Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Mary Lou's KIT for people who LOVE whimsy and fun!!

What could be better and quicker than a KIT from Mary Lou to fuse and make for Halloween?
Order this at Marylouquiltdesigns.com
It is filled with wonderful Autumn prints , background, sashing, and Alexander Henry fabric that is darling as well as great shell buttons, trims, ric rack and other fun things. It went fast when I made it and the kids LOVE it.
Cost? $48. for a bag filled with whimsy and some candy too! A win win.

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Help-Looking for Blocks from my book- please

I am swamped! I am creating new quilts and redoing old patterns in new ways and I have a kit that will be out next week with 8 darling patterns, trims, background, cool border and binding. Just wait until you see the fun!
    So anyway many of my good friends ordered the book from me right away.
If you are willing to make a block for me out of the new book, I will send you the Scarecrow pattern, the Big Dots book and a fat quarter of fabric! I hope to get enough blocks to put together a dog  and cat quilt, a basket quilt and a quilt of other blocks you might want to send.
Please use a light pale blue or a light pale green background.  Think jello colors for the things in the block. My fabric it kaffe fabric or something pretty like grunge would work well. Animals of grunge would be cool.
You have no idea how I would appreciate this!!
Please make your block 12"
Or larger and most things are not square they are rectangles. So it would be like 12" x 16" for an example. Or larger. Please do not send me a teeny block as it would not fit in the quilt as well. 👍😊

Here is an example of a large basket I did from the book but you can make up your own basket and it can be smaller and different. Notice I used a soft blue for the background. This basket is filled and yours does not have to be.

There are bird patterns, flower patterns etc. I have kept. a list of those who bought my book. If you want to buy it and get these extras then go to my website at
Marylouquiltdesigns.com and I will send you a whole packet of goodies and the book.
      


Here is a raccoon from the book made by Mari  Linfesty at my retreat. She made six and they are adorable. 

Just some of the flowers in there.

A chicken, a boat, a turkey, a cat, dog heads, cat heads, and loads of other things.
Thank you for considering helping me with this! Sincerely you are so appreciated! ❤️❤️❤️
Send the block to 
Mary Lou Weidman
2406 S. Dishman-Mica Rd, Suite 5, Spokane Valley, Wa 99206
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Today I went to the local farmers market. I eat mostly fruits and vegetables now and this seemed like a gold mo e if low cost veggies. Heaven!

And the flowers! Oh heavenly colors and scents!!




Chard and carrots that were so lovely

Squash!!

Beets of many different colors!

Mire and more and more flowers!

The flowers I bought! I have not had flowers for years.

Loads of every Kind of flower you can imagine and lovely people selling them!!



What Joy flowers create!!

I made two if these quilts and traded one for batting and sold the second one to pay for Marks medical bills. I'd like to do another because it is so happy!!

I am working on sewing the binding down on this third self portrait I did. I loved e folk art and I love color and fun!
People ask me how the faces are quilted. Kathleen Wood quilts for me and here is an up close Quilting of both the face and the neck. 
I have a handout in my self portrait workshops for this. And by the way it is a self portrait of who you feel you are on that day! It is the essence of how you feel and not what you look like on the outside. 

This lady has a lot of lines. The Quilting depends on the shape I made the face.

There are different rules with horizontal and vertical lines depending on the face. It's fun!!

My latest story quiltvis embellished and now I am adding dates and places that describe how my husband and I met, our favorite foods and places and info about our houses and our kids. All done in black perked cotton. A diary piece. I am Loving it!!
    Thank you fir visiting and I would love a block of yours to add to the quilts I plan to show as I travel and also to hang in my studio window if I get enough. The free scarecrow is darling, the free fabric is new and cool and the Big Dots book might inspire you too!
       Share your smile with someone who does not have one. A happy and kind world is a better world.

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Just this and that And Free quilt patterns and fabric!

I am sending this pattern out free to anyone who orders the Hoochy Two-chy book or two of my patterns at Marylouquiltdesigns.com
It is really a great pattern and you have time to complete it for this Fall!
Additionally I will mail you the Big Dot book I authored and since you cannot find the Big Dot fabric, you fuse 5" circles to complete the great quilts in the book.
Additionally if you are working with children this is a great book to use!
Plus I will send you a cool piece of current fabric. You can't lose!
Additionally many of you have asked about my bird patterns. They are in the Hoochy Two-chy book as well as flowers and hoochy borders and chickens and fish and cups and dogs and cats and cool things for cool quilts. Let go and try whimsy and bright fabrics for fun!
Isn't this the greatest? We can do anything we believe we can. Override those negative thoughts and just believe you can!
Last November I gave up sugar and most bread, rice, potatoes etc. I am losing weight slowly but I am down two sizes in pants and all my tops are pretty loose. I feel SO much better with more energy. Just cutting down on sugar helps. I only drink one cup of coffee in the morning with whole milk and water the rest of the time. Helps flush toxins out of your body and it does not add sugar nor calories. Win win.
Just one of the kitties in the Hoochy Two-chy book. :0)
Flower workshops are always fun and creative! Flowers can be any shape or size or color. I love my flower quilts. Now Fall is coming and I have a whole slew of Autumn patterns I teach for really great quilts. You might think about one of these classes for next year or even the Autumn Retreat I am doing here next door to my studio in October. See Marylouquiltdesigns.com and click on the menu bar on the right side, then click on retreat.
Work from one of my workshops.
Above is work from John C.Campbell workshop. A fun place to take a workshop! And by the way a great catalogue to get in the mail! So many classes of all kinds! John C.Campbell (put it into Google)
Opps I have trouble not getting my feet in there!
Speaking of story quilts, someone sent this one to me and I do not know whose it is but it is fun and a nice little memory.
Block borders you can make from hoochy Two-chy book., Scrappy and alot of fun. Or you could take one my my Easy Piecing workshops at a local guild. :0) There are so many different examples of great blocks and what you can do with them!!

