Story Quilts to Share with YOU for Wonderful Happy Smiles!

Carol Ann took a workshop from me at Asilomar this year and I think this birthday quilt is fabulous. Isn't this original and fun and colorful and fun and just really great?
She wrote to me
"

I just completed the applique for Bug's Birthday. I wanted to share with you, as I began this piece at Asilomar this year. I have enjoyed the project and will probably do another celebration quilt....most likely a bit smaller Now I get to quilt this party. Will send a photo when that is done.

 CarolAnne Olson

 

I remember this quilt when it was first getting started...so fun and the title tells it all doesn't it? Imagine how happy her husband must be with his quilt about boating! I know my kids love these quilts about husband's and kids and so do I! Very fun and they tell something special. Great job Barbara!

She wrote and said...

Dear Mary Lou and Asilomar classmates,

Attached is a photo of the quilt I started at Asilomar last May. "Ralph's World" is about my husband. I was lucky enough to win the Viewers' Choice award at a small local fiber arts show. Thank you Mary Lou!
Thanks to Bee Happy for sharing your quilt photo!

Fondly,

Barbara Thorne

The cow quilt above is by Terri who did such a whimsical job on the cow quilt idea. My goodness there are hundreds of ideas and it is so much fun to see what everyone is coming up with!

My husband is having my "Cow Tipping" quilt professionally quilted. I have never had a quilt professionally finished. I am very excited. Could you, please, send me some info. about the cow parade? I want to make sure, I have it back and embellished before you need it.
Terri Jones

Here is a colorful cow in the works. I got a letter from Sharon and she writes

"Deb Bossetti (WV retreat) wanted me to send along the attached photo of her cow quilt - it is half size!

Isn't it lovely? She is looking for milk bottles for the "teets"
Hopefully, I will get going on mine soon!

For me (Mary Lou) it is always fun seeing these as they progress. Loved these fabric choices!

What is really nice is that Deb is a beginning quilter....very fun and great job Deb!

 

And still another great cow! She writes....

I really enjoy your blog and love seeing all of the cow quilts. I have attached a photo of the "Cowabunga" quilt I made

using your design. Thanks for a great blog and for your wonderful pattern books!
--
Ellen
http://ellengetscrafty.blogspot.com

 

Here is a fun story done in a quilt form! Got an email with this photo that says

 

Dear ML,

Attached is a photo of Karen People's quilt top. (We were both in your workshop at Asilomar last May.) The story is that a dolphin that was trapped in an inlet near here. News helicopters, onlookers, and cars parked on the highway nearby are depicted in the quilt. She is going to add the story in print and attach it to the front (or back) of the quilt when she gets further along with it.

She's proud of it! I think it looks good, too! I'm sending this for her as she doesn't do email.

Barbara Thorne
I remember this quilt and the fabrics were so pretty...it is far back here so you can't tell....it is always a really cool story. :0) Very fun to do something that everyone in the community and of coarse your family remembers! I love this.

Hi MaryLou

This is Val Reynolds in Ontario Oregon. I've been to two of your Post Fall retreats and just had to share how I combined traditional blocks with my Hoochy Self Portrait!!

This picture was taken in my second grade classroom...where, as a get to know ya activity, I had my students (Yes...there are 29 portraits there!!) create a self portrait to hang along side my quilt! We are all very proud of it and it truly helps create a home away from home for all of us!

Thanks or the inspiration!

Val

-

I think this is such a good example of a quilt that has heart and shows the love in the classroom and how easy piecing can make a whimsical LOVELY look that will be a keepsake forever....who can't relate to kids pictures of themselves? Val came two years to my Poast Falls Retreat I have every June in Idaho. We had so much fun and I still remember her eating cereal in a serving bowl with cherries on it. Val is a FUN and talented friend, can't you tell? I would love her for my kids teacher!

Speaking of my workshop in Idaho....

Here is a colorful and fun cow quilt with the Farmer's wife with a bucket. :0) I "just" got this email and loved reading it....

Hi--

Here is my completed cow quilt from the workshop in Idaho last summer. She has been waiting a long time to get finished, but --alas!!--thought you would enjoy seeing the finished product since you were both at her birth at the workshop.

I have in the oven two more great ideas that I hope to finish this winter. Sure have fun doing these and hope this one brightened your day.

 Happy Quilting! Sue

 

 

And here are two special flower quilts that use my methods and the book Flower Power. I think they are so charming and can you imagine these hanging in your home? I sure can! Diane who made the first one says in her email....

