Find the Rainbow

in the latest Quiltposium and you'll find our very own Nikki Foley!


A regular contributor to our magazine, patchwork teacher and owner of The Sewing Shed, Nikki is the centerfold in the Winter 2010 issue of Quiltposium. Learn more about Nikki from this playful and fun profile. I read it each quarter and am amazed with what golden nuggets, trival and otherwise, are "found out". I guess that's what makes its centerfolds so interesting!



Check it out! Also, once upon a time you needed a password--not so anymore, so hurry, click away.

News In Killarney

Yesterday we had a great time in Killarney, County Kerry. We had a photoshoot and as usual, Terri and I pop in on the locals, find the craic and hear the news of our quilters around the country.

Nikki Foley, who teaches patchwork and owns The Sewing Shed in Keel (twenty minutes from Killarney) arrived to meet us and catch us up. If you can't get to Ireland, visit her at Patchwork Promises too!

Her first point of mission was to let me know that a few days ago she had seen a bunch of our magazines at a newsagent in the town centre. Every editor needs a good spy! E&M, our Irish distributor does a fairly good job of keep us here and there, so I was pleased to hear this.

Soon I realised that I had no few spare copies with us. Shame on me! I don't know, it must have been all the presents crowding my sleigh from the week before? I usually have a stash in my vehicle! So off we went to the newsagent.

Though I wanted to purchase IQ, I quickly found other quilt magazines of interest--this shop indeed had a large variety. Jackpot...until I saw no IQ. We are at the end of this issue and new one is due out, so I'm not entirely surprised they vanished from the shelf. However, I still continue to do what every small business owner should do--you seek out the man in charge and query as a customer, so, well, they know Irish Quilting is in demand! I approached the counter.

The man before me wore the "I'm the owner" look. (And he was.) As I purchased my other magazines, I asked, "Do you carry Irish Quilting?" He look around, asked me to repeat the question, thumbed through my purchases, and then looked me right in the eye, and said "Nah, I don't think it exists." Now, shame on him!

I gave him a grin, slid my business card across the counter and said,"Oh, but it does. I'm the publisher." He turned as red as Rudolf's nose and began stumbling for words. Nikki piped in that she had seen the magazine in his shop previously. The man was tripping over himself to apologise.

I said to him, "don't worry, I've been told worse at the counter before." Really? No, not true. But this poor man needed a little saving face. (We do have a list of retailers who stock IQ. Once, I was told by a young (lazy?) clerk that they don't stock it--when in fact I knew they did.) Mr. Owner came around the counter and soon we were chatting away.

One thing's for sure now, Killarney knows who we are!

Happy Holidays

Greetings from Irish Quilting!
(This picture taken in Blessington, County Wicklow. Brrrrr!)

Merry Christmas Kay!

In our recent post for Tallanstown County Louth, there was a giveaway of Jo Badley's Charmed Beginnnings. Kay has been through Tallanstown and we thank her for commenting! Kay, please send us your contact details and we'll post your book asap. Charmed Beginnings fo 2011! Email me at sherry@irishquilting.ie.

Happy Holidays to all!
Sherry

Corrections!

Janome Competition Entry is 31 December 2010. Send in your entry form this month and your block will be due in our office 31 January 2010.
Get your entry from on this page in Janome UK website.

Also, did read about Copyright Infringement in our recent issue? Interesting! There was one typo! Teaching techniques--techniques created by others--is legal.

Janome Jackpot

These days there is a repeating sigh in our office.

"Oh, but I can't win!"

Yes, we are sitting here drooling and dreaming. Janome is giving away two sewing machines and ten other prizes to our readers. All you have to do is make a 10 1/2" block. Janome asks that you provide two styles of stitches, and we ask that you include a floral element--as we hope to make a charity quilt with the entries.


Trust me, you want to win! The top prize is a Janome Horizon Memory Craft MC7700QCP. We have made several projects in the office using the same machine and it is a dream!
Download the entry form. Send the form to Janome by December 31. Send your block in by 31 January. Everybody has an orphan block that can quickly be transformed into a winning entry!

