December Meeting - Christmas Party

The Mid-West branch held their Christmas Party last week, and great fun was had by all who attended. We had the usual great spread of party food.

Party Food

 Lots of the members brought in Christmas themed items for show and tell, which when hung around the room really added to the Christmas spirit.

Mid-West Secretary Valerie Shortt looking at the display

Phyl Awylward gave a demo on making a wall-hanging to hold Christmas cards which was made using large folded prairie point units. 

Phyl giving her demo to members

 In November, Mogs McDonnell from the Galway branch gave a Christmas Nativity workshop. Some of the workshop attendees brought in their wall-hangings from the workshop which looked fabulous.

Completed Nativity wall-hangings from the Mogs McDonnell workshop

The finale of the paper bag swap took place on the night as well. Back in September/October members put three fat quarters in a brown bag along with their name, these bags were swapped around and you had to make something using the fabric in the bag. The presents were opened on the night, so it was a lovely surprise for people to see what had been made using their fabrics.

Paper bag are all displayed on the table before the grand reveal

This was one of the paper bag swap, a table runner made by Phyl Awylward.

Phyl Awylward received a Christmas wreath and embellished book-cover from Kate O'Donoghue.

Deirdre Tracy received a sewing kit (made up of a pincushion, needle book etc).

Liz Stanley got this lovely star unit which was made by Meg Kenny.

Here's Theresa Riordan modelling her bag.

Breda O'Connor received a bag to hold scissors in.

Cecilia O'Doherty got this lovely wall-hanging and sewing thread-catcher/pin-cushion which was made by Deirdre Tracy.

One of our newest members, Breda O'Connor made this fabulous Christmas table runner.

Cecilia also showed two of the tea cosies she had made at the Wednesday night sewing group. 

 Here's some Christmas decorations made by members.

Phyl Awylward made this very funky (pink and leopard-print fabric) cushion for one her nieces. 

Breda O'Connor also showed this Christmas themed chair cover that she made from a tablecloth.

One of the Mid-West members Liz Stanley also finished this lovely quilt and matching cushion. 

Christmas Party Tonight 13th December.

Seasons Greetings to all IPS members. 

The Mid-West Christmas party is taking place this Friday 13th. Door opens at 7.30pm.

Don't forget to bring your completed "paper bag" challenge.

Also, anyone coming tonight should bring a mini-sewing kit (i.e. needle, thread, scissors).

Don't forget to bring some food for the party, and show and tell.

See U there

November Meeting

 Mogs McDonnell from the Galway branch was the guest speaker at our November meeting. Mogs brought a great display of show and tell with her, some of the work was made by her students.

Mogs with one of her wall-hangings

 Here's another quilt by Mogs.

Hexagon quilt

 This quilt was a community project organised by Mogs in Headford, Co. Galway. All the participants appliqued their hand-prints to the quilt. Quilt is on display in a local hall, and is very eye-catching.

Here's Mogs and Cecilia showing some Christmas Nativity Wall-hangings. Mogs gave a workshop on making these wall-hangings on November 9th. 

Some of the show and tell on display at the November meeting

One of Mog's students (Niamh Langan) created this fabulous Doc-Marten quilt which incorporates family photo's.

The Quilt Shop Tuam was our shop on the night. It was the first time that we've had this shop at our meetings, everyone loved the fabric available, so I'm sure we'll be getting Roisin's shop back again soon.
 
At the June meeting, members were given some dolphin themed fabric to create a block with. Here are some of the completed blocks displayed at the November meeting. There was some great creative thinking used to make these blocks, all of them are really original.

Blocks created from summer challenge fabric

Villiers Sewing Night

The Villiers Sewing Night will be taking place on Wednesday night (11th December) as per usual.

After this, the group will be taking a Christmas break so it will be the last sewing night of 2013!

Reminder to pay membership fees

To all IPS members, for insurance and constitutional purposes, those who have attended two meetings since Sept. will need to pay their annual subscription at the next meeting. 

Membership
Individual €40 
family €60 (all children must be from the same household)
student €20

Requirements List for Mogs McDonnell Workshop on 9th November

Mogs McDonnell will be giving a workshop on making a Christmas Nativity Wall-hanging this Saturday (9th November) in Villiers School.

 There are still a few places left, so if you want to do the workshop please let a committee member know at Friday's meeting.

  Requirements List (workshop makes two wall-hangings)
1 metre black cotton fabric
1 metre coloured cotton (batik or dyed fabric). Four fat quarters in similiar fabrics can also be used.
Bondaweb: 1 x 16" square, 9 x 16" rectangle. Or just bring some bondaweb to workshop.
 Backing fabric. 2 pieces each 30" (length) x 20" (width).
 Wadding: 2 pieces 30" x 20".
 Small embroidery scissors.
Sewing machine Iron Ironing board (if possible) Extension leads Ruler Pencil

IPS National AGM

The IPS National AGM took place this year on Saturday 19th October in the Tower Hotel, Waterford. This was the first time that the South-Eastern branch hosted the National AGM, and a lot of members (including Mid-West members) travelled to Waterford to support them. There was a great turnout at the AGM, 83 people in total, which is probably a record for IPS AGM's.

Italian EQA rep Pia Puonti was the guest speaker, so she gave a talk and slide show after lunch.


The AGM challenge this year was to make small quilts for a neo-natal unit for a hospital in Waterford. The Mid-West branch had a number of entries for this challenge.

Nursery Quilt by Phyl Awylward

Made by Valerie Shortt using some of the June Summer Challenge fabric

Made by Valerie Shortt

Kate O'Donoghue

October Meeting

The October meeting was fun evening, with a great turn-out on the night. There was a great array of quilts for show and tell.

Some of the quilts on display at the Oct. meeting

 Caroline Brouder and her friend (sorry have forgotten her name) are sewing together and producing lots of lovely work.

 Caroline with a quilt created from upholstery samples.

Marella Maloney with her quilt created using Edwina Mackinnon's "Cut and Come Again" technique. Looks great framed with the black fabric, it really pops the colours!

Another lovely quilt from Marella.

Liz Scallon with a beautiful butterfly cushion.

Here's a new branch member Breda O'Connor with her sewing machine cover. 

Gillian Sheehan brought in a number of items for show and tell. First she made this lovely lap-top bag using batik fabrics.

Here's a cushion created by Gillian.
 

 

Quilt by Gillian Sheehan

Meg Kenny showed this art work she created as a commission for a client. 

Chris and Rebecca Palmer are teaching a sampler quilt class, they're both making a quilt in a different colour-way. Here's Chris's version.

Chris Pamer

The guest speaker at our October meeting was Madeline Jordan from the Western Branch.

Madeline gave a fantastic talk, in fact she was one of the most entertaning speakers we've ever had! She spoke about how she got started in quilting, her projects throughout the years etc. Madeline is a like a human dynamo,and has produced loads of quilting projects throughout the years. Everyone was amazed with her productivity!

Madeline with her Cu na Mara quilt

 Madeline showed this lovely quilt which is based on the Cross of Cong and explained about the research that had gone into creating it.

Madeline's quilt based on the Cong Cross

Here's Madeline and her daughter-in-law showing a wall-hanging.

Rags for Linda was the guest shop on the night.