The West's Awake

Please note the Galway City Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm during May. It will be closed on Sundays and Mondays.

April: Heritage Quilt Update

Another step was completed today at Mogs' lovely studio near Headford. The 3 layers of the Heritage quilt were put together and tacked ready for the quilting stage. Quilting will begin now and continue at the museum as the exhibition is in progress for the month of May. Visitors to the museum will see the work in progress before the quilt is finally presented to the museum for its collection.

April: Workshop on dyeing with Nikki Foley

Dyeing can be a messy business! But it looks like everyone was enjoying themselves! We'll have to wait to see some of the results when these hand-dyed fabrics make their way into some new quilts.

April: Show & Tell

This month's "show & tell" was impressive but remember this wasn't just the items finished in the last month.....these are all the wall-hangings and quilts submitted for our exhibition (which happens every 2 years) so it is a selection of the work completed since 2008. Perhaps we won't be able to include all of them in the exhibition which runs from 1st - 31st May at the Galway City Museum, so it's worth showing them here.

Applique by Bridie O'Mahony

"The West's Awake, morning, noon and night" by Rosalie Andrews.

3D applique by Brenda Maloney.

Hand-quilted "Amish for Saoirse" by Mogs McDonnell.

Celtic quilt by Monica Lannon

April: Show & Tell

Colour-wash quilt by Joan Colleran

"Autumn Flight" by Colette O'Donnell.

"Storm at Sea" by Mary McDonnell.

Flora and Fauna by Lynn Naughton.

Hand-applique by Bridgie Dalton.

April: Show & Tell

Jacob's Ladder quilt by Jackie O'Toole

Storm at Sea by Jackie Mackie

"An Naomh Cailin" by Aine Ui Dhomhnaill

"Seasons" foundation-pieced by Brenda Maloney

Wall-hanging based on a Harry Clarke window on Inis Meain by Mary Ann Curran

April: Show & Tell

Nursary Rhyme quilt by Mary Madden

Scrap-quilt by Madeleine Jordan.

"Field of Dreams" by Johanna Tyrell.

"Love Hearts" by Johanna Tyrell.

"Prairie Flowers" hand-appliqued by Marie McPhilips.

April: Show & Tell

"Mystery Quilt" by Maura Cunningham.

"Heartiest Congratulations" by Veronika Feldman.

"Rhythm and Blue" by Vera Buckley.

"Reflections" bargello quilt by Vera Buckley.

"Goodnight Irene" by Vera Buckley.

April: Show & Tell

"Stone walls, tall grasses and a purple moon" by Ester Kiely

"Jump for Joy" by Ester Kiely

"Celebrations Whirling" by Margaret Cunnane.

"Menlo Castle and Rowers" by Margaret Cunnane.

April: Guest Speaker, Nikki Foley

Our guest speaker for the April meeting was Nikki Foley from "The Sewing Shed", Castlemaine, Co. Kerry (http://www.thesewingshed.com/).

Nikki gave a talk about various patchwork and quilting gadgets and supplies that she sells in her shop and explained the differences between various products and how they work. She shared lots of tips along the way and it was very informative. Nikki will be adding some of these tips to her website, so be sure to check it out.
Nikki also modelled her patchwork jacket and told us that herself and her friend Jan challenged each other to make one and wear them at a recent show!

Nikki treated us to a show and tell of her work including this one which was exhibited in Canada this year.

Nikki's also been writing for Irish Quilting Magazine and did a series of celtic wall-hangings for each sign of the Zodiac.

April: Heritage Quilt Project Update

Another productive day at Bernie's working on the Heritage Quilt. Once Bernie boosted everyone's energy with her famous appletart and tea everyone was ready to work....and work they did!
Sandlin, Bernie and Margaret chat about the next stage.

Mari, Marie, Maura, Bridgie,Pat concentrate on those mitred corners!

Pat, Tania, Maura, Marie, Bernie and Mari start pinning.

Marie, Pat, Maura and Bridgie ironing the red strip.