****Warning: Picture Heavy Post!****
Hello there! I hope you’re busy having a good weekend. I’ve been trying to get a little cleaning done around here. Mail, e-mail, and camera photo cards are the bane of my existence — I just can’t seem to keep on top of them. Anyway, in cleaning out my camera photo cards, I discovered some pictures of a Gwen Marston lecture that I went to last fall and never blogged about.
Gwen spoke at the local quilt guild in November. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it as she was speaking at 7:00 p.m. on the day I came home from fall quilt market. My plane touched down at 5:30, I popped in for a quick visit at MeMum and BigDaddy’s, and made it to the guild meeting just in time. The ever so sweet Jenny (and hahaha — I just clicked over to Jenny’s blog to set up this link and she’s posted a beautiful new quilt and mentioned Gwen too — funny!) was there saving me a seat. I’ll chit chat here and there while I show you the photos from Gwen’s presentation.
I was a big fan of Gwen’s in the 90’s. (Man, that sounds so long ago. The roaring 90’s LOL.) In 1990, MeMum, MyDadLovesMeBestSister, Aunt Annie and I all went to one of Gwen’s quilt retreats on Beaver Island. We had a fantastic time.
It was really fun to see Gwen again. And I’m sure she remembered me. (Haha. Not!) Her style has changed a lot over the years, although her message is still the same.
She’s much more modern and brightly colored now. But she’s always had a very free style. If points don’t match? So What. Quilting should make you happy.
When we went to the quilt retreat, we were all asked to bring a bag of scraps. We all mixed them up and put them into brown paper bags.
Then, we had to randomly pull fabrics out of our bags and make a quilt. Those quilts were all BUTT-Ugly, but it was a fun exercise.
(Oooh, look! That’s Jenny! She was the honorable quilt holder. She’s playing hide and seek with Gwen in the above picture!)
It was interesting to me to see how Gwen has migrated to all solids now. I don’t remember that being the case in her early years.
I think Gwen quilts all of her quilts herself. She’s an amazing and prolific quilter.
Gwen also had a collection of mini quilts.
This one caused deep pondering by Jenny ;-D.
And, in some cases, she had mini quilt replicas of her larger quilts.
After Gwen’s presentation, they had a show and tell from the workshops that she held during the day. I thought these little baskets were super cute and I wouldn’t mind making some of those myself.
They also had a show and tell from all of the members. And I have to say…THIS quilt below was my favorite quilt from the night. Even over Gwen’s quilts (I’m a traditional girl and ooooh, baby , I love a nice simple patchy patch quilt.) I’m very lucky to know the artist — It’s Jenny! I LOVE that deep teal used to set off all of her prints.
So, that’s it for Gwen’s workshop. If you get a chance to hear her speak, you should definitely go. She’s one of the “greats” of quilting and she’s going to retire in the next year or two, so there’s not much time left.
Ooooh, and before I go … have you noticed that the March block for the Aurifil Block of the Month is up? It’s by Victoria of Bumble Beans and I LOVE it! Isn’t it adorable? So perfect for March.
If you’re playing along with the block of the month, don’t forget to add your pictures to the flickr group. There are great prizes every month!
XOXO,
Anna
Wish I had been there. I too am a traditional girl. I love that mini double nine patch. Cute block of the month for Aurofil. I’m off to go and try to download the pattern. Wish me better luck this month.
Wow, the quilts are outstanding. I love how abstract and modern they look. I admire quilters, such patience is required. I was supposed to go to the yarn store today and instead, am lounging on the sofa wit the cat and baking fattening bread. Sigh! One of these days I need to start running again. p.s. send my mum the socks I made her – my dad immediately phone and requested a pair for himself!! I have lots of knitting to do for the next while!
Gwen is coming our way in April and I have to make a point of being at that guild meeting. I so love her quilts and would love to hear what she has to say too!! Love all the photos that you took, just amazing. Also, love V’s block!
I am so glad you got around to posting these great pictures, Anna! I almost feel as if I were there, and I really like her philosophy of quilting. If it weren’t fun for me, I wouldn’t do it, and I’m SURELY not perfect! I really like Jenny’s postage stamp quilt, too. Beautiful colors and prints playing there.
All this quilts great and small, look marvellous
Hey…I’ve been to Beaver Island. Flown in on those little planes that look like toys. No joke, the door opened when we took off, and to land and start over. I bet there are people wondering Beaver, what??
Fun show and tell…must have been a fun lecture! And I just realized who Jenny is…another blogger friend of mine…It’s always fun to realize which bloggers live close to each other in “real life!”
holy moly Anna…ive never seen so many pictures of me! im really glad to see you posted all these quilt pics though…for obvious reasons, I didnt get any pictures that night. yes…we certainly were on the same wave length today!
How fantastic! It would be amazing to here her speak and see her quilts!
I am fairly new to your blog. I am so glad I visited it today.
After many years of following Gwen’ s journey I am at long last
Signed on for a two day workshop with her. It is a new addition to her schedule mid May of this year in Bellingham, Wa.
My sister and I used to daydream of flying over to attend her retreat on the infamous Beaver Island! Since neither of us had the finances at the time and both had young children it was a wonderful dream. I have signed up two times to attend her retreat here in Wa.state and had to cancel both. Therefore I almost excited about this and really enjoyed your posting and photos. Thank you…
What a treat to see your photos, I would love to attend a show and tell by Gwen, dhe’s such a talent and her quilts are amazing. I love jenny’s quilt, the colour is gorgeous.
This post has brightened up my Monday morning – such vibrant colours. I especially like the mini quilts, wonderful work by Gwen!
:-)
Oooh, I LOVE all those modern quilts, and also those mini quilts. I love the bit where the points don’t have to match. My type of quilting.
Those modern quilts really talk to me! I want to try to make one of those one day (soon). Glad you found that camera photo card.
Fabulous quilts, but some of them are just a bit too bright for me!! Love the minature ones too.
I’ll be posting photos of VERY cute lambies later today!!
Looks like an inspiring talk! I love seeing all the quilts done in solids..beautiful!
How fun to see Gwen Marston, thanks for sharing. I would love to see Freddy Moran also.. Great quilters and such beautiful quilts.
I love every one of those quilts but the one I want on my bed is Jenny’s teal one. Gorgeous. I am so happy you posted this!
WOW! I thought her quilts got more and more beautiful as I scrolled through the pictures! WOW! ;p
Liking the Shamrock!!
That was very interesting. I like the quilts made of the solid colors. They are very striking.
I like Jenny’s quilt too. Traditional patchwork is never out of style.
I love Gwen’s quilts. The one with the big green dot in each corner has to be my favorite. Some of them have a Disney “Small World” feel to them with the shapes and colors.
Oh lovely lovely Gwen and her heavenly quilts.
I really hope she doesn’t retire soon as it’s my dream to go to the BIQR one day.
Sounds like a fun meeting. I always try to tell my beginner knitters that they need to connect with a “group” of some sort. I wish I’d had a good group of quilters to rub shoulders with before I got engrossed in knitting!
Oh, that liottle shamrock block is adorable!
Color. Me. E.N.V.I.O.U.S.
I love Gwen Marston’s work and have all her books, even the little ones she’s self-published in the past few years. Her work has changed but I think that is what inspires me the most.
I was in the first spot on the waiting list to take her Empty Spools Seminar in May… and lucky me, the spot opened. But unlucky me, it’s the week after Market and I just couldn’t do it. Next time, right? :)
So thank you for the pictures and the commentary, it looks like a vicarious thrill is the best I’m going to get right now. ;)
How fun! Love the 5th quilt from the top- gorgeous. I love seeing what is out there in the world. It’s very inspiring. :)
Your Border is Just Gorgeous…OMG Divine.
looking forward to seeing the whole quilt..
cheers
I have a couple of her books- the liberated Quilting book that was reprinted not long ago and then her colloborative quilting books with Freddy Moran.
I think she would be such a cool lady to meet- it is obvious she loves what she does. It is always interesting to see what kind of journey we go on as we quilt over a number of years.
I am not sure if I am a traditionalist or not- I have not made things with solids.. Maybe some day.
Love your pretty charm packs in your Etsy store too..
Warmest regards,
Anna
I can’t wait to see Gwen again.
She’s coming to both of my guilds, so I’ll be doubling down, lol.