Octagon Quilters Host Gillian Travis

The Octagon Quilters of Westport are hosting Gillian Travis on Tuesday 16th of October at the Westport Woods Hotel on Quay Road in Westport.  Gillian is an international teacher of many years.  She is well travelled and produces stunning pieces of work, fabric, paint and stitch using innovative techniques.  Gillian will give us a workshop, learning how to pain and print backgrounds, taking common wild plants as a starting point.  The class will involve screen printing, appliqué and machine embellishment.

On Monday 15th October, Gillian will give a talk entitled "Journeys in Stitch" at the same venue starting at 8PM.  Admission is 5 euro and refreshments will be available.

There will be a few places available for those who wish to join into the workshop.  The workshop will cost 25 euro per student.  Lunch is available in the hotel.  The course will run from 10AM to 4PM on the 16th.

Gillian Travis has recently been featured in Patchwork and Quilting magazine.

For enquiries and bookings, email bredamaloney(at)eircom(dot)net.

Patricia O'Dowda Obituary

Patricia O'Dowda Obituary

Patricia O’Dowda moved to Westport from Wales in the early1990’s. She had been an active member of the Glamorgan Quilters and in an effort to stimulate interest in patchwork and quilting in her new home area she held a one woman show during the 1991 Westport Arts Festival. In the following months 7 other interested ladies joined Patricia for weekly get togethers. We met in a variety of venues and finally found a home in the Town Hall. The room we used was called the Octagon room and hence we became the Octagon Quilters. Over the years the group has grown to about 20 members, who still meet on a weekly basis, and we have just celebrated our 20th anniversary with an exhibition in the Custom House Studios, Westport.


Patricia had joined the IPS and encouraged the rest of us to follow suit. She enjoyed the company and stimulation of other quilters at the monthly meetings of the Western Branch in Galway. She joined the Western Branch committee and was its Chair in the mid ‘90’s. She also served a term as Education Officer of the IPS.

A great believer in education Patricia set about teaching the techniques of patchwork and quilting to the members of the Octagon group. Visiting teachers were brought to Westport several times a year to pass on their knowledge. She never passed up an opportunity to visit an exhibition or take a trip to visit other quilt groups. We had one memorable trip to Northern Ireland where not only did we meet with local quilters but also had the opportunity to see quilts that are normally held in storage at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra. She encouraged us to exhibit both locally and nationally as it was all promotion of the craft.

Patricia’s own work took on a local flair. Her home, some miles outside Westport, looked out on Croagh Patrick or the Reek as it is known locally. The winding path to the top was clearly visible on fine days. She drew up a pattern of the view from her home and used it as the centre of a medallion style quilt. As a member of Westport Country Markets she displayed this quilt in the market and was inundated with requests for more of the same. She made many of these quilts as wedding gift commissions and being the skilled needle and machine woman that she was she incorporated scenes from the intended couples lives into the surrounding blocks……….farming scenes, pets, hobbies, etc.

Patricia embarked on a number of personal projects. She appliqued and machine embroidered Brighton Pier and the curved sweep of listed buildings in the town. Another project was a wholecloth quilt documenting the history and activities of her family. Her attention to detail and search for the correct fabrics and threads was part of every project. Her home was a veritable treasure trove. One room contained all her works in progress…………and they were always many. Each project was boxed with all the details written on the outside so she could put her hand on any piece in an instant.

From an early age Patricia loved to travel and it was fascinating to listen to her stories which ranged from cycling through Europe in the 1940’s to her visit to China with her son David in the late ‘90’s. We all received pieces of silk which she encouraged us to incorporate in a piece of our work. Her visits to her daughter Kathy in France always resulted in her returning with some local fabrics to be incorporated into yet another project
Due to failing health Patricia moved back to the UK in recent years but she still relished news of Westport and quilting from visiting friends. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

Marea E Mulqueen

Octagon Quilters Annual Exhibition in Westport

The Octagon Quilters will hold the Annual Exhibition of their work as part of Westport Arts Festival in the Parish Centre, James Street, Westport.
The exhibition will be open from 10am to 5 pm from Monday 3rd October to Saturday the 8th October. Admission Free.

Octagon Quilters 20th anniversary exhibition in July 2011

Westport Quilters’ anniversary celebration

The Octagon Quilters of Westport, County Mayo, are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the group by holding an exhibition of members’ work at the Custom House Studios, The Quay, Westport from July 7to 31 inclusive.

The Studios are open from 10am to 5pm on weekdays and 1pm to 4.30pm on weekends and bank holidays. Admission is free.

Founded in 1991, the group holds weekly meetings in Westport and organises, workshops, exhibitions and an annual charity project.

For further information please contact secretary Mary Ayres on email: mayres1@eircom.net

Octagon Quilters complete Japanese Hoko Bag Workshop with Brenda of Clew Bay Quilting

Octagon Quilters Westport,
On Tuesday the 15th Feb. at Hotel Westport, 14 members of the Octagon Quilters were given a lovely workshop by Brenda Maloney on how to make the Hoko Bag. Hoko, meaning other, is made with two main fabrics and is very quick to construct. The adding of fabric flowers gives it a lovely summer appeal. Brenda is also a member of the Octagon Quilters and runs the Clewbay Quilters Studio from her home at Gloshpatrick Westport (http://www.clewbayquilting.com/), where all the beautiful Chinese fabrics were purchased to make those lovely Bags.

by Octagon Quilters Chairperson,
Mary Madden.

(The pattern for the Hoko bags shown above is from "Easy Japanese Quilt Style" by Julia Davis and Anne Muxworthy (10 stylish but simple projects inspired by Japanese Fabrics). Other patterns in the book are for dolls, quilts, wall-hangings and sewing accessories.)

Octagon Quilters 2010 Exhibition

The Octagon Quilters held their annual exhibition in Westport recently during the Westport Arts Festival.

Some of you may not have been in a position to travel, so Madeleine kindly sent in the following photos to give you a flavour of what you missed!

Watch out for this annual event next year....mark your diaries!