Friday: Minnesota Hot Dish

My favorite cousin, Cathy, and I are both California girls. We each went to Tabor College in Kansas, and each met and married Minnesota boys.We currently live about 30 minutes from each other.
Here is the thing I have found out. You can take these guys out of the state of Minnesota but you will never take away their love of the state and desire to spend lots of time there. When we were shopping at Costco a couple of months ago, we noticed they were carrying a new line of vodka. We took one of the boxes, and a side panel from the box is now framed and decorating our kitchen. So you're getting the picture, right?
 
Side note: For years, Mark has said that at some point, we will live in Minnesota for a few months. During the winter. Because "everybody should experience living one inch from death." In other words, on one side of the door you can be warm and cozy, on the other side of the door you run the risk of freezing to death. So far that has not been a good selling point to me. He needs to come up with a different marketing strategy. 

So on to the quilt. Over a decade ago, Terry and Cathy found some land on the Crow River in northern Minnesota and started to build a cabin. Log by log. Seriously. After a few years they built a garage and that was where they lived while they spent weeks in the summer building. And building. And building.

We visited them three summers ago. We stayed in their garage, their home while building the cabin. Wood paneling in a garage is really very lovely. And it was a great place to stay.
I showered in the three-sided outdoor shower. Along with the mosquitos. But it had hot water and the view was wonderful.
We used the outhouse.
And were amazed at the beauty and potential of this not-quite-completed log home.

Two summers ago I stayed with them for a couple of nights. There still wasn't indoor plumbing. But we had wifi. This is where I was when we heard William and Kate's new royal baby had been born.
Last summer, we weren't able to visit, but it is for the most part finished. (Terry will probably laugh if he reads that.)  They have indoor plumbing, so in my opinion that qualifies as a finish. They spent Thanksgiving there with their two sons and daughters-in-law.
 Photo by Rachel Oberg @de_ma_cuisine
My Friday finish is a quilt I made for this cabin. It is from a Minnesota designer, Terry Atkinson, and the name of the pattern is Minnesota Hot Dish. Every year there is a big shop hop in Minnesota and line of fabric is designed just for the shop hop. I'm not sure which year this is from, and it is different than the fabric I used for the quilt, but it gives you an idea.


And every summer for the past five years I have been going to a quilt retreat in Minnesota. So two years ago, the quilt top was made at that retreat.
 It has been beautifully machine quilted by Darby.
 
She used a design that gives me the feeling of a lazy canoe ride down the river on a warm summer day.
The backing fabric has some Minnesota landmarks--including the iconic spoonbridge and cherry at the Sculpture Garden. See it there kind of in the center?

Minnesota pattern designer: Check.
Minnesota fabric: Check.
Made in Minnesota: Check.


And something no Minnesotan should be without--a cutting board in the shape of their beloved state. Mark received this one from our son and daughter-in-law for his birthday a couple of years ago.
We're looking forward to visiting the cabin again soon. It will probably be in the middle of summer so I won't have to wrap myself up in a quilt. But maybe Mark will consider this as a home base for my Minnesota winter experience.

I'll bring my sewing machine along.

I'm linking up with my dear Minnesota friend, Crazy Mom Quilts, and also TGIFF.

17 comments:

05 08
Leanne said... #

Thank you for the great story, your quilt will be a perfect cabin addition.

Jayne said... #

I so enjoyed reading this post!! That 'cabin' is amazing! I was born in Minnesota with many relatives kiving throughout the state. My Uncle built his own Shack as he calls it (which is stunning), also minus the indoor plumbing. I will say the out house is pretty amazing too! Your quilt will have a life long home! Not to mention being loved, appreciated and living in the perfect setting!

FlourishingPalms said... #

Very neat, Cindy! Love Mark's saying about living "one inch from death." I'm sure he'd agree that the same saying applies to living in Iowa, which is precisely why we moved to Florida! The quilt you made for them is fabulous! I have no doubt whatsoever that it will be warmly received. Hope you make it back this summer and have a great time. It looks good, though it's a good thing we can't see those mosquitos.

www.randomthoughtsdoordi.com said... #

I enjoyed reading this post.

Shannon said... #

I saw this pattern on pinterest the other day (a different quilt), so I was so tickled to see yours because I love how it is quilted! Love your blog.

Terri said... #

I love the cabin story, especially the garage times, 3 sided shower and outhouse!
Nice quilt to go with the cabin experience? or is it a gift for your cuz? Thanks for sharing the pics. I lived in MN for two very delightful years in Minnetonka (just west of the Twins).
Hugs

Mary on Lake Pulaski said... #

.....,,,ahhhhh.......Minnesota! What else can I say? I've been here 64 years!

Susan said... #

I know very little about Minnesota so thanks for adding to my lack of knowledge. The cabin and the garage look very cosy, and the quilt will look great amongst all that beautiful timber!

Micki @ 2 Dogs Studio said... #

thanks for sharing photos of the cabin - looks like you had fun. Your MN Hotdish quilt turned out great. micki@2dogsstudio.us from Richfield MN

Cathy O said... #

It is true. Marry a Minnesota guy and even if he lives out of state for many years, the state never leaves him. So if you love your guy, you must love and learn to enjoy the state of Minnesota in the guy!
Terry is at the above mentioned cabin right now laying a foundation for a deck. He called this morning as sand dollar size snow flurries where floating down around him and it was 30 degrees!
I am completely in awe of the talent and gift of the Minnesot Hot Dish quilt. Thank You Thank You! It will probably provide warmth and grace to our cabin.
I hope some winter you and I can wrap ourselves up in that quilt and brave " the one inch from death" experience together. Because this California girl is sure she will not be able to without her favorite cousin, Cindy and our Minneosta guys.

susan718 said... #

I really enjoyed your post, having grown up in Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota. However, the last 3 decades have been spent in Brooklyn NY. I still miss Minnesota, but my parents and brothers moved to Florida and sister to PA, so don't get back there enough. I still remember walking over the bridge between the east and west banks of the U of M and looking down at the Mississippi River full of ice in the winter. The houses on our block were built around a pond, and after it froze, a snowplow would clear it so we could ice skate. Don't miss the 40 below too much, but this year our winter in NY reminded me of the good old days . Ya sure, you betcha.

Vicki said... #

This is so fun and beautiful! Great story.

Debbie said... #

Love hearing about Minnesota! My son lived there just 3 years, but I still perk up when I hear about it. I made a quilt once with one of the shop hop lines - very fun. And I love your stories of the cabin - cool 3sided shower! ;-)

Anne / Springleaf Studios said... #

What a wonderful quilt for their cabin. Sounds like it's been quite the adventure getting it "finished" I do not blame you one bit for not wanting to live there in the winter. After living in Wisconsin for 4 years I'm kinda done with that type of winter.

Sarah Goer Quilts said... #

What a great story and lovely and thoughtful gift! The cutting board is great, too. The cabin is beautiful and the Minnesota quilt shop how sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for linking up with me for TGIFF.

Marie said... #

Hey, we're everywhere! Love it!

OPQuilt said... #

Simply wonderful! I love the story about the cabin, the story about the quilt and yes, it does look "Minnesotan!" I love seeing all your recent finished--it's so fun to see these quilts come out from their hiding places. You are such a fine quilter and I love seeing your work!