Shining Like A Star

Here is Gwen's quilt made from The Parts Department.

Medallion Sampler, 58"x63"

You too can have a Parts Department that you delve into when needed!

Read about it in Collaborative_Quilting by Marston and Moran

I thought this was a cute photo of Gwen so deep in thought.

Use your background square (white square) as your "template", trim your star points (plaid) to the size of the white square after you iron it back.


Ta da!

Thrift Shop Treasures

Ran over to my favorite Thrift & Gift shop the other day to drop something off. Whenever I'm not really looking is when I find the best treasures!

Six yellow napkins with crosshatch (or chicken scratch) and embroidery ($1 total). They have never been used. I imagine a sweet little grandmother proudly made them for a new bride who treasured them too much to use them. I plan on using them and making memories.
Isn't this the cutest funky purse! I couldn't resist....my idea is to hang it on a hook and keep stuff in it! (This actually cost $8 at the thrift shop....they considered it "gift".)
Here's another cute little purse for hiding treasures! Never used...cost a whole $1.75.
I'm searching for a red plate but thought this yellow plate (75 cents) would do for now...I couldn't resist. A thrift shop lady suggested I paint the raised dots the color red...with nail polish! I just might! The doggie salt & peppers were from a previous thrift shop visit, as was the red trimmed pot holder which I use as a doiley.
Handmade doileys (50 cents)...I had to take them home with me! The crystal clock was from a previous visit also. I had to replace the clock part of the crystal, used my 50 percent off Michael's coupon.
A red trimmed enamel pan ($2) makes a great holder for my plastic cookie cutters.

Two pin cushions (25 cents each) in egg cups. Aren't they cute! Nothing like a trip to the thrift shop to make the day better than it was! Thought I'd show my 1930's string pieced spiderweb quilt that I bought in Paducah for $35! It's made from crumbs!

Hot Day ~ Cool Pool

Short break away from Gwen... yes! I have more to post about class!

P.D. loves to play in her little pool....Where's the ball P.D? Get it P.D!


That a girl!!
How Proud is she! Just look where the water leads....into my kitchen!

Just imagine....

Fun!

Gwen Teaches

If you ever get the chance to take a class from Gwen Marston, you must do so!! Gwen never stopped teaching the entire day. She started on the dot and continued throughout the day with lectures and demonstrations. If anyone needed assistance she was there. Plus she talked to each student as if what they said was the most important thing she heard all day.


I can't compliment her teaching abilities enough!



I'll try to put into words some of what Gwen taught me in class, but of course suggest you get the book Collaberative_Quilting to read Gwen's instructions.... much better idea.....but at least I'll try to give you the idea.

Basket Handle

Cut fabric 1-1/2" on the bias, then fold it so it overlaps in the middle, sew a basting stitch down the center catching both folds.

Take the handle and background fabric, along with the basket (bottom) part of the block to the iron to "form" the handle for the basket. (The basket is not sewn on at this point it's just there for reference.)Slide a ruler under the basket handle and background fabric so when pinning it in place the pins don't catch the ironing board. Straight stitch, top stitch... sew on top of inside of the handle first, then sew close to the edge of the outside of the handle. Remove basting stitch and then sew the handle part of the block to the basket part of the block.
Kathy owns the block that Gwen made in class, Gwen autographed it for Kathy.Another great reason to take a class from Gwen is that she's a legend!

She was at the beginning of our current quilt craze doing things that some of us never even thought of! Back in the 70's and early 80's Gwen organized a quilt show for 7 years featuring Mary Shafer's quilts. At the time I'd never even heard of a quilt show, when I told her this recently she told me she's never heard of one either! But of course she went ahead and did it!

I always meant to attend the quilt show but was never able to, it meant taking a day or two off of work....now I could kick myself...a good lesson in just do it now!

I love the funky border on Gwen's basket quilt. See how it just ends... She learned that from studying antique quilts.
I love how she went around the corner on her applique. Most of the corners were a little neater, I found this one to photograph because I thought it would show up the best.

Unique Liberated Logs

Here is my Liberated Log Cabin quilt blocks put together. I'm going to add a border and have been thinking about adding appliqued words to the top also. "We Wonder What She Does" I was at Bee last night. Gail brought along her Liberated Log Cabin Blocks too. See how different her's look from mine. That's the great thing about the Liberated method, we both used the same method but our quilts are unique. The star block with Gail's blocks was the liberated star that Gwen demo'd in class.

Baskets Galore!

The following basket was made by Gwen, notice she hand-quilted the quilt, but the handle is machine appliqued.


Some of the students were skeptical about this method of applique, they wanted to zig zag along the edges with invisible thread, or hand applique it. However, once they started putting those handles on the baskets using Gwen's method they were buzzing along and enjoying it!! It was Liberating!

This quilter used tapestry samples for her baskets!!! Isn't that cool!! The tapestry samples she had were from an upholstry store that was throwing the samples away. She pulled the pieces off the cardboard and had just the right size to cut a basket. Aren't these baskets most adorable. This quilter announced that THIS quilt was going to be for herself (instead of a family member)!

Some of the students were making purses!
My friend Kathy used her Civil War fabric, she was quite prolific in class as were most of us. The baskets were easy to learn, easy to piece, and that much fun!

Liberated Baskets, part i

You can find Gwen's methods in the book Collaberative_Quilting by Gwen Marston and Freddy Moran. The two of them are such opposites that it makes a great book! This is one of the most exciting books out there!
Above look at Gwen's cute mis-matched (on purpose) socks!
Notice how Gwen appliqued the basket handle! She came up with this technique by studying antique quilts. Notice also that the handle just misses the basket! It's so "Liberating" just to leave it! It's called Folk Art!
Gwen hand quilts her quilts, however, for the book they sent some of the quilts out to Freddy's machine quilter. The machine quilting was full of fun!
My baskets are filled with cherries to go in my red and white kitchen with a little yellow added in my kitchen for accent.

Another fun day with Gwen! Check back for more to come.....

"We Wonder What She Does?" Quilt

Gwen Marston and Moe holding Moe's Liberated Log Cabin Blocks featuring housework fabric.

I'd been collecting "housework" fabric for about a year and decided this was the perfect quilt to use it in.

I'm going to add one more row of "logs" around each block, then square them up to the size I want. P.D. has to help as always.
I've named my quilt, "We Wonder What She Does?" Which is what a friend said about me... apparently I don't talk about the housework I do enough, (I of course talk about quilting), so my friend said to me that he wonders what I do in regards to house cleaning with the thought that my hubby does all the housework. I have to try to remember to bring up toilet cleaning in my conversation once in a while I guess. hee hee