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.

Paula Rafferty Stained Glass Workshop

As a novice patch-worker I love doing workshops to learn new techniques.  The stained glass effect  intrigued me so I really  looked forward to Paula Rafferty’s workshop on Sunday at the International Quilt Festival of Ireland.  We had received a list of materials needed in advance but not everyone came prepared! Just as well  Paula was, with lots of ‘kits’ ready for us.

The group decided to do a simple tulip design –the pattern was well numbered showing the positioning of the basic pieces followed by the fusible bias.  Once I got the hang of the technique it was easy to get it done. Paula’s relaxed presentation made it all seem so simple. I also got to use a new ‘gadget’ – the mini iron, just brilliant for ironing on the bias strips.  Two of us headed over to the hall afterwards to buy one!

We finished up early and Paula spent the last hour teaching us foundation piecing as some of the group had missed this workshop in the morning.  We then had two workshops  for the afternoon.  I learned loads and really enjoyed chatting to the others in the group. Hope to see Paula back for next year’s Quilt festival.

Mary O’Brien

First Meeting of the Season!

The first meeting of the2012-2013 season is quickly approaching!  Please join the Western Branch of the IPS on Saturday the 15th of September from 10AM-noon in the Bridge Centre on St. Mary's Road in Galway.

Our speaker will be Terri McNeill who will give both a talk as well as a demonstration.  The shop will be Rags for Linda, so be sure to stop by and pick up something fun for your stash.

Please bring your creations for the Western Challenge using the green/blue batik fabric from the Cu Na Mara quilts.  We will display them for all members to see as well as choose a winner of the coveted Western Branch trophy!

Let's finish the Volvo Ocean Race sampler quilt while we are together.  We pieced 7 blocks while at the Ocean Race using fabrics donated by Brenda Maloney.  If you are interested, please bring your machine, a 14 inch square of pale backing, a piece of cotton wadding, your needles, thread, etc to make a block or two after our regular meeting.  All fabrics will be cut, so there's no need to bring your cutting board, etc.

Hope to see you there!

Irish Quilting Workshops

It's that time of year.  Back to school for your little people and for us quilters!  Irish Quilting has invited all IPS members to the Back-to-School Patchwork Workshop to be held 31 Aug-1 September.  All IPS members will receive a 10% off their booking fee.  If you bring a friend, you will receive a free Martingale Publishing patchwork book, too!  Incredible!

This weekend offers 4+ sessions to choose from, goodie bags, a provided lunch and more!

On Friday 31 August you can enjoy:
Techniques and Tips:  Applique Made Easy from 10AM-1PM for €30 hosted by Mairead O'Gorman.
Beginner's Special - Table Runner: from 10AM-1PM for €30 hosted by Mary Curtis.
Hand Quilting: from 2Pm-5PM for €30.

John O'Donnell will also be on site for machine servicing.  How incredibly convenient!  That's a great idea.

On Saturday 1 September:
Handbag Workshop: from 10AM-4PM for €50 hosted by Annette Ronan.  You will walk out of the class with a completed project!
Patchwork Clock: from 10AM-4PM hosted by Nikki Foley for €60, including a full clock mechanism.  Again, you will leave this course with a finished project.

The Science in My Quilt winners will be announced.

All workshops will be held at the Enniscorthy Enterprise and Technology Center.  A materials list will be provided upon booking and optional kits available on the workshop day.  Please visit Irish Quilting to reserve your place.

If you have questions, please contact Mary O'Gorman of Irish Quilting on +353 1 442 8757.

Get your entry forms in!

Have you submitted your entry  form for the AGM?  If not, please hurry on over to the IPS website and complete your form as quickly as possible.  You can submit your form today even if your quilt is not complete.  However, that binding will have to be finished next week and the quilt sent in to T. Watson by the end of this month to be photographed and included in the exhibit catalog.

What are you waiting for?  Complete your form today!

Ready Thready Sew Exhibit in Tuam

Ready Thready Sew, a quilting group in Tuam Co Galway, is hosting a quilt show in the Tuam Town Hall as part of the Tuam Arts Festival.  They invite each and every one of you to stop by, say hello and have a glimpse at their amazing handiwork.  Their exhibit will be open from 10-19th of August (inclusive) from 10:30 to 5PM each day except Sunday when the exhibit is open from 12:00-5:00PM.

The group have made a quilt to be raffled in aid of Tuam Cancer Care, so be sure to buy your ticket!  

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.

Athenry Tractor Yarn Bomb

Two small bits of news that you might think are fun.   First, the Athenry Craft and Chat are holding a fund raiser in aid of Athenry Cancer Care on Sunday 1 July.  If you are near by, you might want to stop by and check it out.

Also, there are a wonderful series of blog posts focused on the IQFOI hosted at La Ruche des Quilteuses.  The posts are in French, but you can translate them easily with your browser.  Regardless, even if you want to just peek at the photos, you are bound to see an inspirational quilt you missed at the festival or even one of your own!  Do have a look.

