“Welcome everyone, to our 2020 Southern Branch AGM…”

Probably in very different words, but something like this is what Frances would have said this morning if we had our meeting as planned!

Instead, we are all at home, and by the looks of things we are keeping busy. Before my last post (and email) I was afraid that we would be showing you just a couple of photos today. But in the past couple of days lots of members have sent us photos of their projects, so grab a cuppa and make yourselves comfortable for our “Show & Tell”:

Assumpta Lydon has made this version of Jack’s Chain since in isolation:

Ann Prendergast has finished four table mats and a quilt:

Ann also has two projects in progress that she shares here:

Joanna Harrington made this baby quilt recently, the second photo shows the quilting from the back:

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Joanna is also having several new Works-in-Progress. The first is a wedding quilt for her son, who is married two years this May. It is an adaptation of the Mochi quilt pattern: linens, Oakshott cottons, some Liberty fabric from Kitty Whelan’s stash and from her own stash. The other three photos are from her first online quilt-along with Denyse Schmidt – #theproverbialquiltalong:

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And lastly Joanna is showing us two large throw size quilts made from layer cakes:

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Ann Walsh is showing us her quilt in progress below. She says: “… here is what I’m working on during “The Emergency“. I’ve only been quilting for about 5 years, but I realised recently that I had only made one quilt for myself… any others have gone to raffles, friends and relatives. So this one is for me. I love these colours, and had built up enough of them to get cracking. Hope my fellow quilters are making good use of their enforced sewing time….”

The quilts below are from Eilís Watson. The first is a baby quilt 42” x 48”. Made from a charm pack, with a few squares added to make up the numbers. It is machine pieced and machine quilted:

Second picture is still at the ‘top’ stage. A bookcase/bookshelf quilt made from an Alison Glass layer cake with 5 green strips added, to dilute the pink, girly look. It’s a “big boy” quilt for my nephew, who is an avid reader.

Eilís is also taking part in Bonnie Hunter’s mystery quilt. This can be found at the Quiltville blogspot. We are currently stitching Part 3. The third photo shows my quilt after the first two parts. (edit: see our sew at home page)

Maura Warren wrote: “I can’t seem to concentrate on sewing but I have gone mad on knitting tea cosies as you can see one for every one in the audience”:

Louise O’Hanlon writes: The blocks on this quilt are finished and ready to sew together. The quilt is a pattern from the Missouri Quilt Star company:

Mai Murphy shows us her version of Mary Palmer’s mystery quilt, photo taken by Joan:

Mai also sent us photos of nine(!!) quilts that the group has recently sent to Cork Cancer Care:

Bernadette Keniry has been busy, too. She says: “I made that lap quilt for my husband as I’ve never made him anything except his dinner…” She also made 97 crochet triangles ready for a shawl as well as a chair cover with pocket, another quilt, and a face mask:

Noreen Brazier has been busy, too. Brooke, her 5 year old granddaughter, designed her own quilt. Then there is Moya’s mystery medallion center square, a work in progress. The one on the bed is waiting to be quilted:

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Carol O’Brien sent us these two projects:

Moya Geraghty writes: “Here are some baby quilts from Patchwork Plus. Hope everybody is well and getting a bit of sewing done, mind yourselves”:

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Moya also sends us a picture of a small wool applique project she finished recently:

Bernie Kelly sends us a baby quilt she is making. The hand quilting is nearly finished and she hopes to put on the binding this weekend. She includes a close up and a picture of the backing material. The pattern is from a McCalls magazine:

Mary O’Regan has been sewing face masks, and lots of them:

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Sheila O’Sullivan sent us this wall hanging. It is called LUMINARIA. As Sheila wrote: On a holiday visit with my brother, Brian in mid coast Maine, and visited Alewives Quilt Store, Nobleboro, Maine. I purchased this panel ‘Luminaria’ by Julie Paschkis for In the Beginning Fabrics. Recently I attended a wonderful workshop with Tracy Wardle on attic windows and I decided to work on Luminaria. The dark fabric for the window frame was a gift from Anne Moloney. Thank you to all my IPS friends for sharing their creative talents. Best wishes to all.

Ailbhe O’Callahan sent these 8 of the 12 blocks she is making while cocooning… She really enjoys looking online for ideas and still has to draw a fruit basket block for the centre . Then there are borders and quilting ….

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Sheila Devereux has made a quilt in English paper piecing, a brooch for Patrick’s day and a cameo pendant:

Heidi Wischniewski has made some butterfly wings for her granddaughter, as well as two Baltimore applique blocks:

Heidi also made a small quilt. As she says: “I did this small quilt in one of Mary Palmer’s workshops about 3 years or so ago. Never got the courage to free motion quilt it, finally did it and I’m pleased with the outcome. Took me ages. On the pink background picture you can see it in detail. Binding is done now. Handsewing will be a breeze:

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Hilary O’Kelly sends us a picture of her Hexagon quilt: “It is now in its sixth year –  I think it is Grandmothers Garden pattern but I didn’t use a pattern. Hopefully I will finish it over the next few weeks”:

Hilary also made this baby quilt for her niece from a panel – she used minky fleece and hand quilted around all the figures etc:

Tracy Wardle sent three photos: The first is a Machine Appliqued cushion, which I was making as part of a Machine Applique class I was to give on 1st April. It is based on a wall-hanging called ‘A Little Birdie Told Me’ by Kathreen Ricketson in her book Whip Up Mini Quilts. I had the applique finished before lockdown and it was the first thing I quilted and completed after the first announcement from Leo Varadkar on 12th March.  The second is a FMQ Filler Sampler, which was also going to be for an upcoming class. I’ve made a couple of these in the last few weeks and I’m really enjoying them. I want to do one similar to this, or maybe even a small whole cloth but in silk. Yummy! The third is of just three of the I’ve-lost-track-of-the-number of postcards I’ve made in the last four weeks, which I’ve been sending to family and friends in the UK. These are also FMQ or maybe they’re Free Motion Embroidery. THe designs are inspired by work by Carolyn of Free Bird Quilting Designs. The bottom two are on silk and the top one is on simple calico:

Frances McCarthy sent this “Sewcial distancing” quilt top, a pattern from Nikki Foley of the Sewing Shed. It is a mystery medallion quilt started in late March (edit: see our Sew at Home page for a link):

Carol Cave sent us this snowman quilt:

Edit: With uploading all your brilliant photos I almost forgot to put up a project from myself: So I (Sandra Jansen) have been working on this quilt. I am also trying to write a pattern for it… Hand quilting, because I don’t get much opportunity to get the sewing machine out these days:

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I have been overwhelmed by your responses to my call for your project photos! We all make different things, but especially in these difficult times it has been great to put this post together. We are a community, coming together to encourage and inspire each other. So I hope you have been inspired today as much as I have by the photos of what others are making. I hope you enjoyed this “meeting”, and we hope to see you again next time!

Lastly a little housekeeping: Since we have had to cancel today’s meeting the committee will remain in place until we can hold our AGM at a later date. The executive has postponed the national AGM, to October for the moment.

And a quick mention to our members who are also in the group the PinPals. They have made the Echo: “Cork group are ‘sew’ glad to make sanitary kits for girls in need“.

Thank you all for joining me for this virtual meeting! For now, take care, stay home, and try to relax (with some sewing?)… at least some of the time.

Sandra