Christie Williams
Indiana, USA


 

I have a real soft spot in my heart for Rescue Airedales.  Our girl Erin entered Rescue because she was a very wild, pushy and uncontrollable puppy who ran her household. We wanted an Airedale with lots of spunk and drive who would enjoy hiking and canoe camping with my husband and me and who I could train in agility.

Annette Hall, a volunteer with Airedale Terrier Rescue and Adoption sensed that we would be the prefect match for the "wild child", Erin. She was right, and our fur girl has brought immense joy to our lives. Erin's story, half written by her first owners and half written by me, can be found at  "Edith/Erin"

Right before Erin came to live with us in 1999, I joined the fledgling adtquilt Internet group. We have been making quilts to benefit Airedale Rescue for 5 years now. It is wonderful to be able to share my two passions, quilting and Airedales, with other women who feel the same.  

My biggest function in this group is sort of as “Artistic Director”, ha ha.  I'm the one who teaches people to sew over the internet.  I write and enforce the guidelines for making the blocks.  I purchase and distribute fabrics that must appear in several different blocks.  I consult with people to help them design their own blocks and I draw blocks for those who feel they want help.  I make quilt block patterns and mail them to the members of the group. 

In real life, I am a Professor of Entomology (creepy crawly bugs) and USDA Scientist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.  My lab does research on wheat genes that defend the plant against attack by the Hessian fly.  In addition to hugging Airedales and quilting, my hobbies include training for and competing in dog agility and obedience, teaching puppy and agility classes, playing hammer dulcimer, hiking in the woods and canoe camping with Erin, Argus and my husband Greg.
 

During this past year, Erin and I started competing in AKC Obedience. This block depicts Erin doing the "retrieve over high jump", an exercise in Open Level (or intermediate) obedience.This exercise starts with the dog sitting next to the handler as the dumbbell is thrown over the jump. The handler then sends the dog over the jump to pick up the dumbbell, to return over the jump (depicted in this block), sit in front of the handler, give up the dumbbell and return to a sit at heel position. Erin is a very serious worker as you can see in the block. There is no nonsense when she is in the obedience ring. But once we are done, she is joyous about receiving her "jackpot" of gourmet goodies and loves to go for a rewarding run around the trial grounds. Erin is a very fun teammate and I'm proud to be showing an Airedale in a sport where terriers are not the norm. Erin was described as "an untrainable wild child" when I got her from Rescue 5 years ago. Since then she has earned 11 obedience and agility titles. Given a chance, a Rescue Airedale can achieve great things and have fun doing it.

Christie Williams did the wonderful Machine Quilting for AireLifted.

 

I'm no "dumbbell"! I'm an Obedience dog!



 
Fiber Artist: Christie Williams
Artist:
Christie Williams
 

Why "Lift" a ticket?
 

Page designed by: Holly Coes
Block photo:  Christie Williams