Branch AGM

Our May meeting was the AGM, so the 1st part of the meeting was dealing with minutes, treasurer's, secretary and chairperson's reports. Many thanks to the previous committee for doing a sterling job in arranging meetings, speakers and workshops over the past two years.

All of the existing committee were stepping down at this meeting, so a new committee were voted in on the night. Four new members were elected on the night - Claire Lynch, Grania Preston, Ruth Bourke and Louise Mullane.


After the official business, Eileen Costelloe gave a show and tell of her fabulous work. Eileen's work was amazing and had fabulous colours and designs.She doesn't use cotton, instead preferring silk and shiny fabrics, which gave her work a shine and glow.

A number of quilts for the upcoming branch exhibition "Local Landscapes" were collected on the night, with more work promised over the coming weeks. Going by the work submitted so far, it's going to be a brilliant exhibition, members have really put a lot of thought and work into their quilts.

Shop on the night was the Quilt Shop Tuam. 

Local Landscapes Invite

Don't forget, our branch exhibition "Local Landscapes" runs from 2nd - 6th June at Ormston House, Patrick Street, Limerick

The official opening is on Tuesday 2nd June at 7pm.Guest speakers are Mayor Michael Sheahan of Limerick Metropolitan District and Clare Jordan (Founder of the Limerick Craft Collective Hub).

Western Branch Exhibition

The IPS Western Branch will be holding a branch exhibition "Summer Colours" from Friday 5th to Thursday 11th June.
Venue: Foyer of the Orbsen Building, NUIG, Galway
Venue open daily from 9am to 6pm
Admission free

April Meeting - Guest Speaker Gillian Travis

At our April meeting Friday 10th, we will be joined by a very special guest Gillian Travis.

Gillian will also be giving a Fabric Flower Workshop on Saturday 11th April. 

You can check out Gillian's beautiful colourful work online at her website http://www.gilliantravis.co.uk/

Our shop on the night will be Fabric Matters from Dublin. 


Hopefully you are all working on quilts for our exhibition in June. 
As always, don't forget to return library books. 
See you all on Friday.

March meeting

For our March Meeting, Western Branch member Ann Marie Horan was the guest speaker. Ann Marie brought lots of items for show and tell encompassing her journey through quilting.

Ann Marie also brought a number of her earlier pieces, which she brought to show beginner quilters that everyone has to start somewhere.

She also had lovely stories about each quilt, who it was made for, and how the recipient's colour choices (or in some cases hair colour ) decided the colour scheme for the quilt.

This quilt was designed by her daughter.

Panel made by Ann Marie. The Western Branch made a number of these panels which all hung together at the Irish Quilt Festival 2013 in Galway.

 This Tuscan landscape inspired piece by Ann Marie was part of the IPS National Exhibition "Explorations". 

 

The shop on the night was Clew Bay Quilting. 

Show and Tell:

Mary Murphy showed this fabulous quilt made for her son. Her son is very involved in the Scouts and all the blocks relate to his scouting pastime in various ways.

February Meeting

February

Speaker: Ray Moore (Eastern Branch)

  Shop: Patchwork Plus


Show and Tell:
Siobhan Bermingham showed this lovely quilt made from football tops.

Ursula displayed this fabulous Amish inspired quilt which has been 10 years on the go. 

Alison Bingham showed this lovely cushion cover.

Kate's Quilt

Every quilt has a story. Kate’s quilt began one December morning in 2009 in Emerald Beach near Coffs Harbour in Australia. A 6.30am phone call from my son Paul in Cork announced the expected arrival of our first grandchild due June 2010. We had a champagne breakfast; champagne lunch and that evening went out to celebrate...more champagne. 

Our hosts were an Australian quilter Liz Kennedy and her husband Grahame .We had met in 2004 when they came to Limerick for a year. Liz contacted me and she immediately joined the Mid West branch of IPS and became a valued member for the year and a friend for life.  

Later that day in Emerald Beach  Liz’s Quilting group arrived, more celebrations, cake this time. Then the idea for the quilt was born. They sent me home with the plan for an ‘I Spy ‘quilt and fabric depicting Australian animals and birds. When I returned to Brisbane I shopped for more fabric with my daughter Aoife. 

On my return to Limerick, the Sew What Quilters enthusiastically embraced the project. Betty Roche and I unearthed pieces of fabric from the 1980’s when we began Patchwork. A slightly decapitated giraffe dates from then .He had to be included because Kate loves the giraffes in Fota. Placed below a few bales of hay he appears to be busy feeding.  

There are four decades of fabric, of friendship spanning that time and two continents in this quilt.  It epitomises the essence of the bonds of Quilting. 

Sadly, Liz died suddenly in 2011. This quilt is full of memories of the time we spent together.Memories of balmy summer evenings spent on her veranda watching kangaroos grazing nearby and brilliantly coloured parakeets diving in and out of the feeders nearby. Laughter filled Sundays in Villiers sewing; demonstrating Christmas decorations to her Australian Quilting group; her enthusiasm when we visited the Knitting and Stitching Show; a memorable visit to Paris. We said goodbye to Liz and Grahame at a wonderful farewell party hosted by Phil Aylward in Feb 2005.  We continued to exchange fabric and ideas and were delighted to meet again in 2009 in Australia. 

Last Sunday I delivered the quilt to my granddaughter Kate.. Her memories begin now with the knowledge that her grandmother made this quilt just for her, with love.

 

The basic unit of this quilt is a 9inch square made up of a 6inch square with strips down the side and bottom to make up to 9inches. There are at least 60 items to be found during an ‘I spy’ game not including the number of coloured cats to be counted on the back.

Why did it take 4 years to complete?  That’s another story........

Phil Walsh     Mid West Branch