Belfast Biz

Yesterday, today and tomorrow we've been in Belfast at the Stitch & Creative Craft Show. Itchin' to ask the organisers what craft is not creative?

If you look closely, you will only see Issue 2 on our table. YES! Another sold out issue. We no longer have Issue 3 in our own stock, but don't worry. You can still find in shops. Also, Issue 3 is still enroute to North America and Australia.

We are here on invitation from Mission Hall Quilts. They are a quilting shop from Derry in Northern Ireland. But really, they're so much more! You'll have to wait for June issue when we chat with Margeret Lee and others from MHQs. They're even treating our readers to a reproduction and pattern of an 1800s Irish quilt.

There was much buzz yesterday as the show opened and many visitors swarmed around. It is a wonderful feeling to see and talk to the people whom we work for. We work for the readers, and quilters in general, in case your wondering!

Today was a bit quieter and I had time to visit and chat with the people behind some of the busiest shops in Ireland. Yvonne from Quilter's Quest, Gaye from The Fennel Shed, Lynda from The Cotton Shed, Pauline from Pauline's Country Quilts and of course, the MHQ gang.

Over at MHQ stand headquarters, they keep it busy with demonstrations. Such a nifty time, I even sat in on a couple. Which was when I noted just how dedicated they are at Mission Hall Quilts:

Now that is what you call sewing around the clock!

The Aftermath, Issue 3

After each issue is released, the panel, our designer and myself meet for an afternoon of review. Usually there is a good lunch on spread, new designs to oogle and of course, my favorite, plenty of criticism to absorb and mistakes to recognise.

Really it's not that bad. It's worse. If the one responsible (ME) can get beyond the embarrassment and self-loathing of mistakes highlighted and dissected by all, the lessons learned make it a better magazine. So I'm told.

There were many challenges in the making of Issue 3, but excuses aside. Unfortunately, we did have a few typos. We like to think they're planted for our readers' challenge of find what's wrong! Joking aside, we aim to have higher standards.

While typos were present in the magazine, no patterns were affected. Whew!

In other news on the island, Irish Quilting will be appearing at the Stitch and Creative Crafts show in Belfast this weekend, April 16-18th, courtesy of Mission Hall Quilts of Londonderry. Come see us!

Margaret Lee at MHQ is working with us as one of her patterns features in an upcoming issue of Irish Quilting. Her creation is a recreation of an antique quilt now on display at the Ulster American Folk Park.

Until then, there's plenty here to be done.

Happy Easter!

Welcome

For good measure, I leave below the posting that was last left on this blog. Oh, so many months ago. One year ago, the notion of Irish Quilting began. It is hard to believe we have come so far and yet we have so far to go. But we are loving every minute of it.

The website is up; visit, enjoy, and be patient. We are excited and posted it whilst knowing there might be a few hiccups here and there. Trust us, in that we are monitoring our email 'round the clock, so if you find an error or something you just can't live with for another day, let me know. I will do my very best to fix it.

Unless, of course, you are asking me to deliver world peace, pay off your mortgage, or potty train little suzy. Some things you just have to do on your own.

Day Before, Day Before and the Day Before that Day

Don’t let the silence of this starting-a-new-magazine blog fool you. Because it is thundering above my head and rolling beneath my feet.

In fact, from this point forward I will categorize the updates into these areas:

Graphics
Gathered samples and resent request with samples to graphic designers. This is one area in danger of falling behind or rather holding back the other areas. Will need to recast the net to everyone I know. I am tempted to try my hand at a nameplate, but darnit, I think it has to be done professionally and I can’t start the process using dyi

Photography
Personnel: Four solid leads. What looks like 3 amatuers and one professional. I’ve kept them updated and on the line with hopes of having some photography meetings where I provide samples of what we need and where they determine what $$ if any, they can work for. Will try to get pro bono first, commissioned secondly and finally a wage if necessary and able.
Content: building folder of all sample work likes and dislikes.
Location: listing all potential landcape/scenic/landmark for future photoshoots.
Inhouse: Todo: Look up and record, file, photoshoot session off of PinkChalkStudio blog.

Content
Lists begun for features, sections, promos
Premiere issue feature targeted
Todo: contact K.Healy quilt maker/designer; focus on Christmas crafts; contact quilt magazines for pointers on designer/contributors

Advertisers
Lists begun
Todo: prepare contract packages

Stakeholders
Todo: prepare PR/funding packages

Distribution
Called E&M—very valuable information
Todo: call US distribution points.

