This will tempt you to put your name down for February's workshop!

Linda McMulkin (www.ragsforlinda.com) will give a workshop in the afternoon after February's meeting showing how to make this Jacob's Ladder quilt. Those who attend the workshop can expect to complete most of a quilt top in an afternoon. This is a great workshop for all skill-levels, expecially if you want to go home with a great sense of achievement. Sign up fast before the places are all gone!

December Show & Tell

This month's 'Show & Tell' had some lovely pieces made by members. Mari Moran completed a bag using curved piecing. Margaret Cunnane's nativity scene wall-hanging should be completed just in time for Christmas. Joan Colleran told us of some hiccups encountered as she laid out all those tiny squares to make up this beautiful watercolour quilt...everyone agreed it was worth the headaches as it really is stunning! I didn't write down the maker of the green braid pattern quilt, but I'll find out and update this post with the info as soon as I can.

Eyes down for Bingo!

How do you get a roomful of patchworkers interested in a game of bingo? Make the prize a huge collection of 'fat quarters' (a 22inch square of patchwork fabric). Everyone paid 1 'fat quarter' to play. Then we got a long list of names of patchwork blocks to chose our personal bingo card using 25 numbers. All eyes were down as the numbers were called. The winner got a huge bundle of 'fat quarters' and the loser got a few too just for being last!

Christmas Challenge

Lots of people participated in this month's challenge to make a Christmas gift item. There were a wide variety of gifts on display and the viewers' choice was won by Frances for her placemats. Well done Frances! And well done to everyone else for participating, it's always great when there are lots of different techniques on show.

GroundWorks Studios opens in Mervue

GroundWorks Studios launched on Friday 11th December at the Lyrr Building, Mervue Business Park, Galway. It was opened by James Harold, Arts Officer for Galway, with an exhibition of ceramics and textiles created by the members. The exhibition ran for the weekend but has now been taken down to allow the group to prepare the space for the artists to set up their individual studio workspaces. The group will offer workshops to the public in ceramics and textiles in the new year so keep an eye on the website http://www.groundworksstudios.com/ for more information on this.

The mission statement reads 'GroundWorks Studios will provide a platform for emerging Ceramic & Textile Artists in a collective environment, creating a contemporary, innovative and vibrant setting in Galway and West of Ireland.'

As an associate member of the group, (more information on membership options can be viewed at the above website) I exhibited 2 pieces at the launch. 'Jump for Joy' also exhibited previously at the Quilt Festival in Bermingham and the Knitting & Stitching Show in Dublin. 'The Rocker II' was the second in a series of quilted pieces about the Irish rockstar, Philip Lynott, the first in the series exhibited at 'The Long Note' in the Cork School of Music with the Cork Textiles Network (http://www.corktextiles.com/).

Ester Kiely

Christmas Party 12th December, 2009

The meeting of the Western Branch of the IPS takes place as usual on the second Saturday of the month....so that's Saturday 12th from 10am to 12.30 at the Bridge Centre, St. Mary's Road. And of course it's Christmas so that means it's party time! There will be a prize for the winner of our "Christmas Gift" challenge (you take home the gift you make). The above photo is a wall-hanging made by Linda McMulkin.

Bring a 'fat quarter' of patchwork fabric to participate in the Fat Quarter Bingo!

There will be a buffet of party food to share and of course our usual festive fun.

We hope to see you there.