Thanks for the cheery response. Here is my quilt, basted and ready to be quilted. That's a new adventure for me too. So far I have only quilted two quilts with all over meandering. This will be done with a variety of free motion stitches depending on the section. Can you see the worm that's going to go in the bird's mouth? Diane

 

 

 I am not sure what the secret is but I can't seem to make this wonderful Flower Bloom wallhanging straight up instead of sideways...I am sorry Terry. This quilt is by Terry Knott and I think it is so wonderful in so many ways. Hope you can see how she took the ideas from the Flower Power book and turned them into a fabulous and happy quilt. great job Terry!

Here is Joanne's quilt from 2007 Asilomar....aren't her dogs fun? Love the composition and the color and the fun! Super story quilt Joanne and I have a great place in my house for this to hang...just kidding. She wrote the following...
Dear Mary Lou,
I took a class from you at Empty Spools back in March of 2007. I started this quilt in that class and finally finished it this last fall and wanted to share it with you. I am so happy with the way it turned out, in fact I just entered it in my guild's show (Mid Valley Quilt Guild) and it won a First Place Blue Ribbon (Traditional Mixed Wall Quilt) and two special recognition awards (Whimsical/Fantastical and Patchwork Humor).
This is what I wrote in my 50 word description: "I love Mary Lou Weidman! This quilt is a resutls of a class @ Empty Spools I took with her back in 2007. Bob and Bailey were two wonderful Labradors I had for 9 years. Bob always greeted people by running to get his dinner dish, then stacked Bailey's dish and a ball into his dish. He would run around with that stack until we all prasied him! The cat is Cleo." (They only gave me 50 words so I had to give the Readers Digest version.) I am sure you recognize several of the characters and flowers in this quilt, I poured over and over your book 'Quilted Memories' looking for ideas to fill up this quilt.
        I have two quick Mary Lou stories to share with you as well.
1) I had no interest in quilting until I saw you on Simply Quilts in about 2001. You were talking about your Angel quilts and something just clicked in me and said "I could do that!". I have been an avid quilter since. And I can not express to you all the joy, creativity, friends and passion it has brought into my life!
   2) A few years after that I was at the Sisters Quilt Show and took a picture of the cutest chicken quilt. I loved that quilt, and decided to make it, but I searched all over for the pattern, but finally decided to just make it without a pattern using my picture as a guide. It is one of my favorite quilts even now. About a year ago a good friend gave me your book 'Whimsies & Whynots' and I was amazed to see that very quilt in your book! You inspired me even when I didn't know it was you. Thank you!!!
Anyway I just wanted to share all this with you, and let you know you have an avid fan in Oregon   (I am so honored by this letter tears come to my eyes)

Hi Mary Lou,
I took your class in 2011 at Cedar Lakes in May. I finally finished designing and creating the story quilt of our family vacation. It is a combination of 2 vacations... one with one daughter, husband and 5 grandchildren and the other with our other 2 daughters, their husbands and 4 more grandchildren. (Now there are 11). My husband is buried in the sand, the little boy with the boogie board represents all the little boys except Danny who is snorkeling. The little girl making the sand castle represents 3 little girls, the man in my son-in-law's boat represents all sons-in-law and the lady on the beach towel drinking a marguarita represents me and our 3 daughters. Our last name initials are on the boat and the year while FL and OBX on the airplane streamer says where we were.
Thanks for a chance to save this memory. Linda Luggen Certified Judge
The National Quilting Association, Inc.

"Where Tradition Begins and Legacy Continues"
http://www.nqaquilts.org

• 

I know I share this before but it is so special for a story quilt and shows 50 years of love between two great people! Marilyn Wall lives in South Carolina and is a great quilt artist who teaches at John C.Campbell and other venues. She has won many prizes for her work. My favotie is this story quilt. :0)  Don't you love her family in there also? And photos on the outside....Marilyn Wall's blog is wonderful-you can google for it.

And finally, I have to show this wonderful duvet cover that my friend Susan Typpi made for her Granddaughter Layne. It is huge and it is a work for art! Everything Susan does is first class and she is very modest about her great talent.  She has been my friend for many years and she is a good example of the dear friends that I have made that have lasted for years and that have blessed my life. I am so thankful I am a quilter and my friends continue to tell their stories in quilts to last long into the future so people will know who they were and how special they are.
     I think I have not loaded everyone's photos they sent me here. Please send me a gentle reminder if your quilt did not make it here and I will happily post it.
I LOVE these special quilts. :0)