Both of our last two issues promote this competition. In September, we talked about great ways to improve your stitching; where to find good resources and whatnot. In November, I wrote about a stitching class I attended, where I brought the Horizon MC--it was my first spin using the machine, and well, I'm in love.

Unfortunately, employees can't win, so sighs us. But you can!

Enter today or let me know a good reason why you're not entering!

M for Market ...

and Margaritas!

Second place to Market mania is the abundance of Mexican food in Houston. I am in heaven here. Give me quilts, enchiladas, tostadas, quac and margaritas any day!

Meanwhile, the appetite for Irish Quilting in this international festival is in alive and healthy.

Before I lose myself filling you in on the International Quilt Festival here in Houston, we should be sure to report on the phenominal show back home: Knitting and Stitching in the Dublin RDS this past Thursday, Friday and weekend. This is the first year that the shows collided.

We love our Dublin show because we get to visit with our readers and hear the latest and greatest quilt news of Ireland. Thursday and Friday had record breaking crowds with whom we enjoyed our third anniversary with birthday present giveaways. All subscriber received presents with each renewal.

Outside the IQ stand in Dublin, our patchwork shops were all in attendance in their own booths. Another record broken. Well done, and I hope all the shopkeepers and customers had a great show!

Subs manager Kevin covered the IQ stand Saturday and Sunday as I flew onward to Houston.

Houston greeted me with sunshine and soaring temperatures to last into the week.

One of my first customer stops was Robert Kaufman fabrics where the Cuddle fabrics were warming up the visitors. This fabric, much like plush-the textiles used for stuffed animals, is back with a splash and the Shannon line from RK makes this cuddle fabric adorable and a must feel. Watch for a feature Cuddle quilt coming soon in Irish Quilting!

I continued on to meet new and old friends in the Market.

A recent sponsor, Gutterman Thread is always a friendly booth. Ted recently organised the giveaway of 100 spools with in-home cabinet for the summer issue of IQ. Before long, Ted and I were conspiring on the next giveway. Who wouldn't want Gutterman threads? Free?

The highlight of my Houston trip is going to have to be a taping with Jodie Davis of Quilt Out Loud. Yes! A taping...soon to feature Jodi and Yours Truly. She is an absolute dote and we enjoyed our chat. Hope you enjoy it too. I'll alert the internet once it is broadcast. (Did you know Jodi is from Ireland? Her family is from County Clare--you may read her tale of Irish relations in IQ yet!)

One fun future read will be that of our own Irish lassie, Marianne Byrne Goarin--founder, author and artist of Cinnamon Patch, a design line and quilt goodness using felt wool. This morning, Marianne sat with me and shared her tale of an Irish childhood, family life in France, and crafty roadshows in America and throughout Europe, that is sure to interest our readers everywhere. (Funny enough, with children in the same primary school, Marianne's sister and I serve together on the parents' association. Much to our surprise, Marianne and I find our worlds are closer than ever.) Watch for her delightful felt patchwork and her 'Irish Abroad' feature in an upcoming IQ!

There was so much to see and do at market, there is never enough time.

Before leaving, I popped over to Kona Bay. I'm intriqued as KB's Douglas is an ever present face on the Internet. He has a real handle on the information feed--a man in the know. I was delighted to meet him in person. As if he was reading my mind, he immediately rattled off his opinion of past postings on my blog. Goes to prove, you never knows who's watching, or reading for that matter.
Anyhoo, what is important to know is our very own Nikki Foley is designing for Kona Bay! So I was poking and peeking around to see if her designs have surfaced. Not yet. But be sure to watch this space; IQ has yet to showcase an asian quilt feature, and Nikki's designs might be the unveiling yet!

Well this gal has to begin conjuring ways to expand my suitcase. I always go home with more than when I arrived!

Sherry
ps., malfunction with the photography--come back soon for visuals!