Don't Miss Out On The AGM!

It's that time of year again!  Don't miss out on your chance to attend the IPS Annual General Meeting.

The IPS AGM will take place on Saturday 6 October 2012 in the Strand Hotel in limerick.  This year's speaker is Annette Morgan, a UK based quilt book author and instructor.

There will be two one-day workshops on offer following the meeting: 

Sunday 7th October: Textured Dimensions

A day's adventure into the world of texture.  Using soldering irons, hot air guns and free motion embroidery, you will combine plastics and paints to make a stunning panel for framing or mounting. 

Monday 8th October: 3D Freestyle Applique

Learn how to make a quick quilt background and then add the free-shape applique pieces to make an individual hanging. 

Additionally, the Strand Hotel will offer sewing space on Sunday, so bring your current projects to work on!

The fee to attend the AGM is 25 euros including attendance at the lecture and your lunch.  To attend the day long work shops as well s the AGM, there is a 65 euro fee.  

Do not forget that the National Exhibition 2012 is held from 1st - 12th October, so it it worth arriving in Limerick a bit early.  The exhibition, called Buildings, Bricks and Blocks, is at the Istrabraq Hall within the City Hall of Limerick City Council on Merchant's Quay in Limerick city.  The exhibit is open from 10AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday with the official opening on Friday 5th of October.  

Contact the Strand Hotel directly to secure the IPS special rate for the AGM.  The hotel is offering 2 nights B&B and 1 evening meal in the River Restaurant at 199 euro per person sharing (or a single supplement of 40 euro).  Or, if you want to come for only one night, you can opt for a B&B room at 50 euros per person sharing, or 90 euro for a single person. 

For more information, consult your summer newsletter or visit the IPS website.

Volvo Ocean Race!

The Western Branch Volvo Ocean Race adventure began when we were asked by Caroline Moran, Manager of the Craft Village, if some of our Cu na Mara panels could be used as branding for the Craft village. Following that, Caroline asked for some of the panels and other quilts to hang in the Craft Village. She also offered  the WBIPS a stand for the 4th of July where we could give demonstrations of patchwork. And so it came to pass!

For the display 4 Cu na Mara panels and several larger quilts were gathered so that Caroline could select which to hang from the rafters of the marquee. A wide selection of smaller quilts were gathered from W. Branch members to add spots of colour and texture to 4 specially designated display areas in the tent which were used to highlight one-off examples of excellence in Irish Craft and Design. These quilts would hang for the duration of the Volvo Week.

Early on Friday June 29th Jackie O'Toole and Anne Marie Horan struggled womanfully through the muddy quagmire that was the Global Village site carrying the quilts gathered up, plus an assortment of poles and double sided sticky tape. (where would we be without it?) They put labels on all quilts and met with Caroline who made her selection of the quilts she wanted to hang. Unfortunately only 4 Cu na Mara panels and 2 large quilts could be hung from the rafters as some of the areas proved too high to be accessed without a cherry picker. Panels from   Lynn Naughton, Veronika Feldman, Mari Moran and Colette O'Donnell and quilts from Mogs O'Donnell and AM Horan and J O'Toole were hung from the rafters. 

Much later on Friday the selection of smaller quilts was made and we were able to bring home the rest. Security was a big concern and we almost felt like detectives ensuring a chain of evidence...making sure that unhung quilts were not left unattended at any time. Suffice it to say that all quilts donated were returned safely to owners with no strays.

July 4th dawned with a bit of sunshine......surprise surprise! The rota of volunteers was all set and a lovely display of quilts decorated the stand. In addition we had all the usual equipment to make some blocks. The plan was that over the course of the day, members would make and quilt a 12" block using 3 fabrics which Brenda Maloney, of Clew Bay Quilting, had kindly donated. That way, visitors would get to see the whole process from cutting to quilting and as each block was completed it was displayed on the stand. 

Throughout he day (from 10am til 8pm) we had many visitors, quilters and none quilters alike. (A really strange one was a nearby stall holder who visited often to avail of the Cadbury's Roses in a basket on the stand!) Two 6 year olds started their quilting adventure as they made a 4 patch and one of them took it home for her Mam to finish (Mam had taken lessons from Rita Scannell while in school. It's a small world.) 

Coming up to lunch time the excitement quotient rose when Uachtaran na hEireann, Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina arrived for a visit. We presented Sabina with some of the cards made of the Cu na Mara panels and somebody somewhere has a photo of the presentation. Later in the day the parents of Volvo sailor Ian Walker came by to buy one of the Corrib Quilters "Sailing By" panels as a gift for the organiser of the Galway stopover. There's fancy for you! At the end of the day the stand was dismantled but we have many new enquiries to follow up for our September meeting.

We have seven blocks made and quilted so far and will look to completing the rest before Christmas. The completed quilt will be donated to charity later in the year when members make a decision which charity will benefit. 

At the end of the week Margaret Cunnane, aided and abetted by husband Peter carefully took down and accounted for all the quilts on display. Thank you to all who helped in any way.