Extract from a letter circulated by Katie Doyle Elliot to all Branches:

Hello Fellow Patchworkers,

During my recent visit to Ontario, I met up with Suzanne and Garnet in Alsia Craig. They are very excited to host the Quilts from Ireland Show in October. I brought home a few posters to share with all of you, so you could see how the show is being advertised in Ontario......It was weird to see all of your quilts in their shop ..... They are doing trunk shows to the different guilds to get the word out about the show.

Results are in for the Viewers choice of the "Hands Across the Border" exhibition. Over 2,000 viewers' choice slips were counted and the winner was Paula Rafferty with her Elementals Quilt series.

The Executive would like to send a heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who make all these exhibitions possible. A lot of people very generously give up precious time to organise, hang and man all these wonderful exhibitions and we are all grateful.

Hands Across the Border Exhibition Opening

Hands Across the Border Exhibition Opening
Wednesday 25th February 2009
President Mary Mc Aleese opened this Exhibition at the National Botanic Gardens on Wednesday 25th of February. Earlier the President had studied the quilts closely as Maria Bolton, IPS Vice Chair, explained the inspiration behind some of them. As a quilter herself, President Mc Aleese appreciated all the work and dedication that had gone into the quilts on show. IPS Chair Breege Watson, NIPG Chair Margaret Mehaffey and Peter Wyse Jackson, Botanic Gardens Director accompanied the President.
After her private tour of the exhibition, the President addressed a full auditorium and congratulated the exhibitors and stressed how much in awe she was at their creativity and talent.
Margaret Mc Evoy presented a bag to the President as a reminder of the event.
If you were not fortunate enough to see the Exhibition in the Botanic Gardens, their will be a second opportunity to visit it in the Flowerfields Art Centre, Portstewart from June the 1st to the 19th when the Northern Ireland Patchwork Guild will host the Exhibition, visit http://www.nipg.org.uk/ for more information