EQA Report from Mary Hunter

Hello everyone, I hope that you have been busy quilting and that your quilt for the National Exhibition is well on the way to being completed or at least like myself started.

So far this year we have had one exhibition under the European Quilt Association banner. Twelve quilts were sent to the Open European Quilt Championships (OEQC) in Veldhoven Holland. There will be a full report on this in the Autumn IPS newsletter along with photographs.

Do you remember the banner quilts that hung at Festival of Quilts in Birmingham last year and at the AGM? Well, we have another opportunity to hang these wonderful quilts again. This time they are all to be hung at the Minerva Art Centre by the Quilt Association. This group was originally formed in 1996 when a group of friends with an interest in patchwork and quilting decided to investigate the possibility of setting up a quilting centre in Mid Wales. The Quilt Association is best known for its annual summer exhibition, which takes place every year from mid July to mid September. This exhibition has gained a reputation for showcasing excellent contemporary works alongside a selection of antique quilts – drawn from collections around the country. Each summer there is a programme of related workshops. The Quilt Association also owns and manages The Minerva Arts Centre in Llanidloes where it is based. So if any of you are travelling near Llanidloes it would be worth calling in to have a look.

The end of the IPS year is with us again, so until September have a great summer and don’t forget to finish the quilt for the national.
Mary Hunter,
International Representative.

May meeting and AGM

The AGM was a success with the outgoing Chair and Secretay and Treasurer successfully making their reports. Many thanks to Meg, Grania and Holly and the rest of the committee for the hard work that they have put in this year.





The Challenge for UFO's was again well represented and congratulations to Nora O'Connor for her beautiful hexagon quilt. Rita and Rebecca also showed their quilts, Gillian brought in a bag that had material brought in America and was being returned to America as a gift. Phil Dwyer brought to show us a ring pillow for a wedding due to be performed the following week.



























Four bonnets for Christina Henri's Hearts and Roses exhbition commemorating female convicts transported to Tasmania were collected at the meeting. Please see Christina's blog www.christinahenri.com.au for more information on this very touching work.

April meeting

The April meeting challenge was weel subscribed to with this fabulous chicken Easter wall hanging being the winner. Congratulations!






There were plenty of bags on display, both from Paula Rafferty's workshop from the previous month and that had been made at home. Claire Lynch's bag has hand dyed fabrics, Rita's was very colourful and beautifully sewn whilst Maureen Talbots beautifullt patched hand bag was smart. Jan from Kerry brought her quilt to show us.

April Meeting - Caroline Schofield

The April meeting had a fascinating talk by textile artist Caroline Schofield who described the making and installation as well as the upkeeping of the felted hanging heads for her latest work of art. The hanging heads in this picture are a model of the completed work which has the twelve life sized heads with many meters of trailing fibres in the 'Courthouse exhibition' please see her fascinating blog http://carolineschofield.blogspot.com/ for more pictures and up to date information on this work.

The Four Winds Textile Group Cork Exhibition

Quilts 1990-2010
Bishopstown Library, Cork.
September 1st to 30th 2010
The Four Winds Textile Group Cork

The Four Winds Group have been together since 1990, making both traditional and art quilts for exhibitions at home and abroard.

Their exhibition will include quilts from the past 20 years as well as new work.

It will be a celebration of quilting, friendship and great memories. See you there!