This morning we met online at our festive meeting. We even had a visit from Santa Assumpta… Thank you, Assumpta for making the effort, even if it was warm!

There were a good few Christmas related quilts shown on screen, and sewing plans mentioned for during Christmas. Several of us are making or planning to make Mary Palmer’s mystery quilt, we look forward to seeing what they will look like…

Frances had selected a few quiz questions from Christmas quilt quizzes set by Ann Prendergast in previous years, and we had a go at an online quiz which was much fun.

We showed the photos that were sent to us for Show & Tell as a slide show, and we could talk about them which was brilliant!

Below the show and tell photos for everyone to see:

Tracy says: I got the bug for making postcards from an IPS challenge a couple of years ago and this year I’ve been making loads of Christmas present postcards – these are the only ones I remembered to photograph. Quick, simple and so cute. I love them.

She also made yoga bags as presents: I adapted a pattern I found online and made these snazzy yoga mat bags as Christmas gifts for family members who took up yoga during Lockdown. 

The last photo from Tracy is of the advent calendar she made for her son and his wife: I based the tree design on our old family Advent calendar and embroidered each pocket with a design by or inspired by Barri Sue Gaudet – a lot of work! I started work on it in September….and they even got it in time for 1st December. I’m really happy with it and I think they are too.

You can find more about the designer Barri Sue Gaudet at her website bareroots.com.

Heidi send us the pictures below:

The first two quilts are made from jelly rolls: Mary suggested that the Sunday quilters group do a project with a jellyroll and that was my end result.

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This is her cat quilt. We showed this quilt in progress a few months back, and it is now finished. Do you see the paw “prints” and fish bones in the detail image below?

Lastly, Heidi sent us a photo of her finished tweed appliqué quilt:

Have a happy Christmas, everyone, and we are already making plans for our meetings in the new year. We will let you know details nearer the time.

There was an enthusiastic group at our virtual meeting this morning, thank you to those who managed to join us!

The conversation quickly turned to online mystery quilts and quilt-alongs, so I’ve made a small list of some that were mentioned and some that I found:

• You should have received instruction emails from the IPS about the mystery quilt by Mary Palmer. The instructions can also be found under “resources – 2020 patterns” at the IPS website (login required)
• Bonnie Hunter’s mystery quilt is about to start soon, supplies have been announced. It is called Grassy Creek, and all posts will be on that page as they come available.
• Fat quarter Shop has a free Block-a-Week for 38 weeks called Sewcialites to which several designers contribute.
• Alaska Rainbow Quilt-Along by Edita Sitar on laundrybasketquilts.com. The link goes to the first post, all posts can be found by clicking the tag “Alaska Rainbow QA”.
• A modern row-by-row quilt-along is the Sugaridoo Quilt Along on the Bernina site.

Nikki Foley of the Sewing Shed came in to give us a short talk. She told us how sewing has been a saviour through tough times in her life. She explained how that has given her the energy and drive to work so hard at what she does now and why that means so much to her. She followed it by a photo tutorial for easy Christmas table mats. If you want to make the table mats, find the tutorial on the Sewing Shed website at: Christmas table mats from a star bundle.

This afternoon Nikki was going to open her new shop, too (virtually of course). If you’d like to see, you can find The Sewing Shed on Facebook or Instagram, and there is also a website (10% discount until tomorrow 12PM)

Our next visitor was Mary Murphy who some of you may remember from her visit to us in 2018. Mary makes stitched portraits, and is now involved in a new arts collective/art gallery in Carrigaline. She showed us the space and some of the art work, as well as the craft and design work they are displaying. For anyone interested to know more, have a look at Mary’s website, or visit the Owenabue Arts Collective site.

Then it was time to talk quilts again. Cathy showed us what she is working on: A self-designed quilt with different stars which is all hand pieced and is presently being quilted.

Tracy had recently received paper pieces for an “Ice Cream Soda Quilt” and showed off the first “blossom” she made. She also showed the embroidered pockets for a bespoke advent calendar for her son and his wife.

Joanna showed a lovely quilt she is working on and wants to make bigger.

