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

EQA Diversity in Europe

European Quilt Association: Diversity in Europe EQA Gallery at FOQ 2015.
 
With Quilters’ Guilds across Europe represented, the Diversity In Europe gallery is an opportunity to see some of the outstanding work of artists from 17 different countries. Each country can only select one piece to represent their country, so it is always an interesting and stunning example of quilt making at its finest. 

The Irish Patchwork Society are currently looking for IPS members to submit photographs of their work for consideration as the Irish entry for this year's gallery.

Rules:
Size of quilt:
Maximum height 2.5m - maximum width 2.5m
Minimum height 1m - minimum width 1m
Maximum perimeter (all the way around the quilt) 9 metres
Minimum perimeter (all the way around the quilt) 4 metres

All quilt must have a 10cm (4inch) hanging sleeve (with extra fullness to accomodate the rod) sewn 1cm below the top of the quilt and stopping 2cm from each side.

All quilts must include the following information at the bottom of the quilt, either on a fabric label securely attached to the back of the quilt or written directly onto the back of the quilt - owner's name and full postal address (including country), Name of the quilt. 

All quilts must have a Quilt makers statement.

Please email a good quality photograph to the International Representative (Loretta O'Brien) by 31st May 2015.

The quilt will be chosen by the Executive Committee.

Branch Meeting Tonight (Friday 13th)

Our patchwork meeting will take place tonight (Friday 13th). 

Demo's start at 7.30

The guest speaker tonight is Ray Moore  (Eastern Branch) and he will show some beautiful quilts during his talk and slide show. Our shop on the night will be Patchwork Plus from Cork. 

Please remember to return your library books and as always bring your show and tell.


Those of you who attend the Villiers Sewing Nights on Wednesdays, please note that there will no sewing night on Wednesday 18th due to mid-term break.

Southern Branch Details

The Southern Branch of the Irish Patchwork Society have recently set up a new Facebook and website.
Their website is located at: http://ipscork.com
Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/southernbranchips
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/southernbrancho


The Southern Branch of the Irish Patchwork Society meet the 2nd Saturday of every month (except July and August) in the Hall of the Sacred Heart Church, Western Road, Cork from 10:00 till 12:30.

Their next meeting is on Saturday 14th February where Moya from Patchwork Plus will be the guest speaker.
Bring your hand stitching kit if you want to start your project at the meeting.
The Southern Branch will also be debuting their 2015 Block of the Month at this meeting.

Fabric Squares Swap

Fabric Square Swap:

Back at the October meeting, speaker Ann O'Rafferty mentioned how she had taken part in a fabric squares swap. After hearing about the swap, a number of branch members expressed interest in doing something similar.

This swap will be a great way to get variety in your squares for making

Full details about how the swap will be explained at Friday's meeting.  There will be a sign-up sheet for anyone who's interested in joining this swap.

Thanks to Ruth for drawing up the instructions for us all.