PART 4 of the Mystery Quilt

Hi all,

Here is the link to Part 4 of the mystery quilt

Part 4 of the Mystery Quilt


And for anyone who wants to print off the steps so far, here's the link to parts 1 and 4.
Parts 1 to 4

Reminder: Christmas Party Friday 9th December

Christmas Party

Don't forgot the Mid-West Branch December Meeting/Christmas Party will be taking place on Friday 9th December 2011

There is a table quiz organised for the night, which should be a lot of fun!

Also, we also having a Kris Kringle so don't forgot to bring your present (value of approx. €5) with you on the night.

The challenge for December is a Christmas item - which leaves plenty of scope for people to be creative. 

And we're hoping to get our usual fantastic array of food brought in by members.

Hope to see you all on the 9th December!

 

November Meeting

November Meeting

The November challenge was bags.  Nora O'Connor won the challenge with this pieced bag.

 Another bag entry from Claire Lynch

 Phil Awylward entered this bag in the challenge

Demelza Palmer showed this quilt that she recently completed. Demelza has been collecting sea-themed fabrics for a while and used them to make this quilt. Her mother (Rebecca) did the quilting on the quilt, but all the piecing was done by Demelza - great job!

 

Some more completed Hand Blocks for the International Quilting Festival of Ireland 2011. 

 Tracy Watston showed her completed piece from the recent Philippa Naylor workshop. Philippa gave 2 workshops after the IPS AGM in Cork on curved machine piecing and machine quilting.

Theresa Riordan showed off some of her Christmas wreaths that she's been busy making.

Kate O'Donoghue made this lovely foundation pieced quilt top.

Carmel Creaner from the Cork Textile Network was the guest speaker at the November meeting.

Crafts Council of Ireland Proposed Name Change and Survey

Dear All,

Could you forward this note to as many members as you have emails for? There is a poll to complete by the 25th November. The name change has been discussed at executive level and it was agreed that Design should not be introduced into the name. There are a number of reasons for this:

Is it to be called The Design and Craft Council of Ireland or The Craft and Design Council of Ireland? Many felt that if the name had to be changes that Design should not come first.

If Design is introduced then it will not be the Craft Council any longer, graphic design, engineering etc will have to be admitted and this increased the membership and dilutes the monies available to the guilds, networks and societies.

The Crafts Council of Ireland (CCOI) is a very well recognised logo and organisation and appears to be fit for purpose at the moment-does it need to be changed? in particular after a very successful Year of Craft.

Do we need to spend the money that will be involved in in changing?

These are just some of the arguments and there are many more.

Below is the email from the CEO

Please share your thoughts by doing the poll.

Regards,

Mary Hunter (CCoI Rep)

Dear GANS representative,

Further to the GANS meeting which took place in Kilkenny on 16th September 2011, an online poll has been created as part of the consultation process around the proposal to amend the name of the Crafts Council of Ireland (CCoI) to include the word 'Design'.

This online poll provides your members with an opportunity to share their thoughts and feedback on this proposal, and this feedback is very important to us.  We would therefore ask you to encourage all of your members to take a few minutes to participate in the online poll.  CCoI will also be inviting our registered clients to participate in the poll.

Please click on this link: http://bit.ly/ccoiganspna which directs to:
• a letter from the Board of Directors of the Crafts Council of Ireland inviting your members to participate in this poll
• an outline regarding the background and rationale for the proposal
• the online poll

As mentioned in the letter, any GANS member who has a query or would like to obtain additional information on the proposed name amendment can email survey@ccoi.ie
We would ask all GANS members to complete the poll by Friday 25th November 2011 in order to ensure all feedback can be incorporated as part of our consultation process.

What you need to do:
• Please forward this link http://bit.ly/ccoiganspna to all of your individual members by email which contains the letter from the Board of the Crafts Council of Ireland and includes the background document and the link to the online poll
• Please encourage your members to complete the online poll, highlighting the closing date of Friday 25th November 2011
• Please forward any queries you receive from individual members or let us know if there are any recurring questions or concerns around the proposal

Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you in advance for participating in this consultation process.


