RDS National Crafts Competition 2014

RDS National Crafts Competition 2014 

MAIN COMPETITION DATES &  INFORMATION

The RDS is delighted to announce the key dates for the 2014 RDS National Craft Awards and Exhibition.  The Competition is open to any craft worker resident in Ireland or Irish craft workers based abroad and has a prize fund in excess of €26,000. An online application process will be available from early March 2014.

The outline of the main competition dates for 2014 is as follows:

●        Launch of online application form:   3 March

●        Deadline for online applications:       12 May

●        Delivery of selected works to Simmonscourt for final judging      19 & 20 June

●        Collection dates for unsuccessful final round entries           7, 8, 9 July

●        Exhibition of winners and selected works at Dublin Horse Show:        6 - 10 August

●        Exhibition to travel to the Hunt Museum, Limerick:         Early Sept to Mid Oct (TBC)

Please take note of the following information relating to submissions:

●        All entrants are required to submit their entries online at www.rds.ie/crafts.  The online entry requires a completed online application form, payment online of the entry fee and upload of high resolution digital photo/s submission. Specifications for the digital image/s are detailed on the website. Completed entries must be received online before 5pm on Monday, 12 May, 2014.

●        It is vital that the digital photo submissions are of high quality as the judges first round selection will be based on them. Poor image quality may lead to work not being short-listed for the second round of judging. Digital files sent by email will not be accepted.

●        It is important that the scale, size of work and a full description of the piece should be given; including materials used, design source and function, as this information will be given to the judges. If the piece is not complete, JPEG images/drawings may be submitted as a ‘work in progress’ to illustrate the design. 

●        Online entry confirmation numbers will be sent by email to the email address provided. The entry fee is €15 and €10 for students and apprentices with written evidence of their status. An entry is defined as one piece of work or a matching set. Online application forms will be available at www.rds.ie/crafts from 3 March 2014. 

The RDS National Craft Awards is an RDS Foundation initiative and is supported by the Crafts Council of Ireland.

For further information please contact:

Dara O’Leary, Arts Programme Executive, RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

Tel: 01 240 7255    Email: arts@rds.ie

RDS National Crafts Competition Details

Please encourage all IPS members to enter it is one of the most important Irish exhibition for the craft. There have been some changes, the time for receiving etc have been extended - perhaps if you can encourage one or two at yours branches to enter, the quilts could be brought to Dublin and Mary Hunter (CCoI Rep) will take on the task of delivery and collection.

 This exhibition will be remain in the RDS after the Horse Shown for three days, and it is well worth a trip.

The exhibition will be open for free to the public before and not after the Horse Show (see the bottom of your post). It will be open for free on July 30, 31 and August 1.

January Meeting

The January meeting was a demo night, with 3 branch members giving different demonstrations to branch members.

Paula Rafferty showed how to make fabric pictures using the Laura Wasilowski technique.

Some of the bright colours used by Paula in her demo.

 Grania Preston showed how to do paper lamination.

 

Here's Grania soaking her paper laminated fabric in water

Claire Lynch gave 2 demo's. One demo showed how to make paper beads and the other how to use glue as a resist when painting/dyeing fabrics.

We also had a lot of show and tell on the night.

A small selection of the show and tell on the night

A baby quilt made by one of our younger members

Isabelle Maher showing her hand-made teddy

 

One of our new members Ruth Bourke showed us this lovely Halloween quilt she recently finished. Ruth also showed us a cushion she made using the economy block  which is a bit hit on quilting blogs at the moment.

Halloween Quilt by Ruth Bourke

Paula Rafferty showed some quilts that has recently finished off. This quilt was made from a Jelly Roll, using the quick strip-piecing technique mentioned to us by Edwina Mackinnon during her talk last year.

Paula also showed this lovely Christmas quilt. 

December Meeting - Christmas Party

The Mid-West branch held their Christmas Party last week, and great fun was had by all who attended. We had the usual great spread of party food.

