First - After four years of quilting, I saw Freddy Moran's "Phil and Phoebe" quilt at a shop in Walnut Creek, CA and was zinged with happy energy that THIS was the kind of quilt I wanted to create.
Second - I was delighted to take three different Freddy classes at Aunt Mary's Quilt Shop.
Third - When I shared, during a class, that my in-laws lived in the next town over from her, Freddy invited me to visit. She graciously showed me and my mother-in-law around for over an hour! If only I could sew in her studio with her!
Fourth - Sue saw Freddy at this past summer's quilt show in Sisters, Oregon where the following conversation (or close to it) took place:
Sue - I would love to come visit and sew with you.
Freddy - So come.
Sue - Really?
Freddy - Of course.
Sue - Stephanie is going to be so jealous.
Freddy - If you and Stephanie can share a bed, you both can come visit and stay in my guest room.
Sue - Really?
Freddy - YES!
Sue - OK!
Fifth - Sue and I left last Thursday spent a most marvelously inspirational, over the top creative, and magically peaceFULL weekend with THE Freddy Moran!
Oh my goodness! Me sewing and Freddy working.
Her self portrait quilt is hanging in the background.
Sue sewing in front of only part of Freddy's stash!
Freddy shared fabric and parts from her parts department in Sue's quilt...
and mine.
In the first class I took with Freddy she shared a story that changed my life. It has had a trickle effect in all decisions to satisfy my creative self.
Freddy's husband Neil wanted to go to the British Open. For years he repeated the same thing, "I want to go to the British Open. I wish I could go. Wouldn't it be nice to go?" One day Freddy had had enough. She told Neil that if he was waiting for the phone to ring and someone to tell him that today was the day he should go to the British Open - it was never going to happen. If he wanted to go, he should go. Neil started planning that day, they went, it was perfect.
Then Freddy told the class, if you want to do something...
DO IT!
Don't wait for outside permission, it is never going to come.
Her house, as depicted in her book Freddy's House, is spectacular with her yellow walled cheery studio oozing with great fabric.
But it was her spirit and her wisdom and her realness that enthralled us. What a beautiful woman inside and out!
