Inis Oírr Quilters...... Mná le Chéile

Monday, 8 August 2011

Kathleen made a cushion cover in one night! Meimi is making English Paper Piecing diamonds for a group quilt project.

Mná le Chéile: Mna le Cheile, began in 2006 with six members interested in learning how to make patchwork quilts. Since then our membership has grown to almost 20. We have held yearly exhibitions of our work at Aras Eanna, Inis Oirr’s Ars and Culture Centre. We have also been successful in securing grant money from the VEC, HSE, and Comhar na nOilean. We have used these funds to purchase sewing machines and materials, to bring in special tutors on a regular basis to help us improve our patchwork skills, and most recently to purchase a long arm quilting machine. This very specialized machine will be used to finish our quilts here on the island, rather than having to send them off to the mainland. The long arm can stitch very intricate and lovely patterns that both enhance the patchwork design and secure the top, wadding, and backing layers that make up a quilt. Along with finishing our own quilts, we hope to develop a small enterprise, offering our long arm quilting service to other quilters across Ireland. Mna le Cheile meets weekly throughout the winter months and provides a welcome and enjoyable social outlet for women who share a passion for patchwork quilting!

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