Looking for Replacement for Retreat Girl that cannot make it :0)

I just heard from Kim and she cannot make it to the retreat. I am taking a shot that someone might see this and have June 3rd -7th available to have alot of fun in Spokane and Coeur d'Alene Idaho.
     The first day 2nd we meet early and go to Farm Chicks which is a huge sale of all kinds of antiques and shabby chic and ideas galore . It is always a highlight. Then we go to Artfest which has fantastic art and the best earrings in the world. I have red cowboy hats for everyone to wear since our theme this year is Cowgirls.
     Miss Tina our chef is flying in again from Nevada and she can cook amazing things and we are always ful and thankful for her skill, fun personality and tips on quilting too! Nettie, her sous chef is flying in from Sacramento.
      The classroom is next to my studio which is handy for things people need.

I will be showing easy piecing and below I will be going over self portraits for those that want to do a fun person. These are always hit. Easy and alot of fun!

 Here are two of my story quilts that are fun. A story about you and your quilting friends or places you love to quilt is a fun theme!!

Perhaps you would like to start a cow quilt. They are always fun and can be put together fairly fast and then the fun starts! Let me give you creativity ideas!

I will have blocks from my new book to share for a creative and whimsical quilt.

Are flowers your thing? This is a great story quilt theme and makes awesome quilts. This quilt was done in my story quilt class.

Bring a childs drawing and let me show you how to turn it into a wonderful quilt they will have for years to come. They are charming and fun to do.

Anyway you get the idea of what you can do. We can do easy and advanced. Come make friends and you won't be sorry. I will take off $150. and that means you can come for $600.
Bring a friend and I will give both of you that deal. :0)
       

MONTANA QUILTERS read this! Classes coming up and good ideas from the Hoochy Two-chy book!

EASY PIECING FUN IN HELENA, MONTANA!

Great fun with good handouts and secrets and ideas For great quilts and color and fun!
Here’s the scoop:
2 day workshop with Mary Lou Weidman!
May 4 & 5, 2018, 9:30-4:00 at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, 1502 Shirley Road, Helena MT..

 Using a fun technique I will show you how to make a baby quilt quickly for kids of any age and larger quilts made beautiful quilts and borders for story quilts too.

 Above is an EASY piecing method that is fun and easy and makes great quilts that viewers love. The blocks below are being added to this week so I can have a fun full sized quilt complete with buttons and fun embellishements. Great color, easy technique and fun friends. Can't be beat!

 Below is a sample from my Hoochy Mama book that started me with experimenting with Easy Piecing and FUN!  It is the perfect size for a baby and if you don't like brights you could use baby colors too.

 Below is the book that has all of the dogs and cats and hats and birds and chickens and other easy piecing things like the borders in the front of the book. Easy and effective!! Marylouquiltdesigns.com
Click on patterns and books. :0)

Isn't this the truth? I met some really wonderful ladies in their 80's and late 70's that were beautiful and had so much to share with me about being happy and continuing creativity. I am making lists of things I want to accomplish in the next five years God willing. I am planning on serving people in my community that are not as blessed as I am. God has truly been so very good to me in so many ways.

I met a woman not long ago that had an amputation and she said she kept a serious gratitude journal which I also keep. She agreed with me that the more you appreciate and write with positivity, the more you stay positive and happy. 

I wanted to share this image of a Grandmother that Laura from Texas made for one of her story quilts. (She is one of the famous Bunny Sisiters -wlong with Charlotte from Florida. They also are known as the Webb sisters. I love how this Grandmother could be holding anything sweet as Grandmothers do. :0)

 Here are some flowers we will discuss in the Easy Piecing Class. SO many possibilities. Some of these patterns are in the Hoochy Two-chy class too. Quite easy and quite fun too.

 Imagine sewing these quilt blocks and creating a great quilt with fun shapes and fabrics!

Below, one of the classes I teach is crazy birds. This pattern in a couple styles are in the Hoochy 

Two-chy book as well. I have a handout for both the Montana class and the Madeline Island Class in October. You can look up my schedule at Marylouquiltdesigns too. I have lots of cool samples all quilted and ready for you to see. Hoping I can inspire the Montana girls and girls who come to Madeline Island. I will also be bringing quilts no one has seen yet. 

 

Cats are fairly quick and so much fun for happy quilt wall hangings. Remember your cats in a quilt! 

 Below is a Story quilt about New Mexico.
 Next year will be my last year at Asilomar. The sign up is May 4th at Emptyspoolsseminars. I am going to be saving my tiaras for my own retreat in June and a couple of other venues. I turn 70 next year and am going to stick to a guild class occasionally, my Retreat and some teacher in my own city along with working at the Mission and am going to take some class I always wanted to take at our local college. My Grandchildren are growing older and I love being with them. I got a studio to spend time creating in and am going to tell stories from grade school, my parents, my children, my husband and I, my girlfriends and other important things. Though I know I cannot tell them all, I think it is important to tell what has been lovely and fun in my life. I feel there needs to be another "Aunts" quilt also.  So if you want to do a story quilt come join me at Asilomar next year or my class here in Spokane next door to my studio. We have alot of fun and you have access to all my quilts and things in my studio. :0)
     I have fun things coming up this year and if you live in Montana I would love to have you join us March 4th and 5th for Easy piecing and lots of varied quilts and color.
   

