Airedales Around Town Arrives at It's New Home!

"Airedales Around Town" has arrived at it's new home with Marcia Hogsed.  Marcia was kind enough to share her thoughts and photos of the quilt's arrival.

Hi Lori,

I wanted to let you know that the quilt arrived this afternoon and it is magnificent! You were right, it is so much more impressive in person. The thought and work that went into making this beautiful quilt is truly amazing. What a talented group! Every stitch is perfect - even the back is simply gorgeous! Each time I look at it I see something new. I don't think I can adequately express how lucky and honored I feel to have this quilt in my home. I love the stitching along the side - "It Takes a Village to Raise an Airedale".

Thank you for the careful and thoughtful packing - it traveled beautifully.

I have attached a few photos. I had hoped that Walter, Wilma and Sid would pose with me and the quilt as I unfolded it but I'm sure you know how that turned out. Since it wasn't their idea - not a chance. I ended up with quilt spread across me and they played bitey face behind me. My husband did volunteer to hold the quilt in the last photo so all of it can be seen.

Thank you again, I still can't believe I won!

Yes Lori, please share with the Bee! I want each of them to know how much I love the quilt. I've enjoyed reading the bios as I study each block. I've read them before but it's so much more personal when you have the quilt in front of you. What a labor of love this was! I can't help but smile every time I look at it.

Marcia

Marcia and friend checking out the quilt

Giving it a good sniff

Marcia's smile says it all

 A very happy winner!

A full view of the quilt in it's new home!

2012 Straw Hat Girl Pattern Now Available

Linda Hobbet reports that the adorable Straw Hat Girl was the most requested pattern from the 2012 Quilt, Garden Party. The link to order the pattern is:
http://www.airedalerescue.net/alphabet/a_is_for_airedale/patterns/

The pattern is available as a pdf that prints out to seven 8.5" x 11" pages. Straw Hat Girl fits on a 10" x 10" block (not counting a border) or can be enlarged for a larger image.

The pattern contains:

1 colored version of the finished block.

1 black and white line drawing showing placement (each piece is lettered)

Drawing of the individual pieces that match the placement drawing in size with corresponding letters.

Alternate versions are included.

The purchase of this pattern helps support the Airedale Quilting Bee, so they can continue to raise funds for National Airedale Rescue.

BITCHES IN SEASON ARRIVES AT IT'S NEW HOME

I returned  home this afternoon from running errands and had a nice email with photos from Denise St. John, who won Bitches in Season. I thought I would share her kind words and the photos of its arrival.  Her two Airedales, Buster (w/belly band) and Emma helped her open the package. 

Denise wrote:  Hi Candy: The wall hanging is BEAUTIFUL - the photos didn't do it justice. I can't believe this was your first quilt start to finish. And I can't believe I actually won it!!! Everything about it is perfect - the quality, colors, choice of materials and the embellishments. It's happy and cheerful and will make us smile everyday.

My helpers are Emma and Buster - he's wearing a bellyband because he has prostate cancer and tends to dribble. Buster is a rescue who's been with us for 11 years and he's at least 13. Poor old guy also has melanoma.

Thank you so very much,
Denise

Closeup - I added a few more embellishments like the
pumpkin and button in each corner of the border

Buster checking out the package

Buster, Denise and Emma bringing in the package

Looks like Emma can't wait to see what's inside

Buster's giving it a good sniff

Ooh, what is it?

Emma checking it out - any little edible biscuits on there
as embellishments?

Is that pumpkin edible?

Mom, are you really going to hang up those funny
looking Airedales?!

THE FINAL TOTAL FOR THE 2013 QUILT FUNDRAISER IS

The final total 

for the 

2013 "Airedales Around Town" 

quilt fundraiser is 

$14,797!

Thank you everyone for your support.  We'll see you next year with 

another fabulous quilt and bonus quilts!

