The Quilter’s Guild of Ireland ‘Keep Well’ Project / Challenge 2021

The QGI is running a project to support the new creative project launched by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI). The “Keep Well” campaign is part of the Irish Government’s Plan for Living with COVID-19, to promote individual and community resilience. 

We, in conjunction with the DCCI are focusing on the campaign’s strand ‘Switching off and Being Creative’. This programme encourages people at home to ‘switch off, be creative, and to learn something new’. 

Isn’t it just perfect? To switch off and be creative, we just have to sew little blocks.!

What

We’re asking our members to make at least one 10” block (10-1/2” square unfinished) on the theme of Home (Houses, Trees, and Paths & Gardens). We’re suggesting using Batiks as collectively they go well together. If you don’t have
any batiks, use what you have – we’re talking cotton, not polyester etc. Here are some examples of what is being asked of you. Includes a house and paths created from the pattern by Evelyn Brady.

Who

Involving and encouraging friends, family and neighbours to make a block is part of the project. If they don’t have a stash, would you by any chance, have a few wee pieces you could donate or even pre-cut for a beginner. It has been said of quilters that they hoard fabric…

[We are operating in Covid times, so please stay safe. When sharing fabric by post/ by hand, it might be an idea to advise the recipient to leave it for a day or two before opening. We can’t be too careful these days!]

Patterns

  • Printing re Foundation Piecing Warning. Some printers default to less than 100%. When printing foundation patterns make sure it is printing at 100%.
  • If you have already printed a small version, that’s fine, submit it. We’ll add a wee border to suit that quilt.
  • We love it when people take the time to point out the little errors which might creep in. .
QGI Pattern 1 House Tree Garden Keep Well 2021Download
QGI Pattern 2 House Tree Garden Keep Well 2021Download
QGI Pattern 3 House Tree Garden with Corrections Keep Well 2021Download

Finished Your Block(s)?

When you’ve constructed your block(s), please contact us (theqgi@gmail.com) for instructions on where to send it (or ask a QGI member).

Prizes

Each block you send us, will be rewarded with a ticket for a special raffle honouring the Design and Crafts Council’s 50th anniversary being celebrated this year – 2021. There are 50 prizes ranging from €10 – €100 vouchers to be used in a selection of Patchwork shops on the island of Ireland.

And then…

With the blocks we receive from you (and your friends, family, and neighbours!), we’ll make quilts. These are being used to benefit charities relating to women’s mental health and women’s shelters for abuse victims.

We’d like to make 3 quilts at least, but if there are more blocks, we’ll make more quilts!

Zoom Sessions


To encourage you, we’ve been holding a series of zoom sessions, where Mary Palmer will walk you through the instructions, answer questions, have a chat and hopefully you’ll show us your blocks as we go along!

YouTube Videos

Mary Palmer has and is preparing step-by-step videos for anyone to follow. The first are aimed at the beginner, and get progressively more complex. Nothing you can’t handle.

The QGI YouTube channel can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeHW9PeRuyMKevqmFowElyw

Once we reach 100 subscribers we can make the URL address a bit more QGI friendly. You can subscribe which only means you will be notified when new videos are added, there’s no cost to join.

NB Videos 6a and 6b are exactly the same, they’ve just been taken from different camera angles.

Contact

Friends of QGI members are welcome, as well as members themselves. Contact theqgi@gmail.com for more information.