Western Branch at the IQFOI 2012

The International Quilt Festival of Ireland was all the buzz in Galway from 8-10 June.  As it was a local event for the Western Branch of the IPS, our members participated as volunteers, in donating quilts for exhibition or to give out information at the IPS booth in the hopes of recruiting new members.

As there were thousands of visitors flooding into Galway that weekend, there was great press coverage.  You can view the RTE Nine News coverage by clicking here and hear the RTE Countrywide Radio interview here.  If you are not interested in hearing the full program, move the cursor through the timeline to 15.20 minutes.

Our branch of the IPS really had a chance to shine just over the IQFOI registration desk.  Hanging from the balcony, you could see all 20 panels of our Cu Na Mara exhibit, displayed with great pride.  It looked absolutely fabulous.

Many of our members had a chance to volunteer at the IPS booth in the main hall...right next to the very tempting shops!

 All in all, it was a great day out.  A great chance to meet friends, take classes and browse the displays for inspiration.  We are already looking forward to 2013!

Western Branch of the IPS on Countrywide Radio Programme!

 
Several members of the Western Branch of the IPS have the great honor of participating in the Countrywide radio program on RTE.  Be sure to tune in on Saturday morning to hear the interview!  It will air from 8:10-9:00AM on Saturday the 9th of June.


You will hear our very own Agnes Warren, Joan Colleran, Anne Marie Horan and Mari Moran interviewed by Frances Shanahan at the National University of Ireland, Galway.  Don't miss it!

Agnes interviewed by Frances

Joan, Agnes, Mari, Celia (background) and Frances

 


 

Summer has begun!

The International Quilt Festival Of Ireland is just around the corner!  In support of the festival, Octagon Quilters of Westport have been busy stitching.  And look at what they have created!  A lovely window box of quilted flowers for the quilted garden.  Be sure you stop by the garden when you're in Galway this June and give their handiwork a closer look!

Cuilteálaithe Cois Fharraige Quilt Exhibition

Seanscoil Sailearna Indreabhán

(3miles west of Spiddal, Co Galway)

Official Opening Friday May 11^th 8pm

Open on Saturday and Sunday 11am-4pm

Fáilte Romhat Isteach

Cuilteálaithe Chois Fharraige began in February 2006 after some patchwork classes in Scoil Sailearna for parents. This is our fifth exhibition and this year we are delighted to include two  quilts, from Brid and Teresa who are part of The Bruach na Mara Craft Group. We also have “Crossing the Divide” a wallhanging completed by participants in the Living Scenes Programme in the Presentation Convent in Galway. This is a programme that involves retired people and transition year students in an educational project together. Of course there are many and varied items made by members of our group as well. We hope you enjoy our work. We meet in Coláiste Colmcille on Thursdays and hold beginners classes each autumn.

If you are in Galway over the weekend why not call out to see us. The Seanscoil is the Old Schoolhouse in Inveran, three miles west of Spiddal on the right hand side of the road.

Hand Applique Workshop

Last meeting's workshop was "hand appliqué" lead by our own very skilled member Marylin Farrell.

After light confusion about freezer paper, what it is and how to use for hand appliqué we flew along, creating our tulips in a vase.

First we stitched down our flower stems (everybody! had them already cut and ironed to size for the class) and we could practise our tiny stitching.

Then we went on and stitched down the flower part of our tulip, learning how to needle turn the seam allowance under as we went along. We learned how to work inside and outside curves and had great fun comparing our stitch size. Not everybody found it easy to aim for 14 to 16 stitches per inch, but, of course, your work looks so much nicer if you do!

And we were very proud when Marilyn complimented us for our invisible stitches.

Before we went home we promised to bring back our finished pieces (or work in progress) back to the May meeting.

I really enjoyed this workshop and will take my tulips as a start to do more hand appliqué.

Many thanks Marilyn!   

Written by Veronika Feldmann

April Workshop: Needle turn applique

At the April meeting of the Western Branch of the IPS, we will be hosting a workshop on needle turn applique.  If you are planning to attend the workshop, please review the supplies list below and bring everything you will need with you:

Fabric (100% cotton, avoid stiff or loosely woven cotton)

• Background fabric - 21 inches by 22 inches, lightly colored solid or tone on tone.  If choosing a print fabric, make sure the background fabric does not overwhelm the applique fabric.
• Stems - green fabric, 3 strips cut on the bias at 1.25 inches wide and 8 inches long.
• Flowers - prints of your choice

Notions

• Embroidery or small fabric scissors.  Tips must be pointed and not round.
• Needles - size 10 or 11 mm or straw needles are best, but sharps will work as well.
• Thread - 100% cotton is best, matching the thread as closely to the color of the stems and flowers and not the background.
• Paper scissors
• Basting thread
• Light and dark marking pencils for the fabric (or lead pencil for light fabric)
• Pencil sharpener
• Needle threader
• Several wooden toothpicks
• Small fabric pins
• Small cutting mat
• Iron and ironing cloth
• 12 inch ruler

Pre-class preparations

• Background should be pre-cut
• Stems: fold bias strip, right sides out (wrong sides of fabric together on the inside) in equal thirds.  Strips should be approximately 1/2 inch wide.  Baste along the middle of the strip (not the edges) and press.

