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I am the hand that holds The Patchwork Quill. And I … have a knitting problem.I spent two glorious Saturdays (last Saturday and Saturday 23 August) learning to knit, courtesy of the wonderful Emma Whiteside of Top Floor Art and now I am well and truly hooked. (If it’d been crochet, that would have been a wonderfully nerdy pun.) Emma hosted a range of workshops in her studios during Craft NI‘s August Craft Month, including classes in crochet, tepee decoration (yes, really!) and also her personal speciality, making map butterflies. We were taught by Jaele, who, on the first week, patiently took us through the basics of casting on, knitting and purling stitches, and finally, got us started on knitting from patterns. We used yarn and needles from Lighthouse Yarns – and got to take them home as part of the price of the class… bargain! Such lovely colours, and really great quality – this could be yet another craft shop I disappear into for hours on end! I was working to a pattern for bunting flags and I’m really pleased with how they turned out! Aren’t they cute? These are seriously addictive and fairly quick and easy to make once you get the hang of the pattern. I missed the second week of classes as I was busy wrecking myself at Walk Ten for Marie Curie, so the other girls were way ahead of me when I made it back for the third workshop at the weekend. Clara (pictured above, right of Jaele) was halfway through a rather beautiful multi-coloured glove, and Emma was click-clacking away confidently through a beanie hat! However, I caught up (just about) and am a whole three rows into a beanie hat of my own. I’ve already ripped it out and started again three times, so we’ll see how long attempt number four lasts… As well as kickstarting a new craft addiction, these workshops have been a lovely insight into the community of crafters in Northern Ireland – in particular, those who sell their products at the ever-beloved St George’s Market. It’s a warm, welcoming circle of creative people and, Northern Ireland being the size it is, everyone who crafts seems to know everyone else who does! It really feels like a proper community and I’m slowly but surely starting to feel part of it, by going to workshops like this one to improve my skills and meet likeminded souls, and also by starting a little group of my own soon. But that’s for another post… The St George’s traders hold a tea cosy competition every year, and this year they are going purple to raise funds for the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice. Full details are below and you can download a pdf of the entry form to print – get yours in before Friday 26 September! #craftstgeorgesmarket #embroidery #woolshopnorthernireland #craftshopni #sewing #learntocrochet #knitting #CraftNI #making #knit #tepee #ffrogcreations #learntoknit #mapbutterflies #stgeorgesmarket #crocheting #lighthouseyarns #handmade #AugustCraftMonth #crochet #topfloorart

Last Friday night saw Lisburn’s R-Space Gallery playing host to a low-down, dirty, rock n’ roll razzmatazz! Up-and-coming events organisers Extravaga once again pulled off a fun and imaginative little night in the heart of my home city, with a vintage-and-handmade market, a fortune teller, hot food and some good old blues and rock n’ roll to round it all off. Only a few months ago their debut event, a comedy night in Lisburn with local stand-ups Colin Geddis and Micky Bartlett was a roaring success. This follow-up was something completely different, but equally well-received. I divided my night between….. The Market… The youngest trader, but by far the most colourful! Melysa (pictured) and Elyse made all of these accessories and jewellery pieces themselves. Very talented young ladies! The wonderful Wonder Scents with their handmade scented wax hearts. Gorgeous crocheted cosiness from Ffrog Creations! Va-va-vintage from R-Space owner Anthea, with this beautiful selection of clothes for sale. …and The Music A cracking opening set from Guitarbuckle, delivering an eclectic mix of original songs and blues and rock covers. The Hard Chargers finished the night off in style with a rocking set of roadhouse blues! With more and more great events and initiatives like this happening all the time, Lisburn is slowly but surely developing its own unique arts, culture and entertainment scene and The Patchwork Quill is very proud to be an active supporter of these green shoots of progress. If you would like to find out more about what’s happening in Lisburn, please look up the Lisburn Creative Collective on Facebook or come along to the next meet-up on Thursday 4th September at 7.30pm, upstairs in the Favourite Bar on Bridge Street If you want more evidence of Lisburn’s burgeoning cultural life, check out the packed programme for Culture Night Lisburn. In particular, cast your eye over page 7 – see if you recognise anybody…… #hardchargers #thehardchargers #niblues #rspacegallery #culturenightlisburn #guitarbuckle #loombands #lisburnculturenight #musicnorthernireland #rockabilly #northernirelandbluesmusician #ffrogcreations #andyarbuckle #roadhouseblues #whatsonlisburn #whatsonbelfast #Lisburn #wonderscents #extravaga #crochet #CNL14 #whatsoninnorthernireland #lisburnevents

