Erin Underwood Quilts

A few weeks back while we were traveling on vacation, we picked up this little critter at a hotel. I suppose it could have been worse and we could have picked up a different sort of critter but we won’t go there.

She traveled well so she spent the rest of the vacation with us.

She is always wanting to help … in a su-purr-visory sort of way.

Never one to let any detail go unchecked, here she is offering her opinion on my latest quilting endeavor. Many of you recognize the view from the business end of a long-arm – and rest assured I did stop the machine as soon as this little critter told me to!

So I think she approves of this second rendition of Variation on a Classic Fan.

Perhaps all that fur she leaves behind is her stamp of approval… Can you see any here? Just to be safe,  I’ll get out the lint roller when she’s not looking.

But wait, someone else wants to offer his ex-purr-t opinion!

I have been remiss in my posting but have had lots of things going on – life changing events to be sure. I’m not really sure how we women get through life without girlfriends during these life changing events. I am very grateful for mine!

So the main lesson I’ve learned lately is to always follow your art,  no matter how bad it gets. But only,  of course, after you have discussed your problems ad nauseam with your girlfriends.

My mother in law has been forced to move in with us. Some of the forcing coming from her son, my beloved hubby, and some of the forcing coming from circumstance.  So as a result, I have lost a lot of personal space, privacy and independence. But that’s not the worst of it. She has lost all of her independence, her friends (since we live 3 hours away from her home), her “things”, her car and everything else  that has allowed her to do what she wanted to do when she wanted to do it.

As we make this transition into the next phase of our lives together, I am working to keep some of my space while giving her some of her space.  My mother in law is a fantastic artist! She taught lessons and took commissions as well as ran her own art gallery for years. Now she is forced to move into the smallest bedroom in the house, give up her studio and privacy too! I am struggling to keep my sanity all the while worrying about hers. And bless my poor husband who has put us in this position, he is trying to keep his attention balanced between his adoring mother and his slightly neglected, put-upon wife.

I find that the only thing that keeps me sane at this time in my life is my studio (and my girlfriends!).  I retreat to it at 8am and try not to leave until it is time to cook dinner. And the knowledge of how good it feels to create makes me keep my mother in law moving forward with her art. We have set up a table and shelves for her art work (a far cry from her studio to be sure) and talk every day about painting and creating. It has been hard, taken a lot of alcohol on both are parts, but I do believe that she has finally remembered her art.

She spent the evening discussing how fascinating that stupid hound dog was (the one that was dumped on our doorstep by my loving wild child) and how she wanted to paint his face. “Its so full of character, expression  and lights and darks”,  she says. I am at once drawn to her words. I know what she’s talking about although if any one asks, I absolutely can’t stand that dog!

And so we bond….

So happy to be at Mid-Appalachian Quilters this weekend! I will be teaching Maryland on My Mind, Diamond Star and Amish Star in that order! As well as all the great quilting going on, there will be  plenty of inspiration and comradery! I’m pretty sure that spell check didn’t catch that last word but you get my meaning. I’ll tell you all about it on Monday! Can’t seem to figure out how to complete my thoughts on this little iPhone. Monday  it is then- when I have a real computer!

Check out what my husband just finished building for me!

This is four ladders – width of 23″ or so – they are joined with detachable hinges so I can take them apart to move around easily or only use two or three at a time if four is just too big.

The wide set rungs really display the  quilts nicely. They don’t have to be folded too small to fit – I am just tickled pink!  I think he’s on to something and is considering building some more… Interested?

I was feeling very generous yesterday so no quilting for me! I have to give these cats credit. They have learned that the quilt on the frame is not a hammock and they can’t sleep in it. Apparently right next to it will do! It is a very convenient spot up and away from the dogs but still in the thick of the household activities.

