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Another varied week of things to see and do in Northern Ireland. Celebrate the vibrancy of African culture, enjoy maritime merriment or settle in for a movie marathon. Read on to find out more! Monday 19 – Sun 25 May Belfast Africa Week 2014, various locations Coordinated by the African and Caribbean Community Support Organisation Northern Ireland (ACSONI), this is a festival celebrating the vibrant culture of one of NI’s biggest minority ethnic communities. There are exhibitions, workshops, literary events, cookery demonstrations and music. One of the highlights looks set to be the AfricaFest family cultural day at Skainos on Saturday. Magwere will perform, and there’s a Fashion Against Hate event in the Skainos Square in the afternoon. Contact ACSONI for more information. Monday 19 May Belfast Sing For Life choir with Bart Players – The Canon Lindsay Hall, 7.30pm The Sing for Life community choir, developed in partnership by Cancer Focus Northern Ireland and Crescent Arts Centre, is joining with one of Belfast’s leading amateur drama groups, Bart Players. Compered by the BBC’s Noel Thompson, the evening will feature songs, drama and comedy, with proceeds split between the choir and St Bartholomew’s Church roof fund. At the end of the evening there will be a complimentary supper provided by the Bart Players. Tickets are £10 (£8 conc) and available online from the Crescent Arts Centre or by ringing 028 9024 2338. Tuesday 20 – Sat 24 May Ballyclare Ballyclare May Fair Festival, various locations Traditionally a horse trading event, the May Fair has grown into a five-day festival of family-friendly events, including the Mayor’s Parade, concerts, food exhibitions, and competitions. All of the details are up now on the website. Wednesday 21 May Belfast / Coleraine X-Men Double Bill – Movie House Cinema, 9.15pm A real treat for X-Men fans this Wednesday. Movie House Cinemas present a special double bill, beginning with X-Men: First Class (2D) at 9.15pm followed straight after by a screening of the latest film in the franchise, X-Men: Days of Future Past (2D) at 00.01. This is available in the Dublin Road and Cityside cinemas in Belfast and in Coleraine’s Movie House. Tickets are £10 per person and available online. Friday 23 May Lisburn ISLAND Music Club with Ronnie Greer – Island Arts Centre, 8pm Legendary jazz and blues guitarist Ronnie Greer hosts this special evening of music in Lisburn. He will be joined by singer songwriter Gráinne Duffy on guitar and vocals, and John McCullough on piano. Tickets are £10 and can be booked online or you can contact the box office on 028 9050 9254. Friday 23 May – Sunday 1 June Ballycastle / Rathlin Island Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival A celebration of the rich and diverse maritime culture of the area, the festival is centred on Rathlin Sound, the body of water that lies between Rathlin Island and Ballycastle. A sailing regatta, food, music, craft, exhibitions and family events make this a packed week plus of fun. Download the events programme and find out more on the website. Saturday 24 – Sunday 25 May Belfast 4th Northern Ireland Tattoo Convention – Ulster Hall Artists from all over Ireland and beyond will be in the Ulster Hall for two days of what organisers succinctly describe as “ink, drink, music, fun and great artists”. For tattoo admirers and collectors alike, admission is £12. The event runs on Saturday between 11am and 9pm and on Sunday between 10.30am and 8pm. These events and everything else happening this week can be found in the What’s On calendar Got an event you’d like to see here? Get in touch: #noelthompsonbbc #xmendaysoffuturepast #xmennorthernireland #islandmusicclublisburn #cinemanorthernireland #ballyclare #grainneduffy #Belfast #whatsoninlisburn #xmenfirstclass #africafest #ulsterhall #xmenfilm #northernirelandtattooconvention #rathlinisland #ronniegreer #af #bartplayers #africadaynorthernireland #islandartscentrelisburn #AfricanandCaribbeanCommunitySupportOrganisation #moviehousecinemas #johnmccullough #skainos #rathlinsoundmaritimefestival #ballyclaremayfairfestival #singforlifechoir #whatsoninbelfast #xmenmoviehouse #CrescentArtsCentre #africaweek2014 #xmendoublebill #whatsoninnorthernireland #acsoni

In the latest of The Patchwork Quill’s series on ReFound‘s talented artists, John Bird of Loving Spoonful takes us through his fascinating process of turning beautiful silver spoons into even-more-beautiful jewellery. 1. Pliers,side cutters,wire-end caps and beads are used in the first stage. 2. All beads and end caps are threaded unto the wire and the access wire removed with the side cutters. 3. The end caps are soldered on. 4. The spoon is cut using a disc cutter power tool. 5. The stem of the spoon is bent to receive the chain using cone shaped pliers. 6. The bowl of the spoon is compressed in a machine vice. 7. The beads are glued inside the compressed spoon. 8. The completed pendant with silver plated belcher chain. Such a simple process, with such elegant results! If you are interested in seeing John’s pieces for yourself, or any of ReFound’s delightful jewellery and homewares, they are hosting a Christmas drinks party this Thursday with a 10% discount on purchases made that evening.

