Erin Underwood Quilts

This quilt was a result of a challenge from my Fiber Dimensions Art Group. It had to be 16″ x 40″ and the theme was “A is for…” so after much puzzling, pondering and perusing the dictionary, I choose Arachnid.

I had a general idea of how I wanted this quilt to be. The spider web is shadow trapunto, white felt covered with a white batiste and a camouflage print tulle. I kid you not – camouflage! Found it in the bridal section at JoAnn’s – there’s something for everyone there.

But the event that clenched the design was when I walked into a bead shop. Not just any bead shop but one that specializes in paper beads and the tools to make them  – Paper Bead Girl in Havre de Grace, Maryland. She had the perfect beads there for spider legs!

These spidey legs are sooo cooool! They are even 3-dimensional – copper wire is threaded through them to help them keep their shape! Now the spider itself was pretty labor intensive – used up a whole canister of #8 black hexi beads – there are 4 left not counting what I keep finding on the floor.

Then there is the border – a strand of light green seed beads goes all the way around the quilt and a fringe of glass leaves (also from the Paper Bead Girl) finishes off the bottom.

Needless to say, I spent lots of hours sitting on the couch watching Netflix movies and beading and beading and beading some more. Next beading marathon, though, I will try to avoid tear-jerker movies – very hard to stitch seed beads on through tears!

I am forwarding announcement – consider joining us in picturesque West Virginia. I’ll be there with the Diamond Star!

This is very exciting news!  The Spring Training Camp 2015 website is open!

Hi, all –

Last year was the inaugural Spring Training Camp at Cedar Lakes and we had a wonderful time!  So we just had to do it again!

Spring Training Camp is a weekend event in March where you can take one class that spans 2½ days.  The teachers and projects are fabulous – there are fifteen to choose from so you are sure to find something that you just have to take!

Here is a link to all the information:  Spring Training Camp 2015

I hope that you and your quilting friends can join us!  Email me if you have any questions!  And spread the word – everyone is welcome!

Oh, I almost forgot!  There is a “signing bonus”!  If you are new to Quilt Camp events or would like to sponsor a new Camper, look for the Gift Certificate link on the registration page!

As I am always trying to find more space around here, I spent a day “cleaning up” again… Moving boxes and emptying shelves and rearranging furniture all in a effort to fit in my studio.

I found lots of interesting stuff in the process… This was one of my early attempts at cross-stitch. It was one of the premarked K-mart kits I bought when I was pregnant with my first child. This is a far as I’ve gotten or will ever get. There were 9 blocks total – now all stained with age. They hit the trash.

White Stars on a blue background! Extras left over from one of my very first block exchanges. I used several in a quilt that has long since been given away. These somehow didn’t make it into anything – but I’m keeping them any way. They will come in handy with my Anatomy of an Exchange lecture.

An attempt at a minature ala George Siciliano.  – never gonna happen…. way over my head. The fabric went back into my stash and the 1 and a half blocks I started hit the trash.

A summer spread that I believe was my fathers – stained and ratty. I think my great-grandmother made it. Its missing parts and has lots of broken stitches. I think at one time I planned to fix it. And no, it did not hit the trash but I’m feeling pretty realistic about what is actually achievable for me lately – so it went into the linen closet… should be comfortably lost in there for years….

Projects I was gonna finish one day – found a few blocks that will make good potholders – don’t really know what to do with the rest – still contemplating their future since none of the projects have potential to be masterpieces.  But I have to admit that at this time, I can’t remember where I put them.

2″ square collection! I was going to make a watercolor quilt. I saved these because you never know… I may actually use them one day.

Worthless binding – all cut single fold. Not even wide enough strips to fall into my “save” pile – trash. And they were sitting on top of some pre-fused applique that is so old its never going to stick to any thing. I saved the hoops.

So after all this glorious purging and cleaning and rearranging, I found a place for everything and then heading out to my guild meeting. Guess what – someone brought in a boat load of free stuff. I resisted as long as I could but, yes, I am sad to say, I brought stuff home.

I just don’t understand why nobody wanted the tulle and silk ribbons – really, that’s valuable stuff!