Here's the response of the winner of "Airedales Around Town", Marcia Hogsed when she received the call from   Lydia Ross. Lydia writes: "I just wanted everyone to know that I phoned Marcia to tell her she was the winner. She was awestruck and reduced to tears.  She said—"I’ve never won anything like this, I’m so excited! We're doing the happy dance at our house! The Airedales around Town quilt will soon be on it's way to North Carolina! I am so excited and can't believe we won! (And yes, I know - every sentence has an exclamation point!)  I'm still in shock. Thank you, Lydia, for making my day. We're off to dance some more!"

Marcia, Walter, Wilma & Sid (we're worried about our mom, she's positively giddy!)

"Andy in the Berry Patch" winner, Jeanne Esmond wrote:  Happy dancing in Northern Virginia!!!  I won the bonus quilt "Andy in the raspberries" !! This is too funny as my current Airedale, Sandy, came to me named Andy.  My youngest niece's nickname was Andy and she was not happy that a dog had her name. So when I adopted him, I changed his name to Sandy after Little Orphan Annie's Airedale, also a male to make it easy on everyone. Wouldn't you know it, she was surprised that I did that and told me to change his name back!

"Bitches in Season" winner, Denise St. John, wrote: Thank you Quilting Bee for your generosity. I am the lucky winner of Bitches in Season and what an honor to have one of your gorgeous quilts hanging in my home, and special thanks to Christie and Candy who designed and created this bonus quilt. Congratulations to all the other winners, especially the rescue Airedales who will benefit from the Quilting Bee's creative talents and generosity.

"Harmony in Red" winner, Ellen Tung, after much deliberation, has generously decided to donate this beautiful quilt back to The Bee so that an Airedale lover can have the opportunity to own and cherish it.  Ellen and her husband are dog lovers and have adopted 3 dogs from their local shelter over the years since I've known them as well as supported me in my Airedale Rescue activities when I lived in NY.  Murphy, was a pit bull puppy female who lived a long and happy life with them; Harry, was an older male beagle, who enjoyed a wonderful rest of his life with them and Murphy, and now they currently own "Wilson", a sweet little 4 yr. old boy, possibly a spaniel/golden mix, that they adopted a few years ago.  The Bee thanks Ellen for her gracious generosity so this lovely quilt will continue to raise funds for National Airedale Rescue.

THE QUILT WINNER AND BONUS WINNERS ARE...

The lucky winner of the "Airedales Around Town" quilt is Marcia Hogsed.   This unique and lovely quilt measures 55" x 71" and was made by the collaboration of the artists and block makers of The Airedale Quilting Bee. The artists used the block makers' inspirations to create the block designs that typify the little shops one might find in any small town.  

The bonus wall hanging titled "Airedale in Texas Bluebonnets" was won by        Kim Nuzzo.  It was designed and hand quilted by Joyce Miller and measures approximately 17" x 17.5".  This stylized Airedale head is nestled in a bed of Texas Bluebonnets, one of Joyce's favorite flowers.

 The bonus wall hanging, "Andy in the Berry Patch" was won by Jeanne Esmond.  This wall hanging was made by Susann Trandem and measures 17" x 21".  The inspiration for this wall hanging was a photo of Lydia Ross's Aireboy, Andy, hiding and munching among the berry bushes in the backyard.

The bonus wall hanging titled "Bitches in Season" was won by Denise St. John. It is a whimsical, 4-block, Airedale caricature designed by Christie Williams.  Made by Candy Kramlich, it measures approximately 28" x 27.5".  It was embellished with decorative buttons to depict the four seasons and to add interest and texture.

 The last bonus offering, a beautiful redwork quilt titled "Harmony in Red" was won by  Ellen Tung.  It was a collaborative effort by Carolyn Finlayson and Sharon DeBoer.  It measures approximately 54" x 72".  Seven embroidered Airedale blocks are outlined with a red print border and surrounded by pieced blocks in the Irish triple chain pattern.  The various shades of red fabric contrast beautifully with the creamy white fabric.  This is truly a beautiful work of art.