 Quilt below is by Sandy Fisher who did this quilt about her daughter who was six. She now has twins of her own and cherishes this quilt. Who would not love a quilt that their Mother made when they were small. Think about a nice gift for someone you love!

 Susan Brubaker Knapp and I. I love being a quilter and I love having quilters for friends. If you are a quilter, you are lucky indeed!!
Share yourself and kindness with those who happen along and enjoy giving kindness where you happen to be. That makes us all happy. Hugs are healthy, for all of us did you know that? Stay healthy this month. I am sending YOU a big hug!
  Mary Lou

Come join me in Wisconsin for Story quilts!

I want to say right off the bat that a woman who was coming to my retreat in Spokane in June has to have surgery. So I have ONE opening for my retreat and trip to Farm Chicks and to Coeur d'Alene and many other great bonus's to the story quilt workshop. If you want in do it NOW. Lattegirl@aol.com    You can probably find out more info on Marylouquiltdesigns.com Look for the word retreat.

 Tina Neppl is still working on a quilt about her boys and her husband at the beach. It has the borders and is cool.

 So If you live in the Midwest or East or west come and join me here. http://www.woodlandridgeretreat.com.
This is a beautiful retreat center in Wisconsin that the other teachers who have taught there say is wonderful! I have some new handouts and new quilts to show and tiaras to give out. :0) Come and join us for the fun!

 The quilt above was done By Kathy from Modesto. It is darling and this photo does not do it justice.

 Above Sandy from Montana got a first place ribbon from her Italy quilt. People LOVE story quilts as do the judges. Many win first place ribbons.

The book above is available only from me at www. Marylouquiltdesigns.com  I might mention too that there are some not to be missed Alexander Henry prints you won't find other places. They sell out too fast in shops. :0)

I thought this was funny and clever. 

 A clever way to do Foxglove flowers for a story quilt. :0)

 Above, Mari Linfesty did this pretty floral quilt. It is beautiful quilted. Mari is very talented.

 The photo above is Part of my Goodbye and Hello quilt.  When my husband died I was so sad and needed something to care for. I got six chickens (they are in the house window that you cannot see). It was good to get up and have to feed them and check on them during the day. Some people get a dog or a cat. Not me, I chose chickens. :0)

 A border of a quilt I want to do about baking with my Granddaughters. Love the borders. They are fun  and give you time to think about what your story is. Or could be.

My quilt called Party Cats.....What can I say? It's happy!

 This quilt is owned by Del Thomas for her collection. This is just a portion. It is all about Pacific Grove and Asilomar.

 Betty above made this quilt about her parents coming over from China. She has the papers included and beautiful photos of them. It is FULL of history and a real prize. Anyone would love to own this historic quilt. It gives many ideas of what they could do for their story.

 The lady above is Pam Dransfelt's Mother who has passed away. When she was in a care facility this quilt hung next to her on the wall. Her husband is in a care facility now and this wonderful quilt is hanging next to him. Woudln't you love a family quilt wo continue bringing joy that tells of someone you love?

 This quilt is in the collection of Marie Brown. It is titled Quilters Retirement Home. It was very fun to make and see how it turned out. :0)

Below my hippie/60's quilt. was fun to do. It is huge.

Sandi Henschels trip with her Mother and many adventures.

I do not recall whose wonderful quilt this is below. It sure is fun though! Hope she reads my blog.

Again,. I am not sure whose quilt this is. I take the photo and have no information and my memory is gone. It is so frustrating. Anyway isn't this a great quilt about a fisherman?

 Below is the story of my Grandparents who lived in British Columbia. I had wonderful times there at their home.

The quilt below was made by Janice from Houston about her friend Ann from Copenhagen. Isn't it darling? I wish it was mine!!

This was made by Charlotte (one of the Bunny Sisters. It is a story of her husband painting and his nephew playing music to paint by. Note the mice!!

 Freddy Moran and I worked on the quilt below. She did the border and I appliques and designed the story.

A silly little scare crow girl for fun. I sold it so it is living with someone else now. I am not sure who.

 The quilt below is one of my favorite. It was copied from my Granddaughter's drawing at age seven. It is whimsical and very sweet. I love the words that are mispelled.

 The quilts above and below are made by Larua and Charlotte who are the famous "Bunny Sisters." They have made more story quilts than anyone I know....except for me. :0) Actually I am pretty sure Laura made both of these but I wanted to mention Charlotte who makes one when Laura does.

 A pattern from one of my books. It is fun to see how people take a pattern and do their version. I love this.
Below is my scarecrow I did years ago. He is pretty fun and I love pumkins and Autumn colors.

 Sometimes I just make a quilt about me that does not look like me but inside she is what I feel like. I love chickens and cool earrings and mascara. :0)

If you would like to see more photos join me on Facebook at Mary Lou Donahue Weidman. I just put on three posts  with many many story quilts. :0)
So Until I figure out how to get my newest photos loaded on here hope you enjoyed these story quilts and the talented girls who did them.