Kind regards,
Karen Hennessy.

Chief Executive
Crafts Council of Ireland
Executive Assistant: 056 7796148

Mystery Quilt Instructions Part 1 to 3

Here's the up-to-date Mystery Quilt Instructions. It's for the months of September to November, so 3 parts so far. 

Mystery Quilt Instructions Part 1 to 3

November meeting reminder

For the November meeting, on Friday 11th, don't forget to bring your bags to show for the challenge and we will have a board up to pin all the wonderful name badges that people have created. Part 3 of our mystery quilt instructions will be available. Look forward to seeing you there and hearing Carmel Creaner, our guest speaker. Cheers Tracy.

October Meeting

At the October meeting we had demo's on various Christmas items:Theresa O'Riordan - Christmas Wreaths
Loretta O'Brien - Bottle covers
Tracy Watson - Braids
Claire Lynch - tags, tassels and Mug Rugs

Hopefully, these demo's inspired people to start getting their Christmas presents ready early and we might see some of them at the November meeting.

Rebecca Palmer recently made this quilt for a teenager in bright contemporary colours. Rebecca said that these weren't really her colours (i.e. not purple!) but everyone loved the quilt as it was so bright and cheery.

Rebecca has had a number of Woofers (people who volunteer help/time to work on organic farms wordwide for a few months) staying with her over the summer. In that time, she has managed to get them all into patchwork, each of her woofers have made a quilt of their own which is fantastic.
This quilt top was made by a young American girl who was staying with Rebecca and is her 1st ever quilt!

 A number of our members have also made Hand Blocks for the upcoming International Quilting Festival of Ireland.

One of the Kerry quilters, Priscilla made this fantastic quilted jacket

EQA Exhibition at Festival of Quilts 2012 - Crossroads

European Quilt Association

EQA Exhibition at FoQ in 2012

The theme of next exhibition is: Crossroads
Each country's quilts will be hung together in next year's gallery at FoQ

Some ideas about the "Crossroads" theme:
The roads are crossing our lives- people, events or things crossing your life unexpectedly, and make us enjoy life - meeting people in crossroads, some people stay in your life, some not, but all touch your life in some way. Life is not straightforward: you get sometimes lost or take sideways steps.
Crossroads can be a meeting place where people gather to exchange news about one and others lives. A place where we want to make a decision as to what direction we will follow. 

Rules:
1. Size: 20 x 50cm (7 7/8 x 19 5/8). To be hung horizontally.
2. Edges: free choice of edging treatment (i.e. raw or bound).
3. Any technique may be used but the quilt may consist of three layers. No glass fronted or mounted exhibits will be accepted. Be warned that quilts which are delicate or stiff are difficult to transport safely.
4. The entire collection of "Crossroads" will be launched at the Festival of Quilts in 2012. Some countries may decide to display their quilts from neighbouring countries at their annual general meetings. In this case, these quilts will be returned later than September 2012.
5. All guild members may enter and there is no entry fee. The quilts are not for sale.
6. All quilts must have a 10cm (4 inch) hanging sleeve (with extra fullness to accomodate the rod) sewn 1cm below the top of the quilt and stopping 2cm from each side.
7. The quilts are insured for a nominal sum during the exhibition including transport to and from the FoQ 2012. (Information on transport and insurance for other exhibitions is available from the guild organising the event. Should a quilt be damaged or lost, the EQA member guilds is responsible for compensating the maker).
8. The entry form and photo should reach the International Representative by 31st May 2012.
9. 10 quilts will be selected by each country by 30th June 2012. Any quilts which do not comply with the rules, particularly in terms of size or hanging sleeve, can be rejected on submission.
10. Photos of the quilts may be used for publicity purposes.
11. Every member country of the EQA must provide TEN quilts for this exhibition. If too many quilts are submitted, 10 must be selected in whatever way the guild decides. If too few quilts are submitted, the IR/executive committee of the guild MUST organise the making of the missing quilts.

The EQA entry form and rules are listed on the Patchwork Related Links section of this blog.


