Tuesday 24 July 2018

River of Dreams Quilt Exhibition 2018

The Rainbow Rose got an outing!  Every year there is a quilt exhibition in Limerick called River of Dreams and anyone can enter a quilt.  I thought it might be nice to put in the Rainbow Rose as it was only shown previously in Birmingham at the Festival of Quilts.  Nice to get another chance to show off Tomomi's fabulous quilting!


The opening was about 7pm and it was lovely to see the evening light shine in on it.  It was hung up high on account of it being 84" x 84" and I was thrilled to see it pop out at me when I walked into the gallery space at Limerick School of Art & Design.


There were lots of gorgeous quilts on display so I thought I'd show you some of my favourites.  Maureen Talbot on the left and Tomomi McElwee on the right.


Close ups of fabulous quilting!


Every year there is a charity drive and this year it was little blocks to make a quilt for the homeless charity NOVAS.


These little blocks are massively cute and it was lovely to see more and more appearing on the wall as the exhibition went on.


I loved this Sarah Fielke design made by Gerardine Cahill.  Beautiful fabric choices and I could look at the hand quilting up close for ages!



Really liked the colour in this Craftsy class pattern made by Alison Bingham,


and the frosty colour palette in these paper pieced trees by Frances Shanahan.


It was great to see some Modern Irish Bee Quilts too.  On the left Suzanne's large block quilt - we made a block inspired by colours of the Irish flag, any size up to 18".  On the right Mary Murphy's round robin quilt (7 of us made a different round and mine was the outer triangle border!)


I really enjoyed this mix of quilts from traditional to modern on one wall.  (Quilts by Biddy Condon, Joan McGarry and Betty O'Farrell).


On the last day of the show I was asked if the Rainbow Rose could be borrowed for a display in Dublin during Irish Pride week so off it went for another showing! 


Delighted to be able to show it off as much as possible before it comes back to me to cherish!  Thanks again to Tomomi for the amazing quilting and friendship.  The quilting makes the Rainbow Rose and I could look at it for hours and hours!  We don't see each other too often but I am so glad this hobby has given me so many great friends. 


28 comments:

  1. So good to see Rainbow Rose again. It looks like it was a great show -- lots of wonderful quilts you've shared.

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    1. Thanks Anja, it's fun seeing so many sewing groups locally and the wide variety of things people are making. I think more big stitch hand quilting will have to be on my to do list! I really love the look of it.

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  2. Wow, Rainbow Rose looks amazing in the evening light. What a fun show; thanks for sharing so we could all get to be a part.

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    1. The space is brilliant for quilts and it being an open show there is always great variety. The opening night had little mini cupcakes and properly brewed tea the old fashioned way with tea leaves! It was really lovely!

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  3. I think Rainbow Rose is my favourite of your quilts, the position of it between the pillars really seems to set it off. That was fantastic that it set off to Dublin for Pride! Do you remember in the online group we started a quilt, our own individual ones, a medallion quilt I think? I ran out of the red toned fabric and my maths went all wrong very quickly. I must get it out and look at it, see how far I have come on!

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    1. I didn't finish that one either Helen, only one last round of hearts to go but I stalled at paper pieced 50 of them. Should really take it back out as they were all looking really cool too and its a shame to not finish them really!

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  4. Dear Ruth, thank you for writing so eloquently about the 13th River of Dreams Quilt Exhibition in the Limerick School of Art and Design.We all enjoyed "Rainbow Rose" and hope it gets home soon.Looking forward to next year and the beautiful quilts which no doubt will be on display.

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    1. It is a wonderful opportunity to have every year to see such a variety of quilts. Loved it and really loved the little houses this year!

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  5. This is a stunning collection of quilts. Your Rainbow Rose is beautiful and it got pride of place hanging up high :)

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    1. That was luck in the end Janine on account of it being so big but the space was perfect for it as you could see the quilting on the back of it too and made finding the animals Tomomi put into it easier to find from the back!

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  6. Your Rainbow Rose is stunning. I could look at it all day. How big are those blocks?
    I love Maureen Talbot's quilt too. Have seen the picture on some social media or other. Do you know what she calls it?

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    1. The blocks are 9" finished from 10" layer cake and cut from fat quarters. Maureen's quilt is from a pattern published in simply moderne I think!

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  7. I love the light on your quilt. It looks so special! I didn't realise Maureen's quilt was hand quilted. As well as Gerardine, they have some patient!!

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    1. Don't they just! Last year Maureen's quilt took a year in the making and so perfect. Make me feel bad rushing to finish sometimes!

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  8. So much eye candy!!! Thank you for sharing. Your Rainbow Rose is a spectacular beauty. You must be so proud of it.

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    1. Thanks a million - it's a special quilt with all the animals quilted into it in matching thread. It great to be able to share it and I had a lot of fun pointing out the hedgehogs and dolphins and out puppy basset hound to everyone.

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  9. What a lovely collection of quilts. The house quilt is truly special. Your Rainbow Rose stands out in that large hall. The light you captured in the first picture is beautiful!!

    -Soma

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    1. My friend Suzanne was in the door a few minutes before me and took some lovely photos of it too - just the right time, at the right light. It was a lovely opening with lots of tea and cake and a talk from Novas on the work they do in the city with the homeless so a lovely atmosphere with lots of eye candy too. Happy to have had a chance to enter the Rainbow Rose and be a part of it.

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  10. Looks like it was a fantastic exhibition and how lovely to be a part of it Ruth, and to be asked to be part of another - the icing on the cake :)

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    1. Thanks Fiona, it is really lovely to see your quilt up on the wall but to have the light shine in on it too was great!

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  11. I love how your quilt seems to glow!
    I would really like to make a quilt like Maureen's but I think I'll have to retire first to have that kind of time and dedication available.

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    1. I am in awe of her dedicationa and precision - one day maybe!

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  12. Rainbow Rose looks great in the light, it almost looks like there is a spot light on it.
    All of the other quilts are amazing, such detail and beautiful quilting.

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    1. It was a lovley exhibition and great fun to see quilts from friends up on display. Hope you had a lovely bithday!

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  13. I can see why they chose your quilt to hang prominently and high. It retains its fabulously colourful impact even from a distance. Small, bitsy quilts just would not work.
    I adore the tiny houses. They are all so different, but the collection of them is so effective.

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    1. Thanks Carla. It was fun to see it grow and the lady from the charity loved it!

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  14. Wonderful show with your quilt in a staring postion! Congratulations to you both.

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