As some of you already know, the hand that holds the Quill also holds down a day job, at a wonderful company in Lisburn called Leckey who design, manufacture and distribute postural and mobility products for people with special needs. (here’s hoping my bosses are reading this… 😉 ) Last Thursday, we were offered the opportunity to join in an evening of origami, led by Donegal-based paper art company Japanese Papercraft. It was primarily an exercise in creative thinking for the design and production departments, but all staff were offered the chance to take up a few remaining spaces left on the class. Free craft class? Obviously I was there. I did a little bit of origami as a child, but haven’t done any papercrafting for a long time, so it was great to get a chance to make something without needles or sewing machines anywhere to be seen! Naomi Fleury, ably assisted by her husband, started us off with step-by-step instructions in folding up a simple paper cup, but before long had us making little flappy birds, Samurai Helmets, jumping frogs and decorative boxes. Here are some pictures of pieces Naomi has made – we weren’t quite ready to tackle projects at this skill level! Everyone really enjoyed it, and I definitely think I’ll add origami to the long list of crafts I’d like to learn more about. Check out Japanese Papercraft on the link at the beginning of the article, or phone 074 973 2979 (replace the ‘0’ with 00353 if ringing from outside the Republic of Ireland) to find out more. #Leckey #JapanesePapercraft #papercraft #LeckeyDesign #JamesLeckeyDesign #paperfolding #paperfolding #origami #NaomiFleury

I’m delighted to announce that, having been nominated for Best Arts and Culture Blog and Best Craft Blog in the 2014 Blog Awards Ireland, The Patchwork Quill has made it through to the shortlist in both of these categories! I’m absolutely thrilled. The Quill has been nominated in each of the previous two years of the awards, and reached the shortlisting stage once before. It would be amazing to be announced as a finalist… * crosses fingers and commences search for four-leaved clover * There is a third category I’m still in contention for – and you can vote for the winner of this one! If you would like to see The Patchwork Quill win Best Blog Post, please click here, scroll down to ‘The Patchwork Quill’, click in the little circle next to it and click ‘vote’ at the bottom of the page. You have one vote per device per week (ie you can vote once a week on each of your devices, eg tablet, computer, smartphone). The ten top-scoring blogs go into the finals and the winner is picked by the judges. If you would share the link and encourage your friends to vote for the lil’ ol’ PQ, a lifetime supply of hugs and gratitude will be yours! The 2014 awards finalists will be announced on 19 September. In the meantime, keep up to date by visiting the Blog Awards Ireland website, Twitter and Facebook page. #bestcraftblog #irishblogawards #BlogAwardsIreland #bestartsandcultureblog #bestblogpost #blogawards #irishbloggers

I’m delighted to announce that, having been nominated for Best Arts and Culture Blog and Best Craft Blog in the 2014 Blog Awards Ireland, The Patchwork Quill has made it through to the shortlist in both of these categories! I’m absolutely thrilled. The Quill has been nominated in each of the previous two years of the awards, and reached the shortlisting stage once before. It would be amazing to be announced as a finalist… * crosses fingers and commences search for four-leaved clover * There is a third category I’m still in contention for – and you can vote for the winner of this one! If you would like to see The Patchwork Quill win Best Blog Post, please click here, scroll down to ‘The Patchwork Quill’, click in the little circle next to it and click ‘vote’ at the bottom of the page. You have one vote per device per week (ie you can vote once a week on each of your devices, eg tablet, computer, smartphone). The ten top-scoring blogs go into the finals and the winner is picked by the judges. If you would share the link and encourage your friends to vote for the lil’ ol’ PQ, a lifetime supply of hugs and gratitude will be yours! The 2014 awards finalists will be announced on 19 September. In the meantime, keep up to date by visiting the Blog Awards Ireland website, Twitter and Facebook page. #bestcraftblog #irishblogawards #BlogAwardsIreland #bestartsandcultureblog #bestblogpost #blogawards #irishbloggers

