Remembering Ernie, My Quilt Muse

On our way to Colorado last week, we stopped in Iowa to visit Mary Etherington, Country Threads, which we usually do when traveling West.  A visit always includes spending time with her four-legged babies. I was able to take a picture of Ernie, her American Farm Tiger, who during this visit, was very receptive to some scratching and petting from me, which was unusual. Mary mentioned that Ernie was not himself and was worried. I was so sad  to receive an E-mail several days later that Ernie had crossed the Rainbow Bridge. A lovely Post by Mary about Life Without Ernie can be read here. I had to write a post about Ernie who was the inspiration for the many Ernie quilts I have made since 2016 which was the time I started blogging. My Ernie Journey about the making of these quilts was one of my first Posts. 

In this Post, I wrote about Mary making a quilt top with a Denyse Schmitz Jelly Roll and I had given her the backing which was an Orange Cat print purchased from IKEA which reminded me of Ernie so we named her quilt the Ernie Quilt. This quilt was the inspiration for my Ernie quilts and is a very versatile rail fence pattern made with 2.5” strips.

I’ve made  thirteen versions of the Ernie Quilt and is one of my favorite patterns and one that I always love making. It’s an easy make plus a quick finish with straight line quilting. The one I made with Kaffe Fassett’s Shot Cottons and Woven Stripes (lower right corner) is my most popular quilt on my blog with over 10,000 views.

Here’s a photo taken several years ago of Mary with Ernie, the Quilt Muse with my Ernie Express Quilt II. I was fortunate to have several of my Ernie Quilts be blessed by him.

And here is one of me holding Ernie in 2016 and he was one big dude. Mary and I are thinking we could remember Ernie by making an Ernie Quilt on National Sew A Jelly Roll Day which is “celebrated” every third Saturday in September.  I think this would be a wonderful way  for me to thank Ernie for bringing me so much quilt joy.