Obviously, it didn’t take much for me to avoid quilting, that’s for sure. I could have shooed them off and gotten to work but there is always something else to do in my studio. So plan B – binding and paperwork worked just as well.  Today I quilt  – after I shoo the cat off – yes, one is there already but I plan to be more assertive today… in a little while…

I am so excited to see that I didn’t do half bad demonstration how to use my Creative Grids 15-Degree Triangle Ruler. Its hard to be a movie star!

I am honored to be asked to have a Trunk Show at Hoppin Bobbin in Aberdeen Maryland! All to highlight the debut of the Creative Grids 15-Degree Triangle Ruler I designed and the 12 patterns I have ready to go with the ruler – my Fan-Tastic Fan Series! It starts tonight 6-8pm. Refreshments will be served. A demo and short lecture about the whole Fan-work process starts at 6:30.  Kelly Davis (of Hoppin’ Bobbin) and I hung the show yesterday – well she hung it, I handed her pins. Here’s a sneak peak of some of the quilts. If you can’t make it tonight, the quilts will be hanging until the end of the month. Come in and get inspired!

Went to Spring Market in Kansas City, MO and stayed on the 18th floor! That huge monstrosity of a building is the convention center where all was unfolding – it is so big that streets run underneath it!

See I really was there – somewhere…

Flew back home – way above the clouds to avoid the storms below – looks pretty peaceful to me! We deviated so far off course that I am pretty sure I saw a Great Lake through a hole in the clouds!

Watch a chick flick or two, went strawberry picking with my beautiful daughter! 13 pounds of strawberries in the rain – lots of fun! The chickens took great delight in the strawberry tops!

Made jam! – drank the left-over foamy stuff you skim off the jam while it cooks! Who knew you could find a purpose for that stuff! Very refreshing after spending the day heating my kitchen up to 110 degrees!

Went to Front Royal, Virginia, to see family and was awestruck with the price of gas…

Until my brother said it was $3.06 in Harrisonburg. : (

Played with the new apps on my Iphone (my brother told me about them too) – like checking your hearing and photo editing!

Tilled and planted the garden  – well the hubby tilled, while I mowed then I planted while he fenced me in – but no pictures of that – just a great tan! Yes, I know we’re a little late, but hey, its in.  Swam a little in the pool… well, I floated, my hubby and the dog did the actually swimming. Watched the Hatfields and the McCoys on the History channel…

I guess the fun is over and I really should think about getting back to quilting – after I fold and bag some more patterns! Hey –  I could watch another chick flick or two today and still be productive!

Maybe I’ll get back to quilting in a few days… After all there’s lunch with the girls tomorrow…and the cherries are coming into season…

Spring Market – Kansas City MO here I come! I’ve got the quilts ready to go.. For all you quilt-police out there – No, the labels aren’t on yet  – that’s today’s project. If you are going to be there, I’d love to meet you. Come to my schoolhouse presentation for my Fantastic Fanwork Series featuring the Creative Grids 15-Degree Triangle Ruler designed by me, of course. Its the last one of the day! A perfect time to sit down and rest while you get inspired and maybe even win a door prize!

Yes, all these quilts are made with the 15 Degree Triangle Ruler – it’s versatility is quite impressive! Can’t wait for their debut!

Here it is – the last block in the Goose Block of the Month series. I’ll bet you started to think I wasn’t going to post this. I was worried about finding the time to do it myself! These last few days have been very hectic with lots of driving here and there. Driving can wear a body out – especially a body that has been around a little longer than some other bodies – sorry, in my blurred vision, chocolate craving exhaustion, I digress.

But despite all the busy stuff I’ve been into,  I am grateful to offer to you WILD GOOSE CHASE.  This fancy little block has some paper-piecing for the geese otherwise it is traditionally pieced. Notice that in two of the blocks the large triangles on the 4 sides are  darker  fabrics and one block has lighter fabric in the same areas. Its your block so make it look the way you want it too!

Wiild Goose Chase BOM

Next month I will be posting suggestions for sashings and borders so hurry and catch up if you are not there yet!