Party Food

 Lots of the members brought in Christmas themed items for show and tell, which when hung around the room really added to the Christmas spirit.

Mid-West Secretary Valerie Shortt looking at the display

Phyl Awylward gave a demo on making a wall-hanging to hold Christmas cards which was made using large folded prairie point units. 

Phyl giving her demo to members

 In November, Mogs McDonnell from the Galway branch gave a Christmas Nativity workshop. Some of the workshop attendees brought in their wall-hangings from the workshop which looked fabulous.

Completed Nativity wall-hangings from the Mogs McDonnell workshop

The finale of the paper bag swap took place on the night as well. Back in September/October members put three fat quarters in a brown bag along with their name, these bags were swapped around and you had to make something using the fabric in the bag. The presents were opened on the night, so it was a lovely surprise for people to see what had been made using their fabrics.

Paper bag are all displayed on the table before the grand reveal

This was one of the paper bag swap, a table runner made by Phyl Awylward.

Phyl Awylward received a Christmas wreath and embellished book-cover from Kate O'Donoghue.

Deirdre Tracy received a sewing kit (made up of a pincushion, needle book etc).

Liz Stanley got this lovely star unit which was made by Meg Kenny.

Here's Theresa Riordan modelling her bag.

Breda O'Connor received a bag to hold scissors in.

Cecilia O'Doherty got this lovely wall-hanging and sewing thread-catcher/pin-cushion which was made by Deirdre Tracy.

One of our newest members, Breda O'Connor made this fabulous Christmas table runner.

Cecilia also showed two of the tea cosies she had made at the Wednesday night sewing group. 

 Here's some Christmas decorations made by members.

Phyl Awylward made this very funky (pink and leopard-print fabric) cushion for one her nieces. 

Breda O'Connor also showed this Christmas themed chair cover that she made from a tablecloth.

One of the Mid-West members Liz Stanley also finished this lovely quilt and matching cushion. 

Christmas Party Tonight 13th December.

Seasons Greetings to all IPS members. 

The Mid-West Christmas party is taking place this Friday 13th. Door opens at 7.30pm.

Don't forget to bring your completed "paper bag" challenge.

Also, anyone coming tonight should bring a mini-sewing kit (i.e. needle, thread, scissors).

Don't forget to bring some food for the party, and show and tell.

See U there

November Meeting

 Mogs McDonnell from the Galway branch was the guest speaker at our November meeting. Mogs brought a great display of show and tell with her, some of the work was made by her students.

Mogs with one of her wall-hangings

 Here's another quilt by Mogs.

Hexagon quilt

 This quilt was a community project organised by Mogs in Headford, Co. Galway. All the participants appliqued their hand-prints to the quilt. Quilt is on display in a local hall, and is very eye-catching.

Here's Mogs and Cecilia showing some Christmas Nativity Wall-hangings. Mogs gave a workshop on making these wall-hangings on November 9th. 

Some of the show and tell on display at the November meeting

One of Mog's students (Niamh Langan) created this fabulous Doc-Marten quilt which incorporates family photo's.

The Quilt Shop Tuam was our shop on the night. It was the first time that we've had this shop at our meetings, everyone loved the fabric available, so I'm sure we'll be getting Roisin's shop back again soon.
 
At the June meeting, members were given some dolphin themed fabric to create a block with. Here are some of the completed blocks displayed at the November meeting. There was some great creative thinking used to make these blocks, all of them are really original.

Blocks created from summer challenge fabric

Villiers Sewing Night

The Villiers Sewing Night will be taking place on Wednesday night (11th December) as per usual.

After this, the group will be taking a Christmas break so it will be the last sewing night of 2013!

Reminder to pay membership fees

To all IPS members, for insurance and constitutional purposes, those who have attended two meetings since Sept. will need to pay their annual subscription at the next meeting. 

Membership
Individual €40 
family €60 (all children must be from the same household)
student €20