You can find a copy of EQA Crossroads Entry Form and Rules here

Future Planning of the Irish Patchwork Society

Future Planning:


After a very successful year, the increased awareness of the Irish Patchwork Society and growing membership let us now continue to build on the success of the past 30 years.

We the members, now as a group, need to plan for our future and decide what each one of us would like from this society.

There will be an informal meeting at the AGM and to start the process we would like each branch to appoint two interested members, if possible one long term member and one newer member. This group will then meet around the time of Knitting and Stitching to further develop ideas.

Please discuss your ideas for our future at your branch. All members are welcome to submit their ideas or attend any of the meetings arranged.

Miriam Gogarty

Villers workday

A good group people arrived at Villiers school today for a sewing day. Cecilia was working on a kit quilt in glorious bright colours, Loretta did her hand block for the IFOQI next year. Gillian Killick was continuing her work on a fine hexagon quilt and Gillian Sheehan was working on a paper pieced clock face. Nora brought her fabulous fabric flowers to show. I started cutting my fabrics for this years mystery quilt and started on the half square triangles.
The banter was great, with everyone being very willing to share information and help with advice on design or techniques. Villiers sewing days are open to all our members and I would love to see more people come along to share the camaraderie of the day.
I have got photos, but haven't been able to upload them, apologies.

September 2011 Meeting

Tracy Watson's badge

The challenge for our September meeting was for people to make (and wear) their own ATC-sized name badges on the night. There were some fabulous badges on the night, all made using different techniques and showing everyone's each unique style. A few people forgot to bring their's but have promised to bring them next month.



Kate O'Donoghue's name badge



A number of people also brought in the 10 inch yellow blocks which Paula is going to make up into quilts for the Henry Bear Charity. This is an on-going project, so you can also give the blocks to Paula throughout the year.



Paula Rafferty was our guest speaker on the night. Paula brought a fabulous array of quilts and showed her progression as a quilter - from her first quilts and workshop pieces to series that she is now working on "Elementals". And Paula also brought in her outfits from the Fashion Sans Frontier show that took place in the Festival of Quilts. Paula explained how she came up with the concept of the Winter theme for her outfits and showed her design books with the initial designs. Paula also went through each outfit and explained how they were made e.g. digital printing of the lining of the day-wear coat, fabric painting of the velvet cape, using antlers and a bowler hat to make a feature headpiece etc. I think everyone at the meeting last night really enjoyed this talk.

 September also saw the launch of the mystery quilt challenge for this year. Tracy Watson has designed the mystery quilt for this year. After the success of last year's mystery quilt, it was decided to try another one. This year's quilt is going to work out smaller than last year's one.

Many thanks also to Kilborra Quilt Shop, who came all the way up from Ferns, Co. Wexford to bring their shop. It was lovely to get a new shop at the meeting, and I think everyone enjoyed their choice of fabrics etc. The Kilbora Quilt Shop is located in Kilbora, Camolin, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. Tel. 087-6512109. The shop is open Wednesday through Saturday 10am to 3pm or ring ahead for other times.  http://kilboraquiltshop.blogspot.com/



Meeting on Friday 9th September

The 1st meeting of the year is on tomorrow night (Friday September 8th).

The meeting kicks off at 8pm so it would be great it people could arrive a bit early to get membership renewals etc. paid. The September meeting is always a busy night with people catching up with all the news from the summer, paying memberships etc.

Our own Mid-West Branch member Paula Rafferty is our guest speaker - she will have her fabulous outfits from the recent Fashion Sans Frontier fashion show at the meeting.

Our shop on the night is the Kilborra Quilt Shop from Ferns, in Co. Wexford.

Challenge on the night is the ATC-sized name badges. Don't forget to bring yours for the meeting!!

September meeting is nearly upon us!

No long to go now, before the montly meetings start back up again:
Friday 8th September at 8pm.

Just a reminder to everyone about the September challenge: we're hoping that all Mid-West Branch members will have made their ATC-sized name badge and will be wearing them on the night.

Also, there is a block challenge as well, a 10" yellow block which will be donated to make a quilt for charity.