Easy Piecing class samples. Really fun!!

I did this quilt long ago and love it. I sold it to someone thought I do not know who. Plaids add so much! Wish there were more crazy plaids out there!
I know it is the end of summer but wouldn't this be a darling idea for a quilt? Do not copy it exactly make it your own version of three girls on the beach. I would make one of the girls with a polka dot bikini though!!
I am just doing random blocks and these flower ideas are in the Hoochy Two-chy book too. This sample was done by someone from Back Porch in Pacific Grove.
     Hope you are happy today. Shut off the news as it is never positive or happy. It only worries people and brings their mood down. Create your own happy reality doing what is fun and creative. Be kind to others and help someone who is in front of you and needs it. Add to making the world a better and more positive place. Do not argue with negative people. Pretend like you did not hear negative comments and forget them. Take in happy, uplifting, good things and be around young people because they are happy and uplifting. Make positive friends and be loyal to them. If someone hurts you, is not loyal, is negative, you can do better. Weed your friendship garden and cultivate roses as friends.
Just advice from an old lady who has learned things in her life. I am happy and so happy YOU came by to visit. Have a great week!!


Tuesday, July 25, 2017

July is coming to a Close but I have GOOD things in store for you and I!

I thought I would start this blog with this silly cow I did. Decalf. Love the fabrics and colors. Very happy and that is what my quilts are about!

Above is a flower pattern that is in my Hoochy-Two-chy book. If you order this book this summer I have a box of Big Dots books in my garage and if you replace 5 inch dots of fused fabrics you can make anything in the book. I also have the pattern for My Autumn Scarecrow. I do not have the cover photo nor the instructions but it is simply fuse or applqie and using scraps it is awesome! I will include those two and a piece of fabric to any order of the book.
Marylouquiltdesigns.com
RETREATS!! 
Go to Marylouquiltdesigns.com to sign up for my october 2017 retreat or the retreat next June. Patterns, many prizes (lovely), field trips to great quilt shops, lunch at the Coeur d'Alene Hotel (I pay for this, Dinner at Perry Street Pizza (I pay for this), access to my studio and it library, Classroom next door, fun girls who come, adventures and great instruction should you wish for making Story quilts, Flower quilts, pieced dogs and cats and raccoons and chickens and great borders. It is a ton of fun in both seasons. I hire great cooks who provide all meals and they are delicious!! It is a great time for all of us!
This quilt was made in one of my workshops by judy. Isn't this great?
This lady who is Pam Dransfelts Mother has passed on and this lovely quilt hangs in her Fathers retirement room. A great memory for the family. Just what a story quilt should be. What are you leaving for a memoriy of your life?
This quilt was made by Charlotte who had a dear brother die of AIDS. It is a memory of the things he loved. A lovely tribute to someone dearly loved.

A bit of one of my quilts. My Aunt and My husband and I.
 Hearts are important in quilts they say so much. These three represent my kids. Come to class and see all of the other things I add for symbolism. I am leaving alot to think about in my quilts.
Another self portrait.
Nancy was in my workshop and decided to do all flowers.
These flowers above and below are in the new book. Hoochy-Two-chy. They are fun.
I am having a senior moment. I want to say Judy did this quilt and I am pretty sure I am wrong. Sigh But it is a great story with the golf cart and the flower and books and chicken!
 Above this was done with one of my patterns. I love it!
 One of the Bunny Sisters, Laura from Texas did a story quilt about Grandmothers. Isn't this great? It is awesome now that it is done and a great memory for her kids and Grandkids.
 This was a quilt I did about my daughter and her friend who had A LEMONADE STAND one day. They were thrilled to make some money!

 I belive creating keeps you young and happy. If you are sitting around wishing, make it a point to create and enjoy life!
 This is me in Western Washington teaching at LaConner Museum. I have the New Mexico quilt behind me. I adore New Mexico!
 Below a self portrait of me and France.
 The cow below was done by Sue Cresse who does awesome quilts and has taken several classes and become a close friend. The best part of classes is the friendships you can make!
I truly believe this. I surprise myself sometimes and it is always something that seems to come out of thin air but not really. It is a gift if you believe God helps you. On my checks I have this quote "We continue God's creativity through our hands and artwork." And we do.  
Please comment it lets me know you are actually reading my posts. If yu do, I am going to put my berry pie recipe and a great salad recipe too! :-)
    Bless you this summer, have a happy time sharing and helping those that come along. And rink lots of water.