MARY LOU WEIDMAN CLASSES

At last I get to tell you about my trip to West Virginia and my classes with Mary Lou Weidman.  Above is Mary Lou.  Isn’t her smile wonderful?  It gives you an idea of how much fun we had all week long.  ML (I’ll use her initials from now on) is truly an artist.  She has written five quilting books, owns a pattern company, designs fabric, and has taught all across the US, Canada and eight countries.  Teaching people how to get out of their box is her passion.

This week was all about making a story quilt.  Students learned how to make the Hoochy Blocks which are usually on the border.  We then learned how to design our own “story” for the center.  ML brought a number of her quilts to show us.  I love the one above.

This quilt is a story about her grandmother.  You can see more of ML's quilts here.   And here.  I took those pictures when ML was at the West Michigan Quilt Guild a couple years ago.

Above, ML has instructed us on how to make the Hoochy blocks.  The process calls for sewing squares on a strip of fabric and then doing a “Hoochy dance”  as an easy way to flip the squares over so they are ready to press and cut.  You’ll have to take one of her classes and learn about this fun “event” and hear how she got the idea.  

 My roommate Mary attended the workshop last year and above she shows us the quilt that she made.  Isn’t it fantastic!  Her story is about making coffee cakes.  Every December her family gets together and makes over 100 coffee cakes to give to friends.  Note the pink list that holds the names of the lucky recipients (right side of the quilt).  I’m trying to figure out how to get my name on that list!

ML’s new book that I posted about here  has a pattern for a cow.  Quite a number of people have taken the idea and run with it.  Above is ML’s cow.  I love the title:  Psy cow delic 

Another Cow.  I’m trying to think of a clever title for my cow quilt.  I understand ML is doing another cow quilt.  I can’t wait to see it.

This is Mary’s (roommate) cow quilt.  Isn’t it cute!!  I was going to make one with the heading Bess A. May Moo-cho, but didn’t think anyone would know what I was referring to.  So back to the “thinking” table.

I don’t want to overwhelm you with pictures today so I’ll close with a picture of the entire group.  There were 21 of us.  Not only were they 21 of the nicest people I’ve met, but they were so creative too.   Our accommodations were wonderful.  We had a big room to work in with each of us having a large table to work (spread out) on.  And the food was fantastic!  Come back next week for more pictures of the students and their individual work.  You’ll be as impressed as I was with their work.

In the mean time, take a look at this tutorial.  Almost looks like something ML would do.  Check out the Life and Times of Jill.  

♥

Stay calm! Stay kind! Stay Positive!

Caroll