Fashion Sans Frontier Event at Festival of Quilts

Last week at the Festival of Quilts, there was a fashion show "Fashion Sans Frontier". Ireland took on Russia and the UK in this event.
4 Irish quilters had to create 3 collections and 1 accessory.
Paula Rafferty from the Mid-West Branch was one of the designers and she also brave enough to move her outfits on the catwalk at the Hilton Hotel.

A slideshow of the fashion show has been set up on the IPS blog: Slideshow

Branching Out” Exhibition quilts heading to the Festival of Quilts

Here is the link to see which quilts have been chosen for the shortlists to hang at the IPS stand at the Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, UK.


http://irishpatchwork.blogspot.com/p/branching-out-quilts-selected-for.html

It is hoped to hang all the quilts on the first list, and perhaps, most of the ones on the second. However, there is no guarantee that any particular quilt will hang.

But congratulations to the following Mid-Western Branch members who got shortlisted: Rachel Banting, Meg Kenny, Claire Lynch, the Genesis Group (Claire Lynch, Paula Rafferty, Meg Kenny, Tracy Watson and Ann Bradshaw).

Nora O’Connor is on the 2nd list so hopefully her quilt gets shown as well..

And remember as well as being at the Festival of Quilts, the "Branching Out" quilts will also be on display at the Knitting & Stitching Show, Dublin in November.

Advance Notice: National Exhibition 2012

Advance Notice:
The theme for the 2012 IPS National Exhibition has been decided upon. The theme is going to be:
Buildings, Bricks and Blocks


So get your thinking caps on, and start coming up with ideas for your quilt entries.

Branching Out Official Opening 5th July

The Official opening of the IPS National Exhibition "Branching Out" was held on 5th July in the Botanic Gardens.
5 quilts were selected from the Mid-West Branch to hang in the exhibit.

Here's Gillian Sheehan at the opening with her piece "Fossil with Branching Ornament"

"Swimming Free" by Rachel Banting:

Meg Kenny with her quilt "Breathe In, Breathe Out, Interior, Exterior Spaces"

Genesis group quilt "First Growth". The Genesis group has 5 mid-west members - Claire Lynch, Meg Kenny, Paula Rafferty, Tracy Watson and Ann Rafferty:

"Spring Growth" by Claire Lynch

Branching Out National Exhibition

June Meeting

Our June meeting was a summer party with plenty of food for everyone.

For most of the year, the branch has been running a mystery quilt challenge. There was a great turnout of finished mystery quilts on the night, which was brilliant - a lot of people were very interesting in trying out this quilt. The amazing thing was even though they were made using the same pattern, the different fabrics used made them all seem very different. Thanks to Rebecca Palmer who kindly organised the mystery quilt challenge for us.

Phil Alyward made this version of the mystery quilt. She used up the left-over pieces from the cutting of the quilt to make a piano-key type border.

More Mystery Quilts;

A very colourful baby quilt made by Chris Palmer.

Gillian Sheehan showed this great bag that she has made.

Ger Larkin brought in this quilt top that she's working on based on 9 churches in the Tuam area.

Isobel, more of our younger members, brought in this nine-patch block that she has hand-pieced!

Missing Keys

One of our members lost a bunch of keys during the June meeting, which is hoping to find. The missing keys are a large bunch of keys, which have been described as a "jailor's bunch of keys"!

We're hoping that the keys got mixed up with someone's belongings or maybe somebody picked them up after the meeting.

If you remember seeing the keys could you please contact a committee member or leave a comment on the blog. Thanks.

Summer Get-together on 10th June

Don't forget our summer get together is on at the Baptist hall on Friday 10th June.

This is a relaxed summer get together /party; we will have our summer challenge - the mystery quilt to show, so please bring yours along whatever stage it is at (mine isn't finished but it will be there), and whatever other wonderful pieces you have been working on. Also we are planning a small demo, raffle and a party, do please bring a plate of food to share (but not too much and no alcohol please).

I look forward to seeing you there. Also, remind your branch friends and colleagues to come along too.

