We're Back!

The South Midlands branch of the Irish Patchwork Society will be back for business on Thursday 3rd September. We will be showing off our Summer Challenge project (everyone had the same fabric and could make whatever they wanted from it!) We will be having a demonstration of a block that will be made from scraps. We are hoping everyone will take the pattern away and make a couple of blocks from their scraps. They will be brought back in January and a quilt will be made from them and raffled for charity. We are starting a new year long project. We will be making a Journal of techniques and skills. Each month a new technique or skill will be demonstrated. There will be opportunities on the night to have a go, or you can have a go at home. These will be constructed into a Journal to keep. Some of the demonstrations coming up during the year are: Mono printing, using a soldering Iron to burn your work!, Using twin needles, free motion quilting, using solubles, putting trapunto into your work. We have a variety of shops attending our meetings too. Come along and join us and have fun!

Summer Trip

Each year the Branch has a Day Trip out. This year 18 of us set out for Limerick to visit The Limerick Quilt Centre, run by Maeve Meany. We arrived at 11.00am to a welcome cup of tea. After looking round the shop and everyone buying what they needed for their next projects Maeve served us a lovely lunch. After lunch she gave us a demonstration on how to make a professional cushion. This included how to make and sew on piping and insert a zip. After another look round the shop, a chat and stories about quiltmaking, we set off on our way home, stopping in Clonmel for a lovely meal in Mr Bumbles Restaurant. We are looking forward to seeing what everyone has made with their purchases in September.

June Meeting

On Thursday 4th June we held our June meeting. We welcomed the new committee and our new Chair, Barbara Schofield, presented a beautiful Orchid to the outgoing Chair, Ann Kelly. We had an amazing show and tell from members and welcomed three guests. Angela Cotter from Dublin, Sheila McDonald from Kilkenny and Joan Webb from the USA. Joan brought some of her work with her to show us. She paints a lots of her own fabric and showed us a piece she is working on to commemorate her husbands retirement from the Fire Service. We gave out fabric for a Summer Challenge and had a nice cup of tea. The next meeting will be at the beginning of September so we wish you all a happy summer of sewing.

May Meeting

We held our AGM last night. Our new committee was voted in. Some of our members brought in their first quilts to show us. It was great to see how some of us started in quilting. Some of the quilts had very little quilting on them, because either we didn't know we had to do it or we didn't know how to do it. Our colour choices might not have been so good. Our fabric choices weren't great. But wow how we have all come on. It was nice to show those that think that their work isn't of the same standard as others, that those people did in fact start in the same place and their work has improved, giving hope to the beginners that theirs will too. The Minerva Cup was donated by the Minerva Patchwork Group in 2007. This is a perpetual trophy won each year in May at the AGM. This year's theme was for a Miniature Quilt. The viewers choice vote went to Tomomi McElwee for her beautiful sampler (photo to follow). There were 5 entries.

Reflections of the South East

Reflections of the South East

Alex Meldrum opening the exhibition

The Reflections of the South East Exhibition hanging at Jerpoint Glass Studio, Stoneyford, Co Kilkenny has been a great success. The exhibition was opened by Alex Meldrum, a founding member of the Irish Patchwork Society.

The Glass Studio, Jerpoint Glass,

Members of the South Midlands and the South East branches were invited to hang quilts in the Studio. The theme of "Reflections of the South East" was chosen and the colours of Jerpoint Glass were used as inspiration. Members exhibiting were: South Midlands: Alison Baxter, Margaret McEvoy, Ann O'Hara, Valerie Mullally, Fiona Clancy, Caroline Schofield, Mary Ann Brown andTherese Roche South East: Joke Buursma, Monica O'Brien, Pauline Beglin, Julie Jacob and Jackie Doyle

Celebrating Seminole - Kilkenny Style by Alison Baxter

The exhibition has been extended until May 20th. Open 7 days a week 10-00am - 6.00pm. Admission Free.

Susie Long Hospice Fund Bag Sale/Fun Day

BAG SALE/FUN DAY in aid of the Susie Long Hospice Fund On Saturday 25th April 2009 the SM IPS branch held a Bag Sale/Fun Day. Patchwork bags were made by members of the Irish Patchwork Society and were sold in aid of the Susie Long Hospice Fund. There was also a big raffle, tombola, face painting for children and free balloons. The day went perfectly and there was soon a mad rush of customers wanting to buy the bags. After a busy few hours of selling and doing the raffle the day ended with practically everything sold. The branch sends a special thank you to Margaret McEvoy for her hard work in making the day so successful and to all members who attended the day to either help or to buy. The amount raised to date is €6700 with a bit of extra money due in.

Hands Across the Border - Portstewart, Co Derry

The opening of the Hands Across the Border: A Journey Exhibition took place in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin last Wednesday 25th February. One of the South Midlands members, Margaret McEvoy, was asked to make a gift for President Mary McAleese as a thank you for opening the event. She made a beautiful patchwork bag and presented it to the President at the official opening. The Exhibition will now be hanging in The Flowerfields Centre, Portstewart, Co Derry from June 1st to 19th.