Welcome to European Machine Quilters Expo (EMQE). The place to come for quality education and training in longarm quilting and patchwork!

Founded during the late Autumn of 2006 to meet the increasing demands  of the European quilting community for support and training in the specialised field of longarm quilting.

EMQE are delighted to invite you to attend our retreat and enjoy the benefits of learning from dedicated and experienced teachers.

Here at EMQE our mission statement is simple - “To Strive for Excellence”.  With this in mind we have developed a comprehensive suite of workshops and tutorials to suit all skill levels. No matter if you are a seasoned longarm quilter or a beginner patchworker you can be assured there will be a class to suit you.

As organisers we are very excited about our Beara retreat. Not only can we boast that it will be located in the beautiful Beara Peninsula of Southern Ireland, we are thrilled to announce that we will have the extremely talented and multi-award winning quilter Cathy Franks heading up our longarm teaching faculty.

In addition, our longarm classes will be conducted on Gammill Quilting machines with the ratio of one student per quilting machine which means you will have the maximum time to strive for your own personal excellence!

The longarm studio is equipped with the complete family of Gammill stitch-regulated longarm machines including the very latest fully computerised Statler Stitcher. A must-see for anyone who is thinking of becoming a longarm quilter or wants to upgrade.

We are excited to be hosting our first quilt competition complete with a variety of awards. Please view our Quilt Competition page for details.

We are also offering a variety of classes including Thread & Ink for Creative Quilting, Creative Studio Intermediate 1, Reverse Applique with a Twist, making a Bag - Unique Chic and Frenzy of Fillers. Why not expand your horizons and try something new!

We are very pleased to be working with the local Castletownbere community. They are actively looking forward to the retreat and welcoming you to their town. There is plenty of quality accommodation in the area to suit all tastes and budgets, but we can particularly recommend  Island View House and Whelyn Lodges.  

In addition, there is plenty to see and do for the non-quilters in your party. With sporty activities including golf, hill-walking, diving, sailing and kayaking, or the more leisurely pursuit of watching local crafters at work or just enjoying the famous Irish hospitality there is sure to be something for everyone.

We look forward to seeing you.

EMQE – Europe’s Premier Quilting Retreat.