The final total for the 2013 Airedale Rescue Quilt fundraiser will be announced on the blog once we get home from Montgomery and today's show.  The final tally will be announced once all the figures are tallied.  Stay tuned...

PHOTOS FROM THE HOSPITALITY ROOM AT THE HEADQUARTERS HOTEL

Lori Taylor set up two tables at the Hospitality Room in the headquarters hotel Thursday evening and wrote the following email and shared the attached photos tonight.  She will be back on the road tomorrow to go set up the quilt display tent and the Rescue booth at the show site for Sunday.

The quilts were soooooooo well-received by EVERYONE!!! Everyone was in awe of Airedales Around Town. I heard – many times – “You ladies just keep outdoing yourselves every year. We don’t think that’s possible but each year, you manage to do it!! That quilt is just magnificent! Awesome!” As people would gaze at it, I would ask them if they had spotted the “hidden message” in the quilting along the border – and then I would point it out to them! First they would laugh, knowingly, and agree with the message itself and then they would express AWE that it had been quilted into the quilt! Then, when I would tell people that there were FOUR bonus quilts and point to each of them and explain how they could be eligible to win one of them…WELL, that definitely sparked the multiple sales of the tickets. $25 came out of nowhere instead of $5 or $10! You know the Harmony in Red quilt was a BIG inspiration to a lot of the folks! But ALL of the bonus quilts were very much adored and wanted by the onlookers! ALL of them! There were a lot of giggles over Bitches in Season. One lady said she had FOUR bitches at home and so that would be the perfect quilt for her to take home! So she bought 5 tickets for the chance! Andy peeking through the berries was loved! And oh people loved the Airedale in the Texas Bluebonnets.

So…Cindy and I sold $635 in tickets at Hospitality. A lot of folks asked where else we would be (would we be at Obedience or Devon?) and we were sure to tell them that there and on Sunday at Montgomery were their ONLY two chances left to buy tickets.

I’ve attached a few pics. They aren’t great pics but it was the best I could do without getting in people’s way. They provided us with two tables and all the room we wanted. We were beside the Fine Arts Raffle and got to see Terry Steven’s vase in person. Awesome! Cindy and I both bought tickets – and then that girl came over and bought tickets from US!

We were WARMLY welcomed by the Hospitality chair and several other members of the hospitality committee and we couldn’t have asked for a more friendly reception. I witnessed a couple people in the room explaining to OTHER people how the quilt ticket “structure” worked and WHY they should buy $25 worth of tickets! And then they did! How about that?

LAST BONUS QUILT - FINISHED "HARMONY IN RED"

Ta da!! Here's a photo of the finished bonus quilt - Harmony in Red.  It is SPECTACULAR.  It was well worth the wait.  We all want to win it!  It arrived at Lori Taylor's today and she took a  photo to share.  Carolyn and Sharon, you outdid yourselves.  This one will be talked about for years to come!

AND THE INCENTIVE #14 WINNERS ARE

#14 A - Katherine Appleton of Mertztown, PA has won a Portrait of her dog by Sandra Merwin.

#14B - Lisa Vaeth of Canton, CT has won the Porcelain Pendant by Terry Stevens.

#14C - Jeannette Grantner of Canon City, CO has won the Stoneware Sleepy Airedale statue by Linda Hobbet.  Jeannette made the Dairey Delights block on this year's quilt too!

Congratulations, Ladies, for winning these lovely incentives and thank you so much for supporting the 2013 Quilt fundraiser and in turn, National Airedale Rescue.

The online total for quilt ticket donations is $12,627!  On to Montgomery!!

Blogger will not let me add the following on the sidebar - You can get your quilt tickets in person on Thursday, Oct. 3 starting at 5 PM at the Hospitality Room of the headquarters hotel and on Sunday, Oct. 6 at the Quilt Display Tent in the vicinity of the Airedale Ring at the show site.