March 2012: Foundation Piecing Workshop with Berni Falvey

Busy hands at work as Berni Falvey took us through the steps of how to foundation piece a 'Snail's Trail' block.

We found it took a bit of concentration to get the pieces in place in the correct order, despite Berni making it look easy!

Now pay attention...Berni shows some additional patterns that are easily achieved with foundation piecing such as 'Flying Geese'.

 By the end of the class we had all produced a block, started another and learned a lot in the process.

Some foundation-pieced samples Berni brought to inspire us.

Thanks Berni for an enjoyable afternoon workshop!

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!

Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery, Claregalway, Co. Galway

Following an invitation by Galway County Council to Galway craft-makers to organise craft activites in October 2011 for Galway Craft Month, I approached a local landlord of empty retail spaces in Claregalway with a business proposal to create 'Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery' to showcase the work of Galway craft-makers, designers and artists. My idea was to create a space with 4 main activities

·  a gallery selling craft made locally

·  a class-room where local craft-makers could share their skills through offering workshops to the public

·  a studio space where I could work on items for upcoming exhibitions while also giving the public the opportunity to ask questions about the process of creating quilts, wall-hangings and other textile art pieces. 

·  an opportunity for the community to use the space to share their own craft skills in weekly 'drop-in' crafty mornings.

With the support of family and friends I hope I have created a bright welcoming space in the heart of Claregalway where previously there was a dark empty retail space (and sadly there are still a lot of these empty retail spaces all over Ireland). Although initially intended as a 'pop-up' shop for Galway Craft Month, Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery is still operating as I write this article in February 2012.

The project has provided me with 6 months of work in my local community, the opportunity to sell the work of over 40 talented makers in the gallery and invite them to teach in the classroom. During this time it has been a pleasure to be surrounded by beautiful knitwear, felt brooches, children's books, silver and beaded jewellery, stoneware and earthenware pottery, ceramic giftware, fine prints, oil-paintings, hand-made soaps, soft toys and of course patchwork quilts, cushions and wall-hangings and so much more. Over 75% of the work is made in Galway and the local community has responded positively to the selection, quality and value on offer. It has been a real pleasure to see the happy faces of those who attended workshops leave with their own creations.

For more information on the project see www.legracraftstudioandgallery.blogspot.com.

Thanks Giving

On Thursday 24th Nov 2011 Margaret ,Ester and Sally headed to Campbells Tavern, Cloughanover, Headford to celebrate “Thanks Giving”.

There wasn’t a turkey in sight as Willie had given Mogs Mc Donnell free rein of the lounge for the night. We came in on a cold and very windy night to a pub that was full of beautiful quilts and we had one mighty show and tell. All the ladies groups that Mogs works with, showed one beautiful quilt after another. Niamh Langan’s quilt “The Ties That Bind”which was featured on the front of the catalogue (remember the pink doc martins) for the Links exhibition looked great hanging on the wall.Mogs showed us her own lovely work “The Children of Lir” that she made for the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham.

Everyone had tea and lovely homemade apple pie and cream to mark the day even the men playing cards were treated to some also.

 Thanks to Mogs for a lovely  “Thanks Giving”.

Written and Photographed by Margaret Cunnane.

January Meeting and IQFOI Sewing Bee

The Western Branch of the IPS met most recently on the 14 January 2012.

We had a very educational meeting that all members enjoyed. Our guest speaker was Elaine Dobell, a physical therapist, who discussed several helpful points to keep our back and joints healthy while quilting. Thank you, Elaine!

Our shop this month was Seams Sew Simple by Lynn Naughton. As it is a new shop, we were all very excited to see what fabrics she would bring with her. We were not disappointed!

The Western Branch IPS members brought with them their completed quilts for show and tell. They were all beautiful!

Following Elaine’s presentation, the members creating IQFOI panels gathered for a sewing bee to work together on their panels. Members interested in sewing for the afternoon, but without panels, began making quilted flowers for the IQFOI garden.

Our next meeting is 11 Feb when our guest speakers will be the Athone group who will give us a show and tell. Again, the afternoon will hold a chance for IQFOI panel sewing, so bring your supplies!

Next month we will hold a New York Beauty Workshop hosted by Tracy Wilson on 12 Feb 2012. For the workshop, you will need to bring the following materials and supplies:

Fabric: bring a couple of fat quarters of your background fabric, plus a variety of scraps at least 3.5 inches wide. Include complimentary and contrast colors.

Thread

Sewing machine (and knee lift if you have one)

Scissors (fabric and paper)

Pins

Rotary cutter

Ruler

Cutting mat

Iron and ironing board

Thin paper or tissue paper for piecing foundation

Sticky paper tape

Pencil

Extension lead

The instructor will also have handouts, block designs and extras. Each pack will cost 5 euro in addition to the cost of the workshop (25 euro).