March 2012: Show & Tell

Linda showed this lovely red & white quilt.

 A colourful quilt made on Tuesday mornings at Linda's workshops.

Madeleine completed this wall-hanging with lots of stitching in the foreground and a lovely hand-dyed patchwork background.

Joan and Colette showed us a number of techniques for making 3d fabric flowers for the IQFOI 'my quilted garden' exhibition to be held at the International Quilt Festival of Ireland at NUI Galway this June. For further details on the requirements for this open-call exhibition see www.iqfoi.com.

Another flower idea.

 Monica's tesellation quilt.

Mari showed us some of the Sashiko work she completed at the recent IPS weekend in An Grianan.

Linda showed some Celtic panel fabrics available in 3 colourways at Rags For Linda (see www.ragsforlinda.com). The panels can be used to make quilts, cushions, bags.....or whatever other ideas you can think up. Just in time for all the visitors expected for the International Quilt Festival of Ireland in June!

February: Workshop with Linda McMulkin 'Charm Bag'

In the afternoon Linda McMulkin taught a workshop on how to make this patchwork 'charm bag'.

The bag requires 35 5inch squares of fabric in coordinating colours.

Iron-on fusible wadding is used to layer both the patchworked outside and the plain coodinating lining inside the bag.

A small outer pocket is made up of 2 patches and a flap.

Quite a few bags were almost completed on the day, so we hope to see the finished items at next month's show & tell!

Thanks Linda for a very enjoyable workshop that provides us with a useful project bag to keep all our stuff in!

February Guest Speaker: Linda McMulkin

Our own Western Branch member Linda McMulkin gave a talk at our February meeting. Telling the story of how her interest in sewing developed through dress-making before she came to patchwork.

It was during a holiday in Ireland that Linda and her husband Peter decided they would come to live here. The idea for her fabric shop and workshop, where she gives classes, grew from the fact that she had found it difficult to source fabric when she first arrived. And so "Rags for Linda" (www.ragsforlinda.com) has grown from strength to strength over the years since she arrived in Ireland. And we consider ourselves lucky to have such a resource here in Galway as Linda is always ready to source whatever we ask for. Linda will soon add long-arm quilting to her talents and we look forward to seeing the results!

Linda showed us a great variety of quilts during her talk and only some of them are featured here.

Upcoming February workshop with Linda McMulkin

Charm Bag: Requirements for Workshop on February 12th 2011
35 x 5" squares It would be best if these were already cut. You can use any scraps, or be colour co-ordinated
1m fabric for lining, handles and pocket lining
1.25m Fusible Fleece I will bring this for purchase if you do not have it. €12 pm I’m afraid !
Usual items:
Sewing machine, thread, scissors, cutting board, ruler, rotary cutter, pins etc
It would be helpful if there were a few irons and ironing boards.
This is a workshop anyone can do!!!!
If you have any queries, get in touch (Linda: 091 550779, ragsforlinda1@eircom.net)