I am thrilled to hold my first Give-Away and that it is for Mary Lou Weidman’s new book! Outof the Box With Easy Blocks is a book you are going to want to own. Mary Lou co-wrote this whimsical book with the talented, Melanie Bautista McFarland. When I read in the introduction, "Who wants to do things like everyone else?....Be a stray once and awhile!" I knew this was my kind of book. You will love the free-form piecing ideas and techniques. Also, you will find the complete instructions for the Hoochy Mama blocks. There is even a Hoochy alphabet that is a pieced, rather than appliquéd. This style of making quilt blocks lets you put your own personal style into a quilt. You put yourself, your talent, your skills into each quilt. You are not just making a copy.
There is an entire section on creating faces. Isn’t this angel darling?
You can’t help but smile as you look at the ideas and pictures throughout this book. You’ll want to view and read more about Mary Lou and her quilting fun on her blog MARY LOU AND WHIMSY TOO. (It’s also on my sidebar).
This book has so many cute ideas I didn’t know where to start. So first I made a cat.
Then I made some hearts.
Then I noticed how nice they looked next to each other on the cutting table.
So I put them together and got this! I was going to have the saying at the bottom (You have my wonky heart) on the top using wonky letters like those shown in the book; however, I didn’t have enough room. Then I thought I’d put "Welcome" at the top. But, when I saw “Smile” in Mary Lou’s book, I had to use that. I love this wallhanging.
There is also an adorable Purple Cow in the book. Em is making it up. You can check out Em’s cow here and here
If you’d like to get out of your box, just leave a comment here and tell me about a quilt you would like to make using Mary Lou’s and Melanie’s techniques. You could win your very own autographed copy of Out of the Box With Easy Blocks! I’ll announce the winner on Thursday. Even if you don’t have a Google account that lets you leave a comment, you can still participate in the drawing. Just send me an e-mail at westmichquilter@gmail.com and I'll be sure to add your name.
IF you don’t want to wait, I saw a copy at the Attic Window Quilt Shop when I was there Saturday.
♥
Stay calm! Stay kind! Stay Positive!
Caroll
26 comments:
Oh I just love wonky...gotta get this book...even if I have to BUY it!!! Don't know exactly what I'll make just yet...but something will surely come to me.
This sounds great -- not just another pattern book, but one that teaches you finish your own ideas. I'd like to learn about piecing letters and faces!
Hi Caroll,
Very very cute wall hanging. And no hand-wringing about the piecing!!
Those cats looked cute to me, too.
Don't put my name in, I already have the book.
Have fun!
Vicky F
Caroll - I love Mary Lou's style so much I joined her Yahoo group and they are swapping Hoochy fish. I joined too late to swap the fish but boy are they ever darling!! I would love to win a copy of Mary Lou's book!! Thank you so much for this opportunity!! Kris
I love the cow! Growning up on a farm raising beef cattle I'm always looking for cute patterns with them. I would love it if I won this book!
Oh, Caroll, I would love to win this! I have been looking at her books a lot lately, ever since seeing what you and Em are doing. But she has so many good ones, I just don't know where to start! This might be a good place to start. Thanks for the chance!
I absolutely love what you've done. I want to do something along these lines for our quilt challenge for our show. I don't know if I'll get it done, though.
Oh Yes Pleeze! enter me in your giveawway. I enjoy your blog and subscribe to it's daily feed. Thanks for all you do.
Jane
Oh pleeze, I'd love to be the first winner of your first giveaway! What a fun book.
I would love to win this book, my daughter loves cows and is also a quilter so it could be shared between both of us!
I'd love to learn how to think and sew Wonky, I'm new to quilting and would love to quilt up wonky chickens, flowers and hearts. Thank you for the great giveaway chance!
These people entered the contest via g-mail:
Duane Putnam,
Sharon Lozano,
Becky Brink,
Jan Larson,
Julie Johnson,
Lynn Derr
Are you next?
Karen Kraft has entered the contest!
I would love to make a cat quilt too! I love cats--corgis too!
How fun that people are trying to Get Out of the BOX and have some easy piecing fun! Carol, I love how you did your lettering from the book and the fun cat and hearts....darling wallhanging for sure!
LOVE to you!
Mary Lou
I'll give a try for sure, to the sweet angel you showed us!
Love this idea! would like to try some of the designs out of this book!
Love this book! Can't wait to try making some things out of it!
I need to make a quilt about my times in Michigan. I can see pine trees, and lakes, and a lot of my friends from there. It would be a fun adventure, and definately out of my box.
These blocks look super fun and definitely out of my box. I would like to try all of the blocks to make a bunch of fun, whimsical wall hangings. Thank you for this great giveaway.
Have a super great sewing and stitching day.
I saw your block at the shop today. Very cute!
Wow! I love the cat block you made. I want the book so I can make one too!
such fun! I think I would make a quilt with cats and angels on it for my granddaughter.
I want to make a purple cow!!!
More people who have entered the contest via e-mail:
Sharon Rubelman
Yvonne Banning
Adaj@
Adrienne Wilson
Nancy Rogalewski
Thanks and good luck!
Am i intime to enter?Please cont with me ,the book looks very fun.Thanks
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