And I held up my just-quilted log cabin quilt to the camera…

Our next meeting will be on 12 December from 11:00 AM, and it will be a festive one, so find your Christmas hat, and have a mince pie ready! We hope to organise a quiz/treasure hunt for that. It will also be an opportunity to show off your Christmas makes, and wish each other the best for the season, of course.
We will be sending the link for the meeting to up-to-date members only, so please get your renewals sorted…!

Sorry for the lack of pictures so far, to make up here is a short Show and Tell from the photos I received by email:

Siobhan made this log cabin from denim:

Assumpta made paper pieced Santas. They were supposed to be a runner but she made them into individual hanging ones instead:

Tracy Wardle says: “Here’s my offering for this month. I’ve called it “Sweet Like Chocolate” as it was made using mainly fabric from a Moda collection called Double Chocolat. I’ve included a shot of the back as well as the front and also a close up of part of the front. It is quilted on my home sewing machine”:

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Eilís Watson made the colourful quilt below. The pattern is ‘Paradise Pinwheels’ by Laura Coons. It uses a jelly roll with background fabric:

We hope to see you all next month!

This morning we met online for our monthly branch meeting. Thank you to those who managed to join us, it was so lovely to see you all!

After a general catch up, Nicky Foley of the Sewing Shed took her phone camera around her shop. From fabrics to threads, and from notions of all kinds to patterns. As well as that the Sewing Shed has a dedicated workshop for up to 5 people, all separated by screens into individual work stations to comply with regulations.

Nicky told us she will be moving premises at the end of the month. She will be closer to the village, be on the ground floor, and have her own parking. Improvements to the website are also planned. Find the Sewing Shed’s website at: https://www.thesewingshed.ie/

From that we got to talking about the mystery quilt-along Nicky ran over the summer, the “Sewcial distancing project”. Frances showed us her version, made in scraps. The mystery instructions are still (freely) available with videos, find details here: https://www.thesewingshed.ie/blogs/news/stayathome-our-sewcialdistancing-project-part-1

This was followed by Mary Palmer showing us some of her work. In a very varied talk she showed us recent and older work, modern and more traditionally inspired work, and collaborative work. There were photos from her travels to Uzbekistan, prize-winning quilts, quilting she has done for others, and seasonally inspired work based on the drunkard’s path block and much more. If you are not very familiar with her work, some images can be found on her website gallery: http://www.marimudesigns.com/?page_id=73

Someone asked about where to obtain linen fabrics after seeing one of Mary’s quilts including linen fabrics. After the meeting Bernie sent us details of a shop she has visited that sells linen fabrics:

As a sign of the times, we briefly spoke of masks, and Mary showed us an image of a fascinating beaked mask in the style plague doctors reputedly wore. I found it online, if you are interested there are even instructions (HERE), though whether it makes a practical mask I leave you to decide…

Not quite a mask, but Frances shared this image with us:

Finally, I am ending this post with some photos of your makes that I got sent via our email:

Bernadette Keniry made this quilt. She says: this lap quilt was an UFO and travelled to three homes before being grounded.

Also by Bernadette this crochet cape. It was made from an Interweave pattern, lots of patience was required:

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Noreen Brazier

Hilary O’Kelly recently made this quilt for her grandson Tiernan. He chose the fabrics himself, many came from his aunt Kate, which gives the quilt extra special meaning.

Tracy Wardle sends us these pictures. She says: I haven’t finished any quilts this month but I have WIP’s. I’ve been working on another UFO this month and the photo is of the backing,  which I’m piecing at the moment. The other thing I’m working on is an Advent calendar for my son and his wife. I can’t wait to show you the finished article but for now here’s a pic of my current favourite pocket.

Moya Geraghty has also send us some pictures. She is doing a block of the month called Superbloom by Laundry Basket Quilts. Picture of the quilt and the first block. Anybody interested in taking part contact her at patchworkplus[at]gmail.com.

Below a picture of a messenger bag made at one of her workshops.

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Eilís Watson is making a kaleidoscope quilt (not together yet) using the striped fabric below:

Well, that is all for today. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend, and if you do any sewing in the coming weeks share your photo with us next month. We hope to host another online meeting then, too.