Can you believe it will be December by the end of the week?! No longer will we be able to roll our eyes about people getting excited about Christmas “in the middle of November”. Old Saint Nick is officially on his way. Therefore, it’s no surprise to see a few festive events in this week’s What’s On guide – and you can probably expect a few more jingle bells over the coming weeks! However, not everything is tinsel-tinged, so there’s something below for you miserable Scrooges too. Bah, humbug! Monday 25th November Portadown (and other locations throughout week) Arts and Older People Programme Funding Information Sessions – Meadows Day Centre, 10am. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland takes part in a series of roadshows this week, in Portadown, Omagh and Ballymena, to offer guidance and advice around the £1m Arts & Older People Funding Programme 2013-2016. Grants between £10,000-£30,000 are available and representatives from the Arts Council and the Public Health Agency will be on hand to offer information and advice to those wishing to make an application. The Arts & Older People Programme is now open for applications and the deadline for completed applications is 12th December at 2pm. Visit www.artscouncil-ni.org or call Lorraine Calderwood on 028 9038 5265. Today’s information session takes place at 10am in Meadows Day Centre, Portadown. RSVP to Lucille.Lennon@hscni.net Tuesday 26th November Belfast Catalyst Arts: Collective Histories of Northern Irish Art X – Golden Thread Gallery, Tue – Fri 10.30am – 5.30pm; Sat 10.30am – 4pm. This exhibition actually started last week (16th November), but as it is on until Saturday I’ve included it here given that we had no What’s On guide last week. It’s the tenth instalment of Golden Thread Gallery’s Collective Histories of Northern Irish Art Series, a project tracking Northern Irish Art from 1945 to the present. Curated by Cherie Driver, this installment centres on Catalyst Arts, the artist led initiative established in 1992. Wednesday 27th November Ballymena Screening of Amelie – The Braid Theatre, 7pm The much loved tale of Amelie, the Parisian waitress with a unique view on the world, justice and love. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starring Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Lorella Cravotta. Amelie (Tautou) is our heroine, but the stunning setting of Paris, the beautiful filmography and atmospheric soundtrack are also the stars of the show. Tickets are £4.00. Visit thebraid.com to buy. Thursday 28th November Omagh Arts and Older People Programme Funding Information Sessions – Ulster American Folk Park, 11am. See Monday for details. RSVP to Joni.Millar@hscni.net Derry ~ Londonderry ~ LegenDerry Lumiere Festival – citywide, 5.30-10pm Thurs – Sun. A phenomenal year for the City of Culture draws to a close with a four day celebration of light. Tonight the city begins to sparkle, lit up by lightworks created by artists and designers from across the world, including Northern Ireland. The light creations will range from large-scale projections, to neons, to LED installations. Visit lumiere-festival.com for more details. Friday 29th November Ballymena Arts and Older People Programme Funding Information Sessions – The Cottage Hospital, 10.30am. See Monday for details. RSVP to Joyce.Kinnaird@hscni.net Lisburn Belfast Community Gospel Choir – Lisburn Cathedral, 8 – 9.30pm (doors open 7.30pm) The larger-than-life local gospel choir bring their unique brand of uplifting, heartfelt music to Lisburn city centre on Friday night. Sing along, dance along, get up out of your chairs and join in – there’s no sitting back quietly in your seat once the BCGC get the party going! Tickets are £10 and available from Lisburn City Centre Management on 028 9266 0625. There’s a knees up with live music and mince pies to follow in The Favourite Bar on Bridge Street straight after, so a full night of festive fun! Derry ~ Londonderry Maire A Woman Of Derry – Millenium Forum, 8.30pm. Maire (played by local actress Carmel Mc Cafferty) is foul-mouthed and feisty. But also intensely human. Armed only with her half-bottle of Mundies wine, she gives a unique account of her fall from grace from fresh faced teenage bride living in Derry’s Creggan Estate, to the pitiful condition we find her in today. In response to huge demand, Carmel Mc Cafferty has agreed to return for what will be her last ever performance of Maire a Woman of Derry after nearly twelve years playing the role. Tickets are £10 / £12 / £15 and available from milleniumforum.co.uk. Saturday 30th November Armagh Georgian Day – Armagh, 10am – 8pm Armagh’s Georgian Day returns for its tenth year to mark the beginning of the Christmas season. See Armagh in all its festive glory as the historic City goes back to its Georgian roots. More than 70 festive stalls, hosted by traders in Georgian costume, line the narrow streets. Highlights include a Georgian Christmas market, carol singing and festive music, Georgian gentry promenading the street, horse-drawn carriage rides and children’s entertainment. Visit armagh.co.uk for more. Lisburn Christmas Food and Craft Fayre – The Cardan Bar and Grill, 12 – 5pm. ‘Made In Lisburn’, The Cardan’s Craft and Food Fayre returns for a Christmas Special from 12pm – 5pm. They aim to showcase the great and the good of local produce available on your doorstep, with food and drink demos, plus activities for the little ones too. Visit facebook.com/TheCardanBarandGrill or phone 028 9267 8065. Kilkeel The Dickens Festival 2013 – Kilkeel, all day This annual festival takes place in the harbour town on the last Saturday of September, celebrating the life of author Charles Dickens. The Dickens Day Grand Giveaway is one of the highlights – if you spend over £10 in participating stores you receive a ticket for the draw, with over £1200 in prizes. The local shop keepers dress up in period costume and there is music, craft stalls, horse and carriage parade, carol singing, the Santa Charity Run, children’s entertainment as well as food and drink sampling in the local shops. Visit Kilkeel.org or visitkilkeel.com Sunday 1st December Warrenpoint The Yuletide Fayre – Warrenpoint Municipal Park, 12 – 6pm. Wrap up warm and get into the festive spirit, stroll through the park and enjoy local homemade cakes and foods, arts and crafts, and purchase unique Christmas gifts. Visit wbrchamber.co.uk. #derry #maireawomenofderry #GoldenThreadGallery #milleniumforum #warrenpointyuletidefayre #CardanLisburn #legenderry #CollectiveHistoriesofNorthernIrishArtX #christmasfoodandcraftcraftfayre #DickensDayKilkeel #artsandolderpeopleprogramme #artscouncilni #madeinlisburn #braidtheatreballymena #GeorgianDayArmagh #artsandolderpeoplefunding #thecardanbarandgrill #amelie #TheCardanLisburn #LisburnCathedral #CityofCulture2013 #BelfastCommunityGospelChoir #CatalystArtsBelfast #londonderry #artscouncilnorthernireland

Claudia Winkleman, presenter of the new BBC series, The Great British Sewing Bee. Tuesday of this week brought the first episode of a series I have been looking forward to for several weeks – The Great British Sewing Bee. Made by the same folks that brought us The Great British Bake Off – it looks set to have a similar effect on the world of sewing as GBBO has had on home baking. In other words, all those buns cupcakes in your Facebook feed could soon be replaced by pictures of customised necklines and homemade skirts! Joking aside, the programme is following in its predecessor’s footsteps by tapping in to another facet of the growing trend for homemade handicrafts and bringing it into the mainstream, which I think will be a good thing. Sure, some people will take it up while it’s enjoying its fifteen minutes and then abandon their needles when the next fashion comes along, but some will stick at it and discover how wonderful it is to make your own things. It could also shine a spotlight on those who have been crafting away for years and maybe bring opportunities for bloggers like myself, sewing tutors and all those fabulous haberdashers and craft shops dotted around the UK and Ireland. As the lovely Claudia says in the intro of episode one, sewing is back from the grave, undergoing a “quiet revolution”. As recently as forty years ago, it was the norm for most of one’s clothes to be homemade, but sewing as an essential skill fell by the wayside, perhaps a victim to consumer culture. Over the past five to ten years, dressmaking and clothes customisation or ‘upcycling’ has grown rapidly in popularity, so the BBC has launched its search for “Britain’s best home sewer”. Given that the word sewer has two pronunciations, I shall refer to them as “the competitors” to avoid any unpleasant waste-related confusion. First we’re introduced to the all-important judges – sewing queen May Martin and Savile Row entrepreneur Patrick Grant. The judges, May Martin and Patrick Grant. May has taught needlework skills for over forty years, most recently at Denman College (Women’s Institute Academy), specialising in garment making and home accessories. Patrick bought struggling tailors Norton and Sons eight years ago, and has to date tripled output, earning him the Menswear Designer award at the British Fashion Awards in 2010. Although not a tailor himself, he has some of the best in the business working for him. Next, we enter the ‘Sewing Room’ in East London, once home to London’s burgeoning rag trade, and meet our sew.. I mean… competitors. It’s rare to be able to say it about a show like this, but I really love them all! I admit a soft spot for the steampunk-loving, bearded HGV mechanic Mark, but camp-as-a-row-of-tents Stuart is a brilliant character too. L – R Ann, Stuart, Mark, Tilly, Michelle, Lauren, Sandra, Jane. 81-year-old “yoga nut” Ann is grace and elegance personified but I also really like the younger ladies, Lauren, Michelle and Tilly – very different personalities, styles and approaches to sewing but really likeable, creative women. I find Jane fascinating; a widow for fifteen years, she makes most of her own clothes and has a passion for classic cars – a strong minded, confident individual. Sandra is the sewer (I give up, it is the best word) I ‘recognise’ from the crafty women in my own life and I find myself already rooting for her to win. A working mum and homemaker, she has made clothes for her children since they were tiny, as did her mother and grandmother before her, and her daughter has had a sewing machine “since she was 21”. In each of four episodes, the contestants will face three sewing tasks. In this installment, they had to make an A-line skirt from a pattern; adapt the neckline of a top, and produce a made-to-measure dress for a model. My own A-line skirt, my first ever handmade garment. The coverage of the skirt-making was really interesting for me as a beginner who has a little bit of knowledge and experience, especially as I recently made my first piece of clothing – an A-line skirt! They explain and show a little of what the competitors are doing in making their skirts, with some basic explanation of patterns and aspects of dressmaking, without getting so in-depth that someone who is watching purely for entertainment would get bored. There is a lovely piece on the history of sewing and the evolution of garment-making patterns, which I found truly fascinating. The next task challenges our contestants to alter the neckline of a simple high street top – they could do whatever they wanted, as long as they cut into and changed the neckline. I sewed black lace trim to the sleeves and the bottom hems of a plain silver top. Then I created a skull stencil in cardboard, placed it on the top and sprayed black ‘airbrush’ fabric paint over it. The stars are on a necklace I’m wearing, not part of the top. Judges were looking for creativity and a neat finish. Although the sewers didn’t have to make something from scratch, they only had an hour to complete the challenge and this time pressure flustered many of the contestants. Again, I loved seeing what each person did with their top – I love buying little items from charity shops and amending them. That is my most recent effort, in the photo to the right. And it took me far longer than one hour! The third and final task was the most difficult by far; they were each given a real, live human bean and had to adapt a dress pattern to create a made-to-measure dress for their model. Each person chose their own pattern and fabrics, and the models were different ages, sizes and shapes. As well as the differing tailoring approaches, this made for eight totally different dresses. Really fascinating to watch! Sadly, the judges had to pick one contestant to leave at the end of this round of the competition. As well as being available on iplayer until the end of the month, this week’s episode is being shown again tonight at 5:05pm on BBC Two, so no spoilers here. If you haven’t already watched this wonderful show, I urge you to do so. See below or check the What’s On calendar for the dates and times of each of the four episodes in the series. The Great British Sewing Bee will be on every Tuesday on BBC Two at 8pm until 23rd April 2013. Episodes available to watch on iplayer until 30th April 2013. #ClaudiaWinkleman #design #sewing #PatrickGrant #creative #studio #diversity #BBC2 #fabric #making #MayMartin #BBC #BBCTwo #handmade #SavileRow #learning #TheGreatBritishSewingBee

It’s really funny how things in life seem to fall in to place sometimes. As you know, I have dedicated a lot of my blogging time recently to the arts and culture side of things and I have been conscious of the fact I may be neglecting the crafting aspect of it.As it says in the About Me section, this is a patchwork blog – borne of my desire to put making and crafting at the centre of my free time, but also to explore my love of the creativity swirling around in Northern Ireland. Creative arts, making and innovation are usually at the heart of whatever I’m writing about, even if I’m not as obviously crafting-focused as other sites – be it the Craft Village at last year’s Belfast Mela, or handmade treasures spotted on my holidays. However, my own crafting aspirations are never far from my mind, or from my blogging brain and examples of things I’ve been planning recently are: Finally kitting out my sewing room/studio in the lovely house my boyfriend Andy and I moved in to in May – I need decent storage and a massive work table, not to mention materials and equipment I still lack. Getting my Singer 99k sewing machine properly serviced at the Singer centre in Belfast and trying once again to get this beautiful thing making clothes – maybe convincing a good family friend who’s a sewing whizz to give me a bit of help in exchange for tea and cakes 🙂 Experimenting with my still-in-the-packet, first ever GLUE GUN!!! I have hundreds – LITERALLY hundreds – of customisation project ideas that involve glueing rhinestones, handmade ribbon bows and chains on to various items of clothing and shoeware. And that’s just for starters (cue maniacal laughter). Asking friends and family to start an informal knitting circle. This would basically be me asking them to meet me regularly and teach me to knit, really – but calling it a ‘knitting circle’ makes it sound like I’m not just selfishly asking them to give up their time… The thing about crafting is, when you’re starting pretty much from scratch as I am – it is very expensive, in terms of money as well as time. I don’t have all the equipment I need, or really know where to start with a lot of the things I want to do. Although I’m lucky enough to have friends and family who are pretty proficient in the things I want to do and have offered to help…you know how it is, you don’t want to ‘put people out’ and you’re afraid they’ll be too nice to tell you when you’re taking up too much of their time. Which is why I haven’t been pestering people for free sewing lessons, or asking folks to meet up every week and show me how to knit. People have lives, families, houses, jobs and indeed their own hobbies and interests. The alternative is tuition, but every time pay day rolls around and I pay my bills and the seemingly endless pile of debts I have accrued, there’s just enough to live on. As well as that, I essentially have two jobs, the office by day and journalism by night for at least a couple of weeks of the month (not that I’m complaining about having plenty of work). So the courses and the workshops keep getting postponed to next month and my studio consists of an unserviced sewing machine languishing in its case, bags of fabric, trimmings and scraps, a knitting bag full of wool balls and shelves of paints, canvases, jewellery making kits, buttons, bits n’ bobs and embellishments – all full of potential to be useful, beautiful things, and all gathering dust. Until now. Because last night, as predicted in this post, I did indeed go into orbit when I discovered the judges at Blog Awards Ireland have shortlisted me – in the Best Craft Blog category! So you know what? It is time for me to stop whingeing and start taking action. Crafting has been occupying my mind for long enough, I have to make it occupy some of my (albeit limited) free time too. I’ll be starting this week, with my second Magazine of the Month arriving soon and after that, I will be getting stuck in to one of those projects mentioned above. I have no expectations of becoming a finalist in the Blog Awards – the other shortlisted blogs are full of seasoned crafters, some professional, and many of them have dedicated their blog solely to the world of the handmade. However, the judges have put me into the Best Craft Blog category alongside these bloggers – a huge compliment to my existing craft content and I feel freshly motivated to make it even better. REMEMBER! You can vote for my post ‘A Fatal Cut’ in the Best Blog Post Category. You’re allowed to vote once a week, every week from any one computer and the five posts with the least votes get cut every week. Every vote counts, even when voting reopens. Click here and scroll down to The Patchwork Quill if you’d like to vote for me! Thank you! Voting is now closed – thank you for all your votes! #funny #art #painting #festival #design #hobbies #sewing #bag #NorthCoast #project #customised #bloggers #journalism #rhinestones #knitting #Belfast #creativity #creative #punk #magazine #culture #fabric #customising #ribbons #making #travel #buttons #hobby #voting #innovation #patchwork #sewingmachine #colour #arts #BlogAwardsIreland #brain #life #Ireland #NorthernIreland #projects #Singer #handmade #gluegun #vote #shoes #craft

With Belfast Independent Retail Week coming to a close and the Festival of Colours exploding into the city once again, there are simply too many fabulous things happening this weekend! Try as I might (and I do intend to try!) I won’t be able to see and do half the things I want to. At a time when the retail industry is struggling to keep its head above water, it was a joy to pick up this pretty little booklet earlier this week. Belfast Independent Retail Week really has been a wonderful opportunity for our local shops to showcase what they’re doing and this brochure is crammed full of businesses doing just that. You can read the brochure online to see all the things going on this weekend, but here are my Top Three: Stray Jewellery’s Vintage Day Sat March 10 (Normally open Mon-Fri 11.30am-5.30pm; Sat 10am-6pm) Belfast’s self-proclaimed “cutest little trinket shop” is throwing a vintage party with music and makeovers and a prize for everyone who turns up wearing vintage clothing or jewellery. This pretty wee shop celebrated its first birthday last month and I still haven’t visited, so I think tomorrow will be a great day to pop in for the first time. The launch of ReFound’s latest pop-up shop Sat March 10 – Sat March 31 (11am-6pm daily; 11-7pm Thursdays) 9 Wellington Place I have been eagerly looking forward to ReFound‘s next pop-up shop for a while now! The artists’ collective founded by Jill O’Neill has been breathing new life into old furniture for about five years and has ‘popped up’ at random intervals across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. This will be my first ReFound visit and I’m genuinely excited; these guys are the reason I now view old chairs and tables as potential ‘projects’. The Fashion Souk Market Sat March 10 (10am-4.30am) The Fashion Souk Boutique, In Shops, Church Lane Another champion of upcycling, the Fashion Souk has hosted countless fairs, pop ups and workshops encouraging us to revamp our wardrobes without wastefulness. This is its first shop and it is offering 20% off all purchases during Independent Retail Week. Its monthly fairs will continue,with Souks planned for April 14,  May 12 and 26, June 9 and 30, July 14 and August 26. These are my picks of what’s happening as part of Independent Retail Week, but it really is worth picking up a copy of that brochure – simply to remind yourself of all the great homegrown independent ventures still doing their own thing and going strong, despite the depressing prevalence of boarded up shopfronts. Another bright, vibrant event I’m hoping to take part in for the first time (poppin’ a lot of cherries this weekend!) is the Festival of Colours on Sunday March 11 at the King’s Hall. Organised by one of my favourite arts organisations, ArtsEkta , Sunday’s event forms part of the global celebrations of this Indian festival, also known as Holi, currently taking place across the world to welcome the arrival of Spring. The colour powder party between 3.30pm and 5.30pm is obviously the much-anticipated highlight of the day. Little bags of coloured powder will be available to buy on the day for just a quid each and I really hope I can convince a few people to come with me on Sunday and be part of the rainbow. With music, dance, food, arts and stalls, it’s set to be a beautiful day suitable for all ages. Yet another fabulous celebration of multiculturalism and diversity in Belfast which looks just as fun as ArtsEkta’s Belfast Mela, which I blogged about last year. Check out the full programme of events and the video below of last year’s festival. Hopefully see you there on Sunday!