Administration
Register IQ with national library for INSN ID
Registered name Irish Quilting
Todo: register IQ name

Day 7

My mind is going all the time for IQ. and the email is packed for IQ

NIPG came back, more info so I sent my bio and my questionnaire.
No word on IPS.
Received an email from craft council. I sent them an inquiry for the Guild listed, but no website anywhere. They forwarded me to an outside contact. Funny enough she forwarded me to the IPS. So that is double duty, but I don't mind if it gets their attention.
I think the guild is namesake only. Soon to find out.

Spent a good part of the day talking to Ben a friend and graphic artist. He is brillant and let me me sound off him and he provided vital points and concerns. Initial thoughts are is there a larger market? My gut is we have to focus on the export distribution as the focus. This means trickery advertising.

Also good tip is to start stockpiling looks and feels, photo wise for my cover location shots. Even if I want photographer to copy, I can give them a photo say, do something like this.

Ben and I spent time talking about the enterprise board and potential flaws they could bring up. More reasons to shore up my business plan.

He gave me a couple contacts, printers as well as crafts council key people and I hope to call them this week. I owe him an email with all my info (and graphics wishlist) and he is sending me some vital info too.

I shared my timeline with him and I think that sparked some interest. Think he knows know I'm serious. Basically, roughly, the RDS show, Knit and Stitch is big in Ireland, really big, though not too great results from fans lately. Anyway, it is last weekend in Oct/first in Nov. If we could have the premier issue (December Christmas) on a stand at the show, it would be rockin'!! Even if it was a limited first edition--if that makes any business sense, depends on ads and printing costs. Thought is why should we limit the number, except to make it seem special.

Spent a good part of an hour adding to list of advertisers, well into the hundreds. I hope to have thousands by the time we need to begin calling/soliciting/sending packets.--July?
What a big job that will be and that is only the beginning. The sale is always in the followup process.

Laptop is due to arrive next week; that will be great. I can do a lot of the cataloging in bed then!

Ok, onto my biz plan...

Day Six

Finished my daughter's quilt. This is a large sample quilt. I can use it to show at teh IPS meeting, jsut help get my name in front of the crowd. What I would love to show is my Stars and Flowers Americana quilt, but I just don't know that I will be ready in time, and I'm not rushing that quilt.

The tension is acting up in my sewing machine, so I will see if I can get it looked at by one of the gals in our group on Wednesday.

While sewing took up a lot of time, I did send gobs of emails out. And I'm happy to report that my email box is jammed with email relating to IQ.

A big hand out and hearts out to all my friends who are graphic designers. Each and everyone of them responded to my email. All said they would think about and only two moms said they might not get anything to me. No prob. Now! How to get the other volunteers to get moving. I set up a document of sample mastheads and hve been sending back with my thank yous. I will resend the whole batch later this week and ask if anyone has come up with something.

The logo should be straight forward, heck I'm not opposed to me doing something up. But this needs to be first rate. So I will push and see what I can get donated for a look.

Emails! Emails! Emails!

Heard back from Bonnie Hunter; knew I would. She is the best.
Nothing from Mark Liplinsky, but I'm not giving up.
Heard back from NIPG (nothern ireland patchwork guild)--Irene--I've seen her work around. She is not in any official capacity, but I did send on my bio and questionnaire.

Spent a lot of time with neighbor plowing through her magazines. Great feedback. She is jazzed byu the idea and soon she came knocking on my door with a stack of crafts magazines. All American or Brittish.

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Day Five

Began Business Plan!!!!!
Sent email to IPS contact hoping to start capturing statistics and the trends of quilting in Ireland.
Researched & potential feature: Sent email to Mark Liplinski
Researched & potential feature: Sent email to Bonnie Hunter
Posted want ad for graphic designers and photographers on VS blog
Added to features list
Added to advertisers list
Added to regular items list

As today is also a sewing day for me. I will be completing a quilt so I might show-and-tell at next Saturday's IPS meeting. It's all about networking.

Tomorrow's Tasks:

Sew
Email more contacts
Email media studies schools for graphic designers and photographers. I figure I can use numerous photographers and should have them all submit work.
List cover image locations.
List cover quilt potentials.
Add to advertiser lists
Add to feature lists
Build small biz/entrep lists