QGI Committee 2022 – 23

Chairperson – Áine Kavanagh

I live in the historic town of Lismore in Waterford and have been quilting for more than thirty years, having first learned to do everything by hand while living in Belgium.

I completed the City and Guilds Certificate in Patchwork and Design in 2013 and later that year, I opened the Lismore Quilt Co.

I run a range of quilting and patchwork classes for all levels from my studio. I have a particular interest in quilt history and find inspiration in antique quilts.

I recently completed the Art Textile Special Purpose Award at CIT Crawford, College of Art and Design and have been a member of QGI for several years and a committee member for the last four years.

Treasurer & Membership – Rita Geyermann

I am a self-taught quilter, learned sewing around the age of ten from my eldest sister and discovered quilting in 2011. Around the same time, I switched from a creative job (Dental Technician) to a PC-based career, as I was made redundant and retrained (working now as a Data Analyst) and re-kindled sewing as my hobby. 

My first quilt (what a surprise) was a baby quilt/playmat of my own design. About a year later, I made another one, that was when I got hooked on quilting. I manage to make in average 2-3 quilts a year, not more, mainly because I work full-time, but also, because I usually make other projects in between. I design nearly all my quilts (and other projects) myself and my favourite technique is Foundation Paper Piecing. 

I have never entered any quilt into a competition/show, because I find the rules too stressful & rather just enjoy quilting. However, in January this year, I had a quilt pattern published in the online quilting magazine ‘Make Modern’. 

Ireland is my chosen home since 2004, having moved here from my birth country Germany at the age of 30 (just because!). The first 9 years I lived in Killarney, now I live in Clondalkin, Dublin (where I moved for work).

Secretary & Website – Mary Crickard

I hail from Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, and have no sewing background, apart from some inherited embroidery pieces sewn by my maternal Grandmother, who was from Donegal. She died when my mother was 15.

At school Domestic Science taught me to fear the sewing machine – threading was a diabolical mystery and technical difficulties meant I didn’t sew anything. I could hand sew and enjoyed it.

While living in Saudi Arabia, I found an amazing French lady called Nicole Friday. She taught me the rudiments of quilting and guided me to finish a sampler, all done by hand. Arriving back in Ireland, a group of ladies took me under their wing; weekly sewing in each other’s houses, led to weekends away and thanks to Pat McFerran, who loaned me her Pfaff, I learned how to love the sewing machine.

Clare Loughrey took me through the City & Guilds at a diffcult period in my life, having just lost my brother Dominic aged 37 with whom I lived. Clare continues to inspire and brings together a great group of quilters. I am also a member of the Northern Ireland Patchwork Guild. My life revolves around quilting and has brought me into contact with many talented quilters, embroiderers and weavers.

Education & Conference Organiser- Clare Greer

I have been patchworking for over 20 years and enjoy turning my hand to appliqué and making traditional quilts.

I worked at Quilters Quest in Belfast from 2010, alongside my mother Yvonne McKee, where she taught Beginners’ workshops and weekly patchwork classes.

I am now the agent for SewEzi Sewing Tables and this includes exhibiting at different quilt shows throughout Ireland and the UK.

In my spare time, not that there’s much with a 5 year old, I enjoy walking my dog and spending time outdoors.

Education & Conference Organiser- Moya Geraghty

I have been working and creating textile art using all kinds of fibers and techniques for the last twenty five plus years.
I have exhibited and sold work with a group of textile artists called Textile Communication in East Cork.
I did a City and Guilds course in Patchwork and Quilting which resulted in my taking over Patchwork Plus in Midleton, Cork in 2006 from Mary Palmer.
Since then I have concentrated my creative energy in teaching regular classes and making quilts to inspire!

DCCI Rep & Support – Mary Palmer

Her Story

Mary Palmer, our former Chair, hardly needs an introduction. She is an internationally reknown quilter, quilt teacher and long arm quilter. She has led QGI through the pandemic and lives in West Cork. On one memorable occasion, she travelled 20 miles in a storm to a garage to find electricity to facilitate a Zoom meeting. An award winning feat!

Mary Palmer initiated the successful Lockdown ‘Keep Well’ campaign. She has been exploring textile art through quilt making for 30 years. Mary trained in automotive design which has thus influenced her work with structure, pattern, and precision being important elements in her projects. Although traditional forms and patterns influence her work, she brings a contemporary feel through colour and texture, drawing the viewer in.

She likes to play with words and concepts and is frequently inspired by architectural shapes as well as magical mathematical structures found in nature and music. Mary has won numerous awards worldwide and has work in private and public collections in Ireland and abroad. http://www.marimudesigns.com

Support – Pauline Openneer

In 1975 I visited a quilt exhibition in my
hometown in The Netherlands and found mylifetime hobby. I enrolled for a series of quilt classes and never looked back.

In the year 2000 my husband and I moved from The Netherlands to County Donegal on the north west coast of Ireland: one of the best decisions in our lives! We settled in well, and I opened a quilt shop in Dunfanaghy in 2001.

Alongside the quilt shopd, I organised workshops, classes and retreats. Dutch quilters came to Donegal and Irish Quilters visited the Netherlands. Ten wonderful years.

In 2009 I started using Donegal tweed in my designs for quilts; teaching making tweed bags, wall hangings etc.

I love quilting, love to design new quilts and especially: love to share this great craft with women (and men!) by teaching, travelling and/or hosting groups in our beautiful County of Ireland: Donegal.

What is a committee?

 The act of empowering to act for anotherthe delegation of responsibilities

Or a group of persons chosen to represent others

Whatever you call a group of people who come together to facilitate events etc. for others, nothing will get done without them.

Some people hate committees, that’s understandable, but if you can volunteer in any way, outside of the organising group, we need you.

Within the organising group, or committee, it’s essential to have people to look after membership/ finance/ finding and engaging tutors/ organising Retreat logistics/to communicate with members on a regular basis/ and someone to co-ordinate all of the above – the Chair.

If you feel you could help, wonderful, let us know: theqgi@gmail.com. Or talk to one of the committee members above.

P.S. All our meetings now take place via Zoom.