I have wanted to create a unique visual brand for the blog for a long time. I don’t just write, I am an avid online reader and always enjoy a blog or site defined by a clear and strong visual identity. Without the budget to employ a design company, or the skills to create something myself, I put out a clarion call on Twitter for a ‘skills exchange’. I got the idea from my friend, Manchester-based journalist and vegan food blogging queen Andrea Wren. Andrea recently started up a Facebook group called Skills Swap Tameside and Manchester encouraging people in her local area to swap skills and services in return for the skills of others. Payment in kind for services and products is nothing new, especially in somewhat straitened times and indeed, I had read about it making a resurgence in recent years; haircuts in return for boiler repairs, a wedding cake accepted as payment for a car service and so on and so forth. I have always liked the idea of trade rather than commerce – giving something useful and getting something useful back – but it was only now I realised I was actually experienced enough at what I do (I’m a qualified news and features journalist) to offer a trade exchange of my own. So about three weeks ago, I tweeted my request: Any designers willing to discuss a skills swap? You design me a logo for the blog, I offer editorial services, proofreading? Within minutes, I had several offers of help, including my friend, local actor and writer Andrew Devonshire. Having worked on poster design for the theatre group he belongs to, The Bart Players, he described himself as a “keen amateur” but within hours had created a logo incorporating a brilliant interpretation of the ‘quill Q’ I’d had in my mind for over a year. I was surprised, not only that I had received responses so quickly, but also that a friend had a talent I never knew about and was so forthcoming in helping me with it. In return I would very much like it if this blog could help get the wonderful Bart Players the bums on seats they deserve for their next production, the renowned comedy God of Carnage at the Crescent Arts Centre. It’s the first staging in NI of this hilarious Tony Award-winning play which Roman Polanski brought to the silver screen last year, starring Kate Winslet and Jodie Foster. Tickets are £8 from the Crescent online box office, so hopefully I’ll see you there. Meanwhile, another Andrew I had connected with on Twitter, Andrew Molloy was quietly working away on a not-dissimilar design which I ended up choosing and is the one which now forms the public face of The Patchwork Quill. Andrew, a skilled graphics designer, created a blog header, a Twitter background and two different avatars, all of which you can now see featured across the Quill’s online presence. It is exactly what I wanted. I have had a half-baked picture of that ‘quill Q’ in my head since early 2012 and knew I wanted a splash of colour as a nod to the ‘patchwork’ idea but nothing too busy or girly. I think the whole thing is clean and elegant as well as pretty. I like the literal interpretation of the ‘patchwork quill’ that has simultaneously remained unfussy and simple. As well as his design work, Andrew Molloy is an graduate architect and PhD architecture student. Anyone wishing to avail of his architecture skills and knowledge or his work on any graphics projects, drop Andrew an email at molloy aj gmail com and visit his blog, exploring his architecture writings and research. Do drop me a quick comment below to let me know what you think of the new look and remember the feedback survey is still open if you want to leave those thoughts anonymously. I’d also love to hear your stories of skills swapping and how it worked out for you. If you haven’t tried it before, will you give it a go in the future? Finally, thanks again to the two talented Andrews and I look forward to working with you both again. #design #quill #image #TheBartPlayers #RomanPolanski #AndrewMolloy #visualidentity #trade #creative #architecture #logo #blog #colour #graphicdesigner #vegan #skillsexchange #GodofCarnage #skills #CrescentArtsCentre #skilled #architect #branding

Last Thursday, Belfast blogger Alan Meban broke the news on Slugger O’Toole that the Department of Social Development had closed the Laganside Events Grants Scheme. Organisations which normally apply for the funding were notified by letter the previous week that the grant closure would take effect on 31 March 2012, giving just under two months’ notice for groups to find alternative funding sources for events and festivals already being planned and budgeted for. Although the grants scheme was open to groups in areas beyond the Cathedral Quarter, this is arguably the area which will feel most keenly the slashing of this budget. The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, Festival of Fools, Black Box events, Belfast Children’s Festival, Out to Lunch Festival and Culture Night are just some of the area’s cultural gems which are said to be under threat. As you can see, the organisers of most of these events have already begun to fill their spring programmes. The blow comes less than a month after sighs of relief were uttered at the Black Box, following news that its annual grant had been extended by the council. The council said the payment to the venue provides “value for ratepayers’ money”. It didn’t take long for the Stop the Cathedral Quarter Events cuts Facebook page to be set up and at the time of writing, less than a week after the news broke, the page has nearly 3,000 supporters.  I urge the readers of The Patchwork Quill to join me in backing the campaign to reinstate this vital funding. Whether or not you live in Belfast, or indeed in Northern Ireland – if you believe in the importance of a rich cultural society, where the arts, self expression and creativity are celebrated then please add your voice to the cause. The relatively small amount of financial assistance these organisations receive have allowed them to provide top quality music, theatre, circus, poetry and art at affordable ticket prices – something which is integral to their ethos. In fact, funding has thus far allowed the Festival of Fools to provide eclectic programmes of free street theatre.  To paraphrase one comment on the Cathedral Quarter Events cuts Facebook page, unless we want the arts to only be available to the rich, these organisations need this money. My first experience of the Cathedral Quarter’s vibrant arts scene was nearly two years ago at the Open House Festival when I saw Seasick Steve for the first time, for a gig review for The Gown. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to return to this cool and quirky part of town to write reviews of shows at 2011’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival and the Out to Lunch Festival 2012 for the Belfast Telegraph and have yet to see a show I don’t end up raving about. Camille O’Sullivan, Drive By Truckers and Being Piaf were particular highlights. Seasick Steve himself has added his voice to the debate, in his own inimitable style, which the Open House Festival posted on its Facebook page today: “Well I just heard that the Open House Festival in Belfast has had some of their funding cut called the laganside event fund, which Iguess has helped keep them goin’ from the begining and such. Well I dont know nothing how to a make a festival go but I do know that the open house festival aint no big corporate festival – they always put new music first, findin’ new bands that maybe dont have no money type draw but that they believe people would love, just for the sake of music. In these days thats a rare thing. Bout 7 years ago they took on a chance of havin’ an old guy who just recently sufferd a heart attack and that nobody new about at all – just about as obscure as they come. Well, that fella was me, Seasick Steve and I can say, straight up if it wernt for the Open House festival I never would have kept goin and never went on the Jools Holland show. Nothin’. Would never ever got to have all the success I have had all over the world.” [sic] Steve acknowledges the ripple effect this little festival has had on his career and I think that’s the whole point. One cynic comments on the Slugger O’Toole article that ‘non-essential spending’ is being cut and “maybe the decision of the Department of Social Development to stop paying for people to put on plays is part of that?” But a city needs a rich social life and entertainment scene in order for the other parts of it to stay alive. 2012 is meant to be Northern Ireland’s big fat year of tourism, centred on marking the Titanic centenary and trying to sustain the buzz generated by last year’s MTV Europe Awards in Belfast. The simple truth is, people come to a country, to a city, to experience its culture. If the festivals, gigs and shows that are so integral to Belfast’s unique vibe either dry up or become so expensive nobody goes to them, then the city will become less attractive to visitors and the next thing to dry up will be its economy, which is suffering already. 2012 may be the year that the world comes to Northern Ireland to see the Titanic Quarter, but we want them to explore and enjoy the rest of this beautiful city too, so they have a reason to keep coming back once ‘Titanic fever’ has faded. Cutting off the blood supply to the heart of its social and cultural life is short-sighted and ill-advised. Below you’ll find a template letter created by Stop The Cathedral Quarter Events cuts for contacting DSD with your objection to the funding cut, along with the relevant email addresses if you want to join me in opposing this awful decision. private.office@dsdni.gov.uk Nelson.McCausland@niassembly.gov.uk nmccausland@dup-belfast.co.uk Dear Minister McCausland, RE: the Laganside Events Fund Festivals and events in Cathedral Quarter are clearly a catalyst for regeneration and enjoy the support of the public, businesses, arts organisations and the tourism industry. I would ask you to immediately reverse your decision and restore the Laganside Events Fund. If you cannot reverse this decision, I would like a written answer to state why you have personally authorised the decision to cut the Laganside Events Fund without consultation or prior notice. I would also request the rationale behind cutting a relatively small fund which has proven to be a key economic driver for the area over the past 12 years. Can you explain why events which have proven their economic worth to the satisfaction of funders such as NITB, fail to convince you? I look forward to your response. Thank you, This post was shortlisted for Best Blog Post in the Blog Awards Ireland 2012.

It’s Tuesday, it’s 8pm… and there is a massive hole of despair in the TV schedule that could only be repaired with needle and thread. The last time I so completely and utterly gave myself over to a television programme in this way, the year was 1991 and the programme was Knightmare. Fast forward 22 years (how many?!) and I am less interested in dungeoneers and goblins and more keen to learn how to sew a French seam. (finally becoming a real girl…) The Great British Sewing Bee was everything I wanted it to be and more. I knew, before I’d even seen the opening credits, that I was going to enjoy this. A televised clothes-making competition hosted by Claudia Winkleman? They would have to get that very, very wrong to make it boring to me. However, I could never have predicted the warm, sparkling, loveable personalities GBSB would bring in to my living room every Tuesday evening. L – R Jane, Stuart, Mark, Tilly, Michelle, Lauren, Sandra, Jane. Every week brought beautifully understated moments of comedy, usually courtesy of mischievous brummie Mummy Sandra, magnificently feisty-yet-old-fashioned Ann or twinkly-eyed charmer Stuart. So now, having watched the final of GBSB, I am bereft! At the same time, I have just watched one of the most enjoyable pieces of television I can remember, and have already vowed to make every Tuesday a designated Sewing Day from now on. I can’t describe the joy I felt when my beloved Ann was crowned the winner! Lauren and Sandra thoroughly deserved their places in the final, but in the end, the right person won. Ann didn’t drop a stitch the whole way through the competition, actual or proverbial. Every single piece of work was finished to an impeccable standard, with challenges and criticism met with grace and stoicism. Watching her work in the final challenge – making a made-to-measure evening dress – was to witness a masterclass in meticulous workmanship. Each and every piece of the dress was tacked into place – the entire garment was basted together – before fitting it on her model (perfectly, as always) and only then did she sew the whole thing together and then painstakingly remove each and every guide stitch. Poor Lauren was an emotional wreck throughout the final – her men’s shirt, the pattern challenge, was a self-proclaimed “mess” (I disagree, it was lovely) and this plunged her into a whirlpool of stress and panic. As she dissolved into tears at the end of the customisation challenge, Patrick commented that the talented sewist had “no reason to be despondent” but it’s clear Lauren is a perfectionist, passionate about sewing and her own worst critic. Her evening dress was wonderful – the multi-panel silk bodice was exquisite and perfectly tailored to her model’s body, who just happened to be her big sister! I loved the decision to secretly bring in family members as the contestants’ models for the final challenge – Sandra and Ann each made dresses for their daughters. This was definitely Sandra’s strongest week and had she shown Ann’s level of consistency in previous stages, may well have won this competition herself. Her blue silk evening dress with draped detail was stunning, and not an easy design choice. For the customisation challenge, they were each given a handbag to decorate using only hand-sewing techniques. Anne used couching to affix a wavy line design with embellishments and Lauren created zigzag lines in sewn-on sequins, embroidery threads and fabric. Sandra was the stand-out winner here, with her appliqued flowers and berries – I would buy that handbag! So GBSB is over for now…but I’m delighted to be able to say it will be back next year! The BBC announced last Thursday that the series will return for a six-part run in 2014. In the meantime, none of the series one contestants will be resting on their laurels. Particularly wonderful was the news that Sandra is to sell clothing under her own label, although try as I might, I cannot find it online. Do any of you know where you can buy her clothing? Tilly is writing a sewing blog, which I am already a massive fan of. Stuart has been given his own column at Popular Patchwork magazine, beginning in June. Stuart. Lauren and her husband opened their haberdashery on Saturday, joined by some of the Sewing Bee stars, and were mobbed by fans! Everyone else is simply continuing to sew, loving it, with renewed vim and vigour. I intend to do the same. If this show continues to a third series, I fully plan to apply for it – but in the meantime, if you are a bit more accomplished than me, why not have a go yourself? #ClaudiaWinkleman #inspired #design #sewing #haberdashery #PatrickGrant #Sandrasewingbeeclotheslabel #Stuartsewingbee #fabric #making #Tillyblog #MayMartin #Stuartmagazinecolumnsewingbee #competition #BBCTwo #handmade #guthrieandghani #TheGreatBritishSewingBee

This week’s WOTW is a little late and a little different, but that’s OK, as there is still so much happening locally this weekend! Easter fun continues, and there is lots of great music, plus a touch of the exotic… As always, keep an eye on the What’s On Calendar for all your cultural, crafting and creative events needs and please get in touch with any suggestions for this page in the weeks and months ahead. Tuesday 22 April (until Sat 26 April) Lisburn Drop in Easter Workshops – Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum, 10am – 12pm and 2 – 4pm (Tues 22 – Sat 26) Make a colourful Easter craft in Lisburn’s Historic Quarter this week, with daily workshops between Tuesday and Saturday. They’ll be showing you how to make your own eggs on legs, Easter baskets, bunny puppets and more. Telephone the Museum Reception to find out the craft of the day on 028 9266 3377. Friday 25 April Lisburn LucyFest 2014, Hagues Bar, 8.30pm An amazing music event being put on by two brothers the Quill knows personally, Eddie and Ash Smith. Eddie’s little daughter Lucy was born earlier this year with a rare liver condition called Biliary Artresia. There is as yet no cure and it is the no. 1 reason for liver transplantation in children in the Western World. Not only is this a fundraiser for the charities that have helped little Lucy, it is a who’s who of the local music scene, with Smoking Tongue, Nasa Assassin, St Hellfire, Buck Eejit, Johnny Vans and Nathan Miller taking turns to either melt your face or soothe your soul. There are loads of great raffle prizes up for grabs and it’s only a fiver (min. donation) in. Check out the Facebook event page for more details and show your support! Saturday 26 April and Sunday 27 April Belfast Youth Action NI’s Rainbow Factory Auditions for Sunshine on Leith Rainbow Factory are very excited to be the first theatre company, outside of the Dundee Rep Theatre, to bring this vibrant musical to Northern Ireland. Sunshine on Leith follows the fortunes of two soldiers as they return home to Scotland, with a soundtrack provided by the music of The Proclaimers. To book your audition contact diane@youthaction.org or call Diane on 028 9024 0551. Rehearsals shall take place between Monday 14 July – Sunday 10 August 2014 with the performances week commencing Monday 11 August. Sunday 27 April Belfast Thai Festival – T13, Titanic Quarter, 12 – 7pm This is the first ever Thai Festival to come to Belfast, and organisers promise a fun day out for all ages. As well as authentic Thai music, food, boxing and dance, there will be relaxing Thai massage, a beer garden, as well as souvenirs, crafts, a beauty contest and raffles. Adult tickets are £3, for kids 7-12 it’s £1 and under 7s enter free. You can follow the event organisers on Twitter or email thainibelfast@gmail.com. #johnnyvans #easterbunny #sthellfire #musicals #easterlisburn #youthactionni #smokingtongue #performingarts #thaifestivalbelfast #buckeejit #auditionsnorthernireland #rainbowfactory #irishlinencentrelisburn #irishlinenmuseum #nathanmiller #whatsonlisburn #lisburnmuseum #linencentrelisburn #haguesbarlisburn #biliaryartresia #eastercrafts #sunshineonleith #nasaassassin #eastereventsnorthernireland

This time on Saturday, the seventh annual Belfast Mela will officially be underway, bringing a little extra multicultural sparkle to Belfast’s Botanic Gardens this summer.  This year, ArtsEkta‘s ethnic arts festival is spread over two days (24th and 25th August) for the first time. Usually an August Sunday full of music, food and culture, we’re now also being treated to a Saturday evening of performance and pyrotechnics to herald Mela’s arrival. To mark this, I’m pleased to announce ArtsEkta are exclusively offering readers of The Patchwork Quill the chance to win one of five pairs of tickets, giving entry to both days of the festival. Entry details are at the end of the post. OPENING NIGHT Taking place in Lower Botanic Playing Fields, gates open at 7.30pm, with a procession taking place at 8.30pm. The main show begins around 9pm. Entitled Spellbound, the opening night is centred around the performance of an epic love story, Rama and Sita. Performed behind a screen, this show uses shadow puppetry, Bharatanatyam traditional dance and fireworks to bring this traditional Hindu tale to life. Spellbound is the brainchild of Walk the Plank, the same UK outdoor events specialists that recently pulled off the hugely successful Return of Colmcille as part of Derry’s City of Culture festivities. They are being ably partnered by ArtsEkta’s South Asian Dance Academy (SADA) in putting on this unique opening night. THE FESTIVAL Gates open at 12pm, with the colourful Parade of Cultures launching the day shortly after. Below is a list of all the main areas and attractions, including performance schedules. There are no firm stage times for the performances, but there is usually a running order available on the day in booklet form, along with a map. Simply ask a volunteer on the day. World Stage Kissmet (HEADLINERS) – 6-piece fusing funky-bhangra-reggae-rock, with Asian influences and Western rock beats. Ajo Arkhestra – Afrobeats with influences from Cuba to Spain, Poland to France, Nigeria to Brazil and back to Ireland. Balkan Alien Sound – Gypsy, Klezmer and Balkan songs and dance. Magwere – A mash up of world music including electrical storm rhythms, bass clicks, autowah cajoling, drum battles and vocal catharsis! Kala Chethena Kathakali Company – Kathakali is based on Hinduism and is a highly charged powerful drama that combines devotion, drama, dance, music, costumes and make up. SADA – ArtsEkta’s own South Asian Dance Academy, the first collective of its kind in Ireland. Tir na n-og Irish Dancers – award-winning school of Irish festival