I can’t believe we’re already halfway through August Craft Month – the biggest one ever in fact, with Craft NI curating over 150 events celebrating Northern Ireland craftmanship. I attended the launch of CraftBomb in the Ulster Hall last Tuesday, an exhibition showcasing the best of the handmade decorations that adorned the streets of Northern Ireland during Voluntary Arts Week in May. For those who may not know, a craftbomb (sometimes known as a yarnbomb, or yarnbombing) is essentially guerilla crafting. A crack team of undercover needleworkers take to the streets, usually under cover of darkness, to transform outdoor spaces by draping trees, fences, walls and street furniture in their own brightly coloured woolly creations. At the launch, I was immediately greeted by the very lovely Margaret of Keep Her Knit who walked and talked me through the exhibition. Margaret organised the Derry~Londonderry craftbomb in May and these wonderful hula-hoop creations were a big part of it: Here are some wonderful pieces by Emma Robinson and dog lover Andrea O’Donnell (see if you can guess which are hers!) These were part of the Derry craftbomb. Doreen Armstrong of Let’s Knit Together in Ballymena created this amazing piece – from a thrift shop wedding dress, I believe. The group also made some amazing old-fashioned toys – as a child I had a little basket-carrying doll just like the one below! Creative embroidery piece from Emma Whiteside of Top Floor Art in Saintfield. The CraftBomb exhibition is on until 30 August and I really recommend popping in. The Ulster Hall opening hours are 10am – 5pm Monday to Saturday, but it’s worth checking the website or giving them a call (028 9033 4400) if you’re planning to call in. It’s a working building, so they do warn that at times the galleries may be closed. There are also two whole weeks of Craft Month left and so much happening – you can read/download the full programme here. There’s also a handy day-by-day guide to week three on the Craft NI website. My personal recommendations from the programme would be Craft Fest at Castle Ward this weekend, upcycled art extravaganza REclaim/REpurpose in Derry, the provocative Hidden Agenda exhibition at the Naughton Gallery and Top Floor Art’s Textile Activities (I’m booked on to their knitting class on 23rd – so excited!). Support local makers and make sure to get in touch to let me know your highlights of Craft Month! #keepherknit #craftbombing #yarnbombing #ulsterhall #CraftNI #voluntaryartsweek #letsknittogether #craftbombyarnbomb #craftbomb #voluntaryartsireland #emmarobinson

I can’t believe we’re already halfway through August Craft Month – the biggest one ever in fact, with Craft NI curating over 150 events celebrating Northern Ireland craftmanship. I attended the launch of CraftBomb in the Ulster Hall last Tuesday, an exhibition showcasing the best of the handmade decorations that adorned the streets of Northern Ireland during Voluntary Arts Week in May. For those who may not know, a craftbomb (sometimes known as a yarnbomb, or yarnbombing) is essentially guerilla crafting. A crack team of undercover needleworkers take to the streets, usually under cover of darkness, to transform outdoor spaces by draping trees, fences, walls and street furniture in their own brightly coloured woolly creations. At the launch, I was immediately greeted by the very lovely Margaret of Keep Her Knit who walked and talked me through the exhibition. Margaret organised the Derry~Londonderry craftbomb in May and these wonderful hula-hoop creations were a big part of it: Here are some wonderful pieces by Emma Robinson and dog lover Andrea O’Donnell (see if you can guess which are hers!) These were part of the Derry craftbomb. Doreen Armstrong of Let’s Knit Together in Ballymena created this amazing piece – from a thrift shop wedding dress, I believe. The group also made some amazing old-fashioned toys – as a child I had a little basket-carrying doll just like the one below! Creative embroidery piece from Emma Whiteside of Top Floor Art in Saintfield. The CraftBomb exhibition is on until 30 August and I really recommend popping in. The Ulster Hall opening hours are 10am – 5pm Monday to Saturday, but it’s worth checking the website or giving them a call (028 9033 4400) if you’re planning to call in. It’s a working building, so they do warn that at times the galleries may be closed. There are also two whole weeks of Craft Month left and so much happening – you can read/download the full programme here. There’s also a handy day-by-day guide to week three on the Craft NI website. My personal recommendations from the programme would be Craft Fest at Castle Ward this weekend, upcycled art extravaganza REclaim/REpurpose in Derry, the provocative Hidden Agenda exhibition at the Naughton Gallery and Top Floor Art’s Textile Activities (I’m booked on to their knitting class on 23rd – so excited!). Support local makers and make sure to get in touch to let me know your highlights of Craft Month! #keepherknit #craftbombing #yarnbombing #ulsterhall #CraftNI #voluntaryartsweek #letsknittogether #craftbombyarnbomb #craftbomb #voluntaