Mary Lou Weidman
Mary Lou Weidman began her quilting life at her Grandmother's knee when she
learned first to do yoyos and later on to piece nine patches,
half square triangles and then Grandmother's Flower garden blocks (her favorite pattern).
Mary Lou's father, Ted, encouraged her to paint and draw since he was an artist
and later on they shared a studio where they both painted fine art paintings that they sold.
After Mary Lou got married and had children, she did advertising and layout work
and then was drawn back into quilting when her son was being treated for childhood
leukemia and she had a lot of time sitting in the hospital with him.
After her son was well, she started doing Story quilts with a folk art style that
took the fancy of Museums and Galleries. It wasn't until later that quilters
and shops enjoyed and understood her happy, whimsical style.
She has written three large books "Whimsies and Whynots," "Everyday Angels," and "Quilted Memories." Along with that she owns a pattern company that she does booklets and patterns for. Hoochy Mama quilts and Flower Power are two publications and technique books that are popular as she travels and teaches how to's.
Mary Lou has traveled across the world to many countries and all but about 7 states (US) and 3 Provinces (Canada). Her goal is to get each quilter to do a Story quilt about themselves and who and what they love so that in the future, people will know about this quilter and what was important to them. It is her belief that Story quilts will be researched and held valuable in the future.
Mary Lou has been married to Mark for 38 years and has 3 children and 5 grandchildren...so far. Her sayings are "Every event in life is a quilt waiting to happen" and " a Happy quilt begins with a smile."
A word about Mary Lou from her cousin Lance
(who runs a program for AIDS orphans in Zambia, Africa)..."After I finally got through security, I was startled to hear a voice call out "Lance!" Only to find it was my prettiest cousin, Mary Lou.
She is a professional quilter, spending about 6 months a year flying around the country giving lectures, demonstrations, workshops, to her publisher (she's written three books), and she has her own fabric line. Sort of the Martha Stewart of textiles. She was on her way to California for three weeks, and so we had an hour to spend together.
Pausing only briefly to note that I was going to Africa for a year, she lectured me on the pros and cons of using chenille vs. chintz in a quilt, why professional quilters should never marry rock stars, why appliqué is the most underrated quilting technique, and irrefutable proof that the next sweeping cultural revolution will not come from technology but from quilting groups throughout the country meeting in converted schoolhouses and basement bunkers.
Have your needles ready!"
- Lance