"Tug of War AKA Mom's Clothes Make the Best Toys"	"Dash the Dish Thief"

Artist: Karen Williams
Media: Hand embroidery and hand appliqué

Tug of War AKA Mom's Clothes Make the Best Toys
(block on left)

In my house, to leave a drawer even slightly open is an invitation for Dash to snoop & remove its contents. He used to just drag things around the house & carry them out to the back yard. Now that Victoria has joined our family, he has a partner in crime and someone who will play Tug of War. Unfortunately, it's sometimes with my clothing and not with their toys.

Dash was very excited to see my sewing paraphernalia out again. So many things to steal! We played several games of "Catch me if you can" with various items and he and Victoria even improvised for a few games of Tug of War with my fabric. The only casualty this year was 1 embroidery hoop.

Christie Williams drew the sketch for this block. This was my first attempt at appliqué and she also provided much help and some good advice.

Dash the Dish Thief
(block on right)

Dash doesn't restrict his countersurfing to just the countertops -- he also covers the stove and the sink. Being a taller than average Airedale, it's quite easy for him to lick the dirty dishes left in the sink. He removes any that appear particularly tasty for an even more thorough cleaning before they go into the dishwasher. Helpful little devil, isn't he?

Gena Welch Booher drew the sketch for this block.

Artist's Bio:

I live in Charlotte, NC with my family of 3 dogs. I have 2 Airedales – Dash & Victoria – and a Chow-Corgi mix – Joe.

Dash is 2 and is the wildest Airedale I've ever had (I've had 8). He is very sweet, smart and into everything. He has many nicknames – mostly involving large creatures, monsters or wild animals or they are 4 letter words. I adore him!

Victoria is 4 and joined our family over a year ago after she retired from showing. It feels like she's always been with us. She's very loving, used to be well behaved (until Dash corrupted her) and really loves to eat. Her nickname is “Pig-toria”.

Joe came to stay with us about 5 years ago as a foster dog while he underwent treatment for heartworms – as though an Airedale household is a peaceful place to stay calm. His owner died of breast cancer and he needed a new forever home. When people came to meet him about adoption, he snubbed them & would only pay attention to me. He eventually stayed so long, that he became mine by default. He now pays no attention to me and prefers the company of others. I call him my redheaded stepchild. He hates Airedales – especially Dash!

I work for a charity that I founded 7 years ago called Pets Are Loving Support (P.A.L.S.), which helps people with terminal of life-threatening illnesses and senior citizens, keep and care for their pets. We have volunteers that walk dogs, change litter boxes, bath pets and do whatever the owner can no longer do for themselves. Our biggest programs are financial – paying for veterinary bills and buying pet food for those who can no longer afford it because of their age of illness. We are currently helping 235 pets stay at home with those who love them.

I love Airedales and hope there will always be at least one in my life. I was delighted to help with the quilt again this year. I know how important it is to support Airedale Rescue.

Webmaster's Note: Karen Williams organized the 2001 Quilt Project.