{"id":1782386,"date":"2026-02-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1782386"},"modified":"2026-02-20T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T21:00:00","slug":"a-quilted-ice-hut-on-a-minnesota-lake-celebrates-community-agriculture-and-craft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1782386","title":{"rendered":"A Quilted Ice Hut on a Minnesota Lake Celebrates Community, Agriculture, and Craft"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1867\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-3.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt='A patchwork artwork titled \"Quilt Shanty\" that creates an artistic winter shelter on the ice in the style of an ice fishing shanty' style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">All images courtesy of the artists, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">A Quilted Ice Hut on a Minnesota Lake Celebrates Community, Agriculture, and Craft<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-02-20T12:00:00-06:00\">February 20, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-craft\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/craft\/\" rel=\"tag\">Craft<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F02%2Femily-quandahl-madeline-cochran-quilt-shanty-minneapolis%2F&amp;title=A%20Quilted%20Ice%20Hut%20on%20a%20Minnesota%20Lake%20Celebrates%20Community%2C%20Agriculture%2C%20and%20Craft\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-pinterest has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F02%2Femily-quandahl-madeline-cochran-quilt-shanty-minneapolis%2F&amp;description=A%20Quilted%20Ice%20Hut%20on%20a%20Minnesota%20Lake%20Celebrates%20Community%2C%20Agriculture%2C%20and%20Craft&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F02%2Fquandahl-cochrane-3-960x700.jpg\" aria-label=\"Pin\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-MVALdD0H\" data-rl_title data-rl_caption title><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tPin\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"469905\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>For residents of the Upper Midwest and Canada\u2014the land of lakes\u2014ice shanties are ubiquitous winter fixtures. From the huge temporary villages that emerge on Wisconsin\u2019s Lake Winnebago for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wpr.org\/news\/wisconsin-lake-winnebago-first-legal-bar-opens-sturgeon-spearing-season\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sturgeon-spearing season<\/a> to ramshackle, hand-built huts dotting Ontario\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2024\/01\/richard-johnson-ice-huts\/\">Lake Simcoe<\/a>, these vernacular structures are designed around openings or hatches in the floors so that hardy northerners can fish through holes drilled in the ice. It\u2019s this unique tradition, combined with artistic flair, that serves as the inspiration for <a href=\"https:\/\/artshantyprojects.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Art Shanty Projects<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Every winter, the Minneapolis-based program initiates an interactive series of projects on the lima bean-shaped Lake Harriet, located a few miles southwest of downtown. Dozens of artists construct one-of-a-kind huts that the public is invited to explore and interact with over the course of four weekends.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-469905\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2560\" height=\"3200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-1.jpg\" alt='A person walks in the snow toward a patchwork artwork titled \"Quilt Shanty\" that creates an artistic winter shelter on the ice in the style of an ice fishing shanty' class=\"wp-image-469906\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>For the 2026 season, Art Shanty Projects commissioned local artists <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emilyquandahl.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Emily Quandahl<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/madelinecochranart.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Madeline Cochran<\/a> for a bright, inviting, collaborative shelter. Quandahl\u2019s practice predominantly centers around painting, and Cochran takes a multimedia approach to two-dimensional work, often incorporating textiles and weaving techniques.<\/p>\n<p>For their \u201cQuilt Shanty,\u201d the duo conceived of a vibrant, blanket-like patchwork design that transports the feeling of comfort out into the lake\u2019s stark openness. \u201cWe wanted to take a literal approach to the \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/barnquiltinfo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">barn quilt<\/a>\u2018 by stretching a tactile textile over an agricultural form\u2014specifically a hoop house,\u201d Quandahl tells Colossal.<\/p>\n<p>A hoop house is a structure often used in gardens and agricultural settings that comprises a tunnel covered in PVC sheeting, which protects plants and can extend the growing season by a few weeks. Both artists grew up in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin and Minnesota, indelibly influenced by the region\u2019s rural lifeways revolving around farming and deep-seated community.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-8.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-469905\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1258\" height=\"1572\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-8.jpg\" alt=\"A detail of a quilted artwork on a wire structure with wood details\" class=\"wp-image-469913\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cQuilt Shanty\u201d blends Cochran\u2019s interest in folk illustrations through muslin compositions and interactive wooden quilt-square puzzle pieces. Quandahl constructed the hoop house frame and the 9-by-16-foot quilt made of studio scraps, vinyl, and drop cloths that encompasses it. To go along with Cochran\u2019s wooden pieces, Quandahl also designed a trifold screen that serves as a key to the puzzle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring our month on the ice, we found that nearly everyone who stepped into the shanty had a story to tell, whether it was about a quilt they inherited, a family member who taught them to sew, or a specific pattern that reminded them of home,\u201d Quandahl says. \u201cThis collaboration really harkened back to the idea of a quilting bee. Historically, these weren\u2019t just about sewing; they were social anchors for a community through communal labor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Explore more of both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/emilyquandahl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Quandahl<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/littlesistermad\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cochran<\/a>\u2019s work on Instagram.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-2.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-469905\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-2.jpg\" alt='A patchwork artwork titled \"Quilt Shanty\" that creates an artistic winter shelter on the ice in the style of an ice fishing shanty' class=\"wp-image-469907\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-469905\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2134\" height=\"2667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-4.jpg\" alt=\"Colorful patchwork pieces, part of a detail of a larger artwork on a wire support\" class=\"wp-image-469909\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-6.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-469905\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1356\" height=\"1695\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-6.jpg\" alt=\"Children in winter jackets play with colorful patchwork pieces on the ice of a frozen lake\" class=\"wp-image-469911\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-7.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-469905\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2524\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/quandahl-cochrane-7.jpg\" alt=\"A snowy, frozen lake with a colorful, patchwork art installation propped up on panels\" class=\"wp-image-469912\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent 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Pin Email Bookmark For residents of the Upper Midwest and Canada\u2014the land of lakes\u2014ice shanties are ubiquitous winter fixtures. From the huge temporary villages that emerge [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-1782386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1782386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1782386"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1782386\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1782386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1782386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1782386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}