Joila! Story Quilts with Easy Piecing are Fun to Develop in Mary Lou's Longer Classes and Retreats

I loaded this photo on my blog because it is so happy. Look at the colors and the whimsy and the story is by Janice Schindler and it is of her sweet friend Ann who lives in Copenhaugen. She ansers the phone "Hej Hej". And they meet each year for either Houston Market or a Workshop together.

Last year they came and took my workshop at Asilomar and this is Janice's story quilt. It is fabulous.

Ann's quilt is fun because it is clearly European in style and is of her cat and tea pots and favorite things.

It is also bright and wonderful. I wish I had a photo of it for you...I am sorry, I do not.

The back of Janice's quilt was such a HUGE compliment for me and I blushed when I saw it. I think that maybe Janice  is a Kindred Spirit...she is filled with ideas and energy and runs marathons and makes all kinds of gourmet foods to sell to make money for her hobbies. She makes the most incredible pimento cheese...before I had hers, I did not think I liked the stuff. After I had hers, I am hooked!

Above is Janice selling her cheeses, spreads, sandwich fillings, desserts and other great food. I admire her upbeat and happy spirit and the kindness she shows to everyone who she sees. She is a glass full person. Nice to be around people who are like that.

So I have pulled out my angel quilt and am embellishing it. I will be showing some of the fun things as I work on it. This is a great project to work on now and it looks fab to hang anytime of the year. Angels make our lives better and this is a fun quilt that you can personalize and make YOURS by adding some embroidery and words. It is like a story quilt....and easier because the pieces are large enough and the directions show you what goes where in what order. You can order it at Marylouweidman.com

Carol from Panama did this one. I love the colors she chose...they are happy. You can order this pattern at Marylouweidman.com

ABOVE-  Mel who is the co-author of my last book did this wonderful coat and hat you see. What you don't see is that she did two coats and two hats alike for my two Granddaughter's who love their American Girl Dolls. 

Mel is an excellent seamstress with a background in fashion and she has so much patience. She made the girls many darling outfits last year and since it is so cold she thought the dolls needed a coat to be warm. 

I am so impressed and grateful for this. My Grandkids think she is fabulous and my husband and kids do too. She is a thoughtful and talented friend!

Hey! I knew I had photos of Ann's quilt. Ann is the girl from Copenhaugen that is friends with Janice above. Can you see how good they are at using pure color, fun and whimsy? Their palette is amazing and when you have time at Asilomar (five days, you can get something wonderful done. This is also why I LOVE Cedar Creek in West Virginia (in Aprilg this year) and of coarse my own retreat in Spokane Valley's Millwood (a little suburb of Spokane Valley. Cute little town.

Normally we build our borders first but An n had some ideas for easy piecing she wanted to get down first and aren't her border blocks great with the other colors in the quilt?

As you can see by the photo on the bottom, she really mixed and matched her border blocks...I teach many styles and I think she wanted samples for when she got going again on this. It is really going to be fun and I hope she puts a few words from her language here. Words are powerful!

This says it all doesn't it? It is so COLD here! I am a wimp I guess. I am praying that Mark and I might be able to go to Phoenix in Feb. to stay with friends for four days and then come home. I think it would make him really happy and this is what we need. He has his next MRI in March and so I think Feb. would be a good time for us to visit friends and stay with them.

This says it all.....

Isn't this the funniest?