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Did you all hear?

February is for match making. In February, we were matched. Our partnering is with Kilcullen Kapital and Partner Enda O’Coineen, businessman/entrepreneur--he's the man who brought the Volvo Ocean Race 2008/09(and again, 2011/12 as Finish Port!) to Galway, Ireland.

O’Coineen, founder and publisher of Irish titles Afloat and Security in the 1980s, announced the partnership with Irish Quilting as an insightful investment and adventure into the growth of the Irish Quilting magazine and into a sustainable textiles/publishing market open to employment opportunities and regional expansion abroad, both areas being a promising pursuit for Irish businesses.

“We’re taking a strong product and brand and making it stronger. Within our
organisation, Irish Quilting will have the means for promotion and expansion it needs to become a leading Irish brand in the existing $3.58 billion yearly quilting industry of America.”

We are enthusiastic about our new opportunities and the support of Enda O’Coineen and Kilcullen Kapital. We believe we have found the right people to take our business to the next level because they have the expertise and the resources, including a commitment to serving our readers while promoting the best of Ireland.

How can you not be excited about that?


(Quilt by Naomh Muire Quilters,in April 2009)

When Picking Favourites is Fun

Thank you to everyone who sent in Janome Jackpot competition blocks.

The blocks are officially with the first set of judges. Though I'm not a contestant nor a judge, I snuck a box of chocolates into the box when handing over the entry blocks.

In fact, knowing for these two judges it is a weekend of patchwork lectures and courses, well, might they be judging this very moment?

Personally, I like the odd red wine with my chocolates, but it's bad enough I'm influencing (for no reason) with chocolates, but to impair them with vino, well no hard-working contestant wants that! And don't ask who the judges are just yet, I'll take no chances of anyone else plying them liquor!


As editor, I've reserved a special 13th winner slot, beyond the fantastic 12 wins so generously awarded by Janome. While I'm so very thankful not to be a judge, I am going to select an Editor's Favourite: a favourite hand-picked block which spoke to me. Working in a small office, I personally opened each and every block. I know the one who spoke to me, she quietly whispered, "Love me." And I did.

The next time I see her, I'll be honoured to announce her as my favourite. Who knows, she might take home more than one title? But for everyone's sake, I hope not!

Spread the love!

Party Like a Quilter

Our friends at Janome have been fabulous to sponsor our Janome Jackpot where we'll be awarding 12 lucky quilters big prizes--at the top of the list is the Horizon Memory Craft!

In fact, I bet there are a few good men, who upon hearing "Win a Horizon Memory Craft"--well, they just might get behind you thinking they might win a luxory ship! I've only just now, realised the name Horizon Memory Craft rings just a bit like a luxory computerised nautical ride into the great sunset, of course without the seasickness and sand in your shoes!

For months now, entry forms have come in. There were several that came in past the December deadline, but most importantly is the 31 January deadline for the actual blocks! Depending where you live, this may be your last full week to create your stunner entry.

While none of us at Irish Quilting can compete in the contest, there is nothing against us having some fun alongside. I'm personally hosting a sewing weekend where I hope to see a few entry blocks come to life.

I'm a gal who likes themes. and sewing. and food. What about a quilting party for sewing and eating, where everything is layered as in a quilt? Can you imagine the fun with pastry layering? Sandwich fillers? Stackable appetisers? A bartender in my former life, heck, I can even layer a few beverages.

While everyone's creating blocks, I have my own sewing UFOs that need attention, so the Food and Drink quilts will just have to wait out another soire.

Looking for more themes, I read up on the date of our quilt block party: 22 January. Turns out, on that date in 1927 was the first live radio commentary of a football match anywhere in the world, between Arsenal F.C. and Sheffield United in England. I thought we could honor it and our party by listening to football nonstop as we quilt. Then I thought again.

Sometimes you just have to go with what you know. I love nothing more than to do up oldies but goodies that I miss and love from America. Warm chocolate chip cookies, refreshing tart lemonade, tantalising 7-layer chip and dip and standby Lipton Onion dip. Sooooo American. There you have it. Saturday we will be sewing all day and eating American treats. Sew American.

What sewing session party themes would you RSVP yes too?

That said, if you're in Ireland this coming Saturday, in County Wicklow vicinity, drop a line and come sew Irish-like and eat American-like!

make, do, and a pint, please?

At half-past six and armed with handbags bulging of textiles, car filling of chatter and giggles, we with oodles of inspiration bounced along the potholes and back lanes to converge together in one famous Irish pub for a "make and do" session.

Twice a month, the O'Toole family extends the pub's conservatory room to a gang of creative minds to knit, quilt, sew, paint--well anything you wish to "make and do". The pub is the Harbor Bar in Bray--recently voted the best pub in the world in the Lonely Planet survey.

A newcomer, I brought some handwork sewing and quickly felt at ease.

Pull up a stool and read more about this creative gathering in an upcoming issue...

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!)