20 November, 2012

Edwina Mackinnon - Colour Stories


UK tutor Edwina Mackinnon will be giving a talk and workshop at the Mid-West Branch in February 2013.

Edwina will be giving a talk on "Colour Stories" on Friday 8th February 2013. She does a lot of fabric dyeing using procion, indigo dyes and also potassium permanganate, so it should be an interesting talk. 

And Edwina will then give a "Cut and Come Again" workshop on Saturday 9th.

Workshop details: This workshop is a fun, relaxed method for producing attractive blocks using your fabric stash. Just bring along a collection of fabrics and start cutting and stitching. There will be lots of ideas for assembling your blocks to make an attractive quilt.

The workshop will be taking place at the Greenhills Hotel, Limerick. Cost €55.  We're opening up this workshop for any IPS members who would like to attend. So if anyone would like to do this workshop, please contact me to get your name added to the list.

The Greehills Hotel have good rates, swimming pool, free car-parking etc. The hotel is also just down the road from where the Mid-West Branch hold their monthly meetings, which could be very handy if anyone wants to see Edwina's talk on the Friday and attend the workshop the next day.

For further details on Edwina's work please see:

15 November, 2012

Mogs McDonnell and Students Exhibition in Headford


On Friday 21st Sep, Anne-Marie Horan, our Western Branch Chairperson opened an exhibition of work by Mogs McDonnell and her students at Headford Parish Hall which ran until the 26th Sep.
 

A good number of IPS members were in attendance to support these quilters as they celebrate another year's work completed. There was a party atmosphere with goodies to eat and drink as we enjoyed the display of quilts. 
 
Mogs modeled, with panache, her designs made for the Fashion Sans Frontiers exhibition in Birmingham last year.
 
I particularly loved the 'Cathedral Windows' quilt Mogs made with the Active Retirement group in Kilcoona.
 


But there were plenty of other stunning quilts on show as you can see from the photos included (sorry I don't have names for all the makers).


 

This annual exhibition is always an enjoyable event and I look forward to it each year.....make sure you mark your calendar next year, you won't be disappointed!
 
Ester Kiely







11 November, 2012

Western Challenge




The Western Challenge is normally held in the Spring but this year it was postponed to the Autumn as members were busy with the IQFO in the Spring. The challenge was to make a piece no more than a metre square with a sea theme. Each participant was given a piece of one of the two fabrics used to make the Cú na Mara hangings, perfect colours for the theme. The entries were varied in size, theme and technique, all beautiful, all well crafted. The difficult task of choosing the winner fell to our guest speaker, Terri McNeill. Nessa McMahon from Athlone was the winner with a lovely appliqué piece. Well done to all who entered

06 November, 2012

November Meeting


This is just  a short reminder that the Western Branch of the IPS will meet in the Bridge Centre 
on Saturday, November 10th from 10 - 12 (or maybe 12.30).

At this week's meeting we will open the doors to visitors from a far flung place:Tuam.  The Ready-Thready Sew Group from Tuam who will share their work and stories with us.

A very special show and tell from our members: Confession time! Bring out your old UFOs, unfinished objects, as if you didn’t know!  Root them out and see which one you might like to finish by May next year.  

Cindy Coleman will bring her shop  ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’ with lots of goodies.

In the afternoon, we invite members to bring some Christmas projects to sew and maybe share some ideas.  If you want to bring your current pet project that’s fine too.  Maybe bring some lunch if you intend staying.

Ongoing: Don’t forget to get thinking about those Henry bear quilts for the May meeting

SOS: Did you pick up a bag by mistake at last month’s meeting? 
A quilt top by Marie McPhillips went missing after last month’s meeting. Did you pick it up? Can you check if you have it and return it to the meeting on Nov 10th. Thank you.

Library: Don’t forget the books are there for borrowing. We’d ask you though to look and choose before the business part of the meeting.  

Membership: If you have a friend who might be interested why not bring her or him along as a visitor to the meeting?  If you are in touch with someone who used to be a member why not invite them to come along again.

Looking forward to seeing you Saturday!  We leave you with photos of last month's show and tell to inspire you for this meeting.