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!