Deadline for Links National Quilt Exhibition

Reminder: Entry forms for the National Quilt Exhibition have to be sent off by Friday 7th March at the latest.

An Post C Both Sides Postcard Exhbition

An Post C Both Sides:
An Post are running a 12 month programme in which the public are asked to design and send in a postcard.The postcard must be regular size : 5.5 inches x 4 inches (14 cm x 10cm) sent through the postal system and stamped.
You have complete artistic freedom in your self expression, be it visual or literary.There is no set theme, just the criteria tocommunicate for the price of a stamp and use a postcard as a medium.Most of the entries will probably be painted, so would it be nice to see textile art entered in this competition.

Come on IPS members, get working on making your postcards now!

The small scale of the postcards will also mean that you can try out new techniques.You can send as many postcards as you wish - just remember each card must be stamped and individually posted.
It could be an idea to get the Post Office to stamp and frank the postcard, and then place it in a cellophane packet to ensure that it arrives at its destination safe and sound.

Anyone can enter at any time during 2008. Even though there is no set theme and you can enter whatever you wish, the exhibition is focusing on particular communities during each month:

• January - family members
• February - Sports people
• March - Health, well-being and caring
• April - Travellers
• May - Older people
• June - Business People/Unemployed People
• July - Prisoners
• August - MigrantsSeptember - Politicians
• October - Education and Learning
• November - Farming Communitiy
• December - Artists/Individuals

Entries to be sent to:An Post C Both Sides, PO Box 2009, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

By submitting your postcard to C Both Sides, you grant the project all copyright and other rights with respect to that information at theirexclusive discretion. C Both Sides reserves the right to select, edit and arrange submissions for exhibition and publication.There are more details available from the An Post web-site at http://www.anpostcbothsides.ie/

The web-link for the An Post Press release about the competition is:http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/MainContent/About+An+Post/Media+Centre/Press+Releases/2007/AnPostCBothSides.htm

Joke Buursma Workshop 15th March

Joke Buursma will be hosting a "Mended Circles" workshop for the Mid-West Branch on the 15th March.

This workshop is about applique by machine, and then embellishing using the embroidery stitches available on your sewing machine (or just zig-zag stitch).
You will make colourful asymmetric applique combinations, embellish them with stitching, and then sew them together in different combinations. This technique will give an unexpected but fantastic result.

There are a few places available so contact a committe member if you wish to book a place on the workshop.

February Meeting

Ann Bradshaw was the guest speaker on the night and she showed how her work has progressed from traditional to contemporary patchwork.

Ann showed her early pieces and how some of her City & Guilds pieces were designed.

Ann then displayed samples of her dyed fabrics and told how they were done e.g. which colour dyes were added. She passed around samples of her dyed pieces so that people so see clearly how the fabrics were dyed, stamped, foiled etc.

Ann also showed how to use thermofax screens, a method that most members probably weren't familiar with. In the picture below Ann is demonstrating how easy it is to further enchance dyed fabric by using the thermofax screen to apply images.


February "LOVE IS" Challenge:

There were 8 entries for the "LOVE IS" challenge,which was very apt considering that Valentine's Day is nearly upon us again.

There were two winners on the night as there was a tie with the votes. Claire Lynch and Grainne O'Connor both won.

The quilt made by Claire Lynch was made from a number of different blocks which incorporated applique, suffolk puffs, embroidery etc. A border of appliqued hearts finished off the quilt.

Grainne made a wall-hanging which she said showed the four stages of love (starts out great and then fades a bit). The hearts were made using the chenille technique. The background fabric was free machined stitched with words all relating to love.

Rachel Banting entered a denim cushion with a log cabin appliqued heart . The fabrics used in the heart were from clothes belonging to her daughters when they were toddlers.
Teresa entered a cushion which was made from a Valentine panel.

Paula Rafferty entered a log cabin pieced cushion cover which was done in two colours - white and hot pink which was very eye-catching!

Kate O'Donoghue entered a small sewing bag. This bag was made from a pattern in a recent edition of "Popular Patchwork" magazine - it was from a folded piece of fabric which then formed a number of pockets.

Gillian Sheehan's piece which had machine stitched into the message that "Love is Tea in Bed".

Gwen Cottiss entered a pin-cushion, this was made for a friend of her's which is the reason it's in a plastic bag in the photograph.

Tracey Watson entered a sketchbook cover which was based on her love of walks by the sea.