A community united with creativity at the latest meeting last Saturday. As always, the room buzzed with the joyful hum of shared passion, the vibrant hues of countless fabrics. This month’s gathering was a testament to the enduring appeal of patchwork and the warm, welcoming spirit of our members. From seasoned quilters to enthusiastic newcomers, everyone found something to inspire them.

This month, I was privileged to be the guest speaker, I gave an informal presentation on the history of English Paper Piecing and my journey in developing this technique. Patchwork Plus provided a wonderful display of fabrics at the pop-up shop.

Of course, no meeting is complete without our beloved “Show and Tell.” This month’s display was a kaleidoscope of talent. Cathrine Ryan’s quilt was a beautiful mix of colours and incorporated embroidered names. There were more charity quilts and Joanne Harrington had completed an ice blue carpenters star. It was not only quilts on show but 2 bags and a Jacket.   I am always astounded at the array of different projects on display and the mass of talent that is shared by members. The open sharing of knowledge and the genuine appreciation for each other’s work creates such a positive and supportive environment.

Following the meeting a group of members stayed to enjoy an afternoon workshop with me and started to construct a quilted jacket of their own. Every participant used a different colour pallet and an assortment of different patchwork blocks. Over the coming month we will see a fashion parade of vibrate and gifted members on our very own IPS fashion parade.

This month’s meeting was a warm celebration of creativity and community. The Irish Patchwork Society continues to be a haven for quilters of all levels, and I’m looking forward to our next gathering on 12 April.  Until then, happy stitching!