dance. Kawa Circus Dance – live music, dance, puppetry, theatre and breath-taking circus skills. Dance Ihayami – Indian classical dance, music and film come together to depict the story of the transformation of classical Indian dance from its roots to the modern times. Virtue Dholis – sensational dhol drumming collective. Showcase Stage Magwere Ibuki Taiko – founded by Derry woman, Fiona Umetsu. Taiko is a powerful style of drumming originating in Japan. SADA Tir na n-og Irish Dancers ArtsEkta Chinese Lion and Dragon Dancers Bright Lights – an award winning dance group, providing weekly classes in Highland, Irish, Tap and Ballet. Cacao – sophisticated and cool fusion of old and modern Brazilian jazz. Culture Land  An interactive arts experience with families in mind – the opportunity to experience a journey across the globe, learning about different cultural traditions through music, dance, crafts, storytelling. There are also performances at the Culture Land Stage: Global Beats – this DJ workshop collective keeps the tunes pumping throughout the day. ArtsEkta Chinese Lion and Dragon Dancers Bollywood Boogie – SADA teaches the kids Bhangra and Bollywood moves. Maharaja Tent Seeing Differently – collaboration between Scotland’s classical Indian dance company Dance Ihayami, Scottish BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Krish Shrikumar and classical composer Ash Madni. Combines Indian classical dance, music and film. Kala Chethena Kathakali Company Drumscapes – Jon Sterckx uses a range of acoustic percussion instruments, vocal percussion and digital audio processing, ranging from highly energised rhythmical journeys to atmospheric percussion soundscapes. SADA Street Mela As you wander around Botanic Gardens, you will happen upon delightful little pockets of circus and performance taking place all over the park. This year, Street Mela will include the opening Parade of Cultures, Kawa Circus and Sikh Sword Dancing. Taste the Mela The Global Food Market is not to be missed; you can literally eat your way around the world in one day, with over 30 different food stalls located in and around the Great Lawn. The Taste The World Cookery Theatre will host demonstrations and tastings all day. Mela’s World of Wellbeing As well as the Health and Sports Zone, offering alternative therapies such as Thai Massage, Indian Head Massage, Reflexology, Aromatherapy and Reiki, the Sound Healing Spa (developed by Beat n Track DJs) explores sound as therapy. Global Souk Probably one of my favourite parts of Mela, this encompasses the Asian fashion bazaar and the Crafts Village, all housed on the Great Lawn in front of the World Stage. There will be also be dance workshops, henna artists and showcases of work from ArtsEkta’s arts-based community outreach programmes. Hopefully that’s your appetite well and truly whetted for the weekend of colourful culture in store! If so, you’ll want to get your hands on one of the five free pairs of tickets ArtsEkta have kindly offered for The Patchwork Quill readers to win. To enter the prize draw, simply fill in the table below with your details. Closing date is Thursday 22nd August 2013 at 23.59pm. Winners will be announced and contacted on Friday with details on how to claim their prizes. Good luck! Spellbound: Saturday 24/08/13. Gates open at 7.30pm with the main show commencing at 9pm. This show is free, but advance booking is required. Belfast Mela: Sunday 25/08/13. Gates open at 12, with the Parade of Cultures beginning shortly after. Performances and attractions go on until 6pm. Advance tickets – Adult: £4; Concession: £3; Family (2 adults, 2 children under 16): £12. Pay on the day – Adults: £5; Concession: £4; Family: £15. #Bollywood #Reflexology #Bharatanatyam #Cacao #BelfastMela #buyticketsforBelfastMela #Aromatherapy #ethnicarts #ticketsforBelfastMela #ArtsEkta #Brightlights #traditionalHindustory #IndianHeadMassage #DerryCityofCulture #VirtueDholis #Reiki #BotanicGardens #Chineselion #Chinesedragon #whereisBelfastMela #Belfast #Spellbound #IndiancultureNorthernIreland #Japanesedrumming #AjoArkhestra #SikhSwordDancing #BalkanAlienSound #Drumscapes #SoundHealing #KalaChethenaKathakaliCompany #Maharaja #Brazil #Hindu #KawaCircusDance #ReturnofColmcille #Kissmet #TirNaNOgIrishDancers #SeeingDifferently #Ihayami #bodyart #hennaart #DanceIhayami #Brazilianjazz #Ireland #communityarts #WalkthePlank #NorthernIreland #JonSterckx #BelfastMela2013 #ThaiMassage #TirNaNOg #Sikh #CityofCulture2013 #RamaandSita #SouthAsianDanceAcademy #CraftVillage #Asianfashionbazaar #Magwere #IbukiTaiko

A friend recently showed me this picture of a cute fabric-covered noticeboard they bought from Avon. I loved it and straight away decided to make something similar (sorry, Avon!). The fabric-covered noticeboard seems to be a popular project, with many variations on the themeavailable online – but I decided to create my own, simplified version. So here is my noticeboard… And here’s how I made it… You will need: Canvas– stretched, 20″ x 16″ (50.8 x 40.6 cm) Fabric– 24.5″ x 20″ (62.2 x 50.8cm) Glue gun Coloured elastic Ribbon– 3/8″ (1cm) wide in complementary colours Buttons– 5 small, 1 large Sewing needle- sharp, large-eyed Embroidery thread INSTRUCTIONS 1. Lay the fabric right-side down on a flat surface and lay the canvas face-down in the centre of the fabric. Use the glue gun to stick down the fabric to the top and bottom edges of the canvas underside. 2. Copy the steps pictured to fold down the fabric at the corners. 3. Once folded into place, glue fabric to side edges of the canvas underside. It should now look like this. 4. Turn the canvas over. Tie as many criss-crossing pieces of elastic as you want around the canvas, securing on the underside. For the ribbons, cut as many lengths as you wish to include (24.5″/62.2cm for ribbon going side-to-side, 20″/50.8cm for top-to-bottom), pull these as taut as possible across the canvas and secure on the underside using the glue gun. 5. The right side should now look like this. 6. Sew your buttons on where the ribbons and elastics criss-cross, using the needle and embroidery thread. I found it easy enough to sew through the fabric and layer of canvas. 7. All that’s left is to hang your noticeboard and use it for all your essential notes and bits n’ bobs! I didn’t bother attaching any kind of hanging device – the edges of this canvas are wide enough to use the top edge to hang it on a wall tack or nail. However, if you want, it would be really easy to use the glue, a staple or a few stitches to attach a piece of string or elastic to use as a hanger. Do let me know what you think about this latest Monday Makes, as your feedback (good and bad!) is so important to me. You can get in touch via Twitter, Facebook or the Get in Touch page above. #art #craftideassimple #sewing #craftideasribbons #howtomakeanoticeboard #eastcraftproject #whattodowithfabric #creative #MondayMakes #making #howtomakeafabricnoticeboard #craftideasbuttons #colour #howtomakeafabricnoticeboard #Avon #craftideasfabric #handmade #makeanoticeboard #craft #learning #ThePatchworkQuill