All the best and see you there.
Tracy

Deferral of Bag Workshop

Paula Rafferty's Bag workshop has now been postponed till the Autumn. Deposits for people who were attending the workhop will be refunded at the next meeting.

The Vilier's Sewing Day is still going ahead this Sunday (22nd May)

Funky Bags and Totes Workshop by Paula Rafferty

Bag Three Requirements & Advance preparation List;

General requirements;
1. Sewing machine in good working order, cleaned, oiled with new needle.
2. Feet for machine to include, quarter inch, darning, zipper and walking.
3. Sewing kit; threads to match fabrics, spare needles (size 90), fabric and
paper scissors, pins, small safety pin, rotary cutter ruler and mat. Marking
pen or tailors chalk.
4. Iron and ironing pad.

Fabrics;
1. One and a half yrds patterned interior fabric (heavy cotton or
upholstery fabric)
2. One and a half yrds contrast cotton for backing/ lining
3. One yrd. of cotton batting/ wadding
4. Two and a half yrds of trim or ribbon approx. half inch wide
5. Heavyweight zips; two by 14in, one by 24in, one by 12in. (I have rolls
of zipper tape which can be cut to any size in black white and beige)
6. 2.5yrds of 2.5in wide bias binding (see notes on making bias
binding) approx. one yrd. of fabric.
7. Sewing threads to match fabrics
8. One and a half yrds of black webbing approx. 1.5in wide (will have
with me at workshop)
9. One black webbing shoulder strap with swivel hooks (will have with
me at workshop)

Advance Preparation;
All the main sections of this bag are quilted and to ensure that bag will
be completed during workshop please have following sections quilted
beforehand. Then you can concentrate on making the bag, otherwise
you’ll spend the whole day quilting panels. Alternatively you could buy
pre-quilted fabric.

Quilted panels;
Take main fabric, wadding and lining of pieces below and make quilt
sandwich, spray basting in place and quilt with desired pattern.

Pieces should be cut a little larger all round and then cut to required size.

One 24 by 31.5 inch piece (front and back)
Two 9 by 12 inch pieces (side panels)
One 5 by 24 inch piece (zipper panel)
One 8 by 14 inch piece (large flat side pocket)
One 8 by 10 inch piece (large 3-D panel)
One 6 by 8 inch piece (small 3-D panel)
Two 5 inch squares (shoulder strap tabs) use these two pieces
of fabric to make up one quilted piece, placing one piece on top,
wadding in centre and other piece of fabric on bottom.

Bias binding should also be made up before hand, cut bias 2.5 inches
wide and press in half. Instructions for making bias tape included.

May Meeting

The May meeting was AGM time, so most of the meeting was taken up with various reports e.g. Treasurer's, Secretary etc.
After a little bit of coaxing, a new committee was finally elected. Tracy Watson is now the new Chairperson of the Mid-Western Branch.

Before the serious AGM business commenced, show & tell by members was done.

Cecilia O'Doherty and Rachel Banting some of the work made at the recent Children's Bag Workshop.

Cecilia O'Doherty and Therese O'Riordan showed two fabulous fabric clocks that they made at a recent Kerry Branch workshop.

Gillian Sheehan showed a bag that she made from a kit purchased at a quilt shop in Donegal.

Meg Kenny showed two quilt tops that she's currently finishing off. One of the quilts is for her new grand-baby. The 2nd quilt will be for the baby's older sister so she won't feel left out!

Claire Lynch showed off a messenger-style bag.

Claire also showed a "Tulip" Wall-hanging made in March's Ferret workshop.

Nora O'Connor made this beautiful Botannical inspired wall-hanging held here in the photo by Cecilia.

Cecilia showed a block that she has made for the Limerick MS Branch. The MS Society of Ireland are making a quilt with blocks made from all the branches in Ireland. Cecilia's block showed the Treaty Stone - a well known Limerick land-mark.

Ferret Workshop

Ferret gave two 1-days workshops back in March for the Mid-West Branch. The workshop on the Saturday was "Tulips", while the Sunday workshop was a more advanced workshop using the same techniques from Saturdays's workshop.

Here are some photo's from the workshops.