Making liberating quilts

Me buying a quilting book is a rare happening these days, because most contain projects which use fast piecing methods and as you know that it not my thing at all.  However, I have just bought and read Gwen Marston's book "Liberated Medallion Quilts" and realised whilst reading it, that I have been making liberated quilts for years!  In fact most of my Welsh quilts and indeed most old Welsh quilts fall into this category!

Here is a little one I pieced a while back which is in the quilting queue.  When finishing the edges I intend to slip in a few Prairie Points - just a few groups not all round!  I think that will give it an extra zip?

The centre was begun at a weekend school taken by Janet Bolton.  I have always been a fan of hers but didn't do terribly well on the course.  I didn't want to copy anything she had done and I struggled a bit.  I pieced these free hand flowers there, but when I came home I rejigged it quite a bit and decided to add a few strips and then surround it with little squares.

I used to make blocks of little squares just for the fun of it at one time, not really knowing what I would do with them so they were pressed into service here.

Gwen has been teaching for many years and encourages her students to look at antique quilts and learn from them.  She maintains they are much more interesting to study because they are not perfect and encourages those who attend her famous quilting retreats to make liberated quilts, not perfect ones!  I so agree with this philosophy! 

EB Shelves

Well thank you all for a lovely lot of comments - such a treat to have them and read them and I am so glad you enjoyed seeing the dresser.

I seem to have more reaction to dressers than most things, so while we are on a roll and continuing on views from my computer, if I swing my chair around this is the view -

When I had a new floor in my workroom just before Christmas it was a big upheaval and the room had to be stripped out.  It lasted weeks, as it rained constantly and the floor took ages to dry.  When at last it was time to put everything back, I decided to have a cull of books and put some of my pots out.  This is the result!

These picture were taken a couple of weeks ago so are a little out of date as I keep adding and moving things.  There also is a top shelf but I couldn't get that in.

An ever changing collection of my favourite bits and bobs! 

A dresser from Pinterest

Thank you for your recent interest in my Pinterest posts and your comments - it's so nice to receive comments!  I know there are lots of you out there reading this who don't comment - please take time to leave a comment as I get so envious of other blogs where there are masses!  Dutch readers I know you are there, please say something!  I know many of you are EB fans too because there are quite a few Dutch stockists and I buy from a dealer there!

Well this is really a follow up to my previous blog about pinning pictures. As you know I love dressers and save pictures of them and I found this one on Pinterest recently -

Don't worry I'm not breaking the rules, I asked the pinner and owner of the dresser if I could show it here and she has given me permission to use it.  I just put a comment on the pin and she replied with another comment!

I don't know her but I do wish I did and could visit this dresser and question her on her collection!  What a wondrous thing it is! I especially like the double hung rows of mugs.  Just zoom in on this picture and drool!

Pictures of mixed dressers are few and far between, especially with EB collectors because everyone is matching and co-ordinating. They are also  obsessed with PINK.  Don't get me started on the current obsession with pink objects, that's quite another rant altogether, but sufficient to say that though I do like it as a colour and always have, I now avoid it because I don't was to be associated with  it's girly connotations.  One would think the 70s hadn't happened!

Sorry I did begin to rant, let's go back to this glorious dresser and just admire!

A wonderful May day

It's May Bank Holiday Monday here in the UK and for once the weather is glorious!  Our Bank Holidays are notorious for bad weather, but after such a cold Spring we are due a bit of sunshine.  All the blossom and bulbs are out together and I can't resist showing you my garden and especially my tulips!

This is my view as I sit at my computer typing this - the shot is a bit blurry but it is taken through glass - followed by my containers of tulips in front and back gardens -

I followed Sarah Raven's method of planting the containers - Tulip Lasagna!  It sort of works, as when tulips are planted in layers they do keep coming up and filling in!  However, I didn't buy any of Sarah's wonderfully chosen mixes, I wasn't that organised,  I bought packets of reduced ones in Homebase!

I also can't resist showing you the other view from my seat at the computer - Wilfred reclining on a pile of fabric of course!  As you can see I have been having a bit of a rummage!

Enjoy May, it's the best month of the year for gardens and we have the Chelsea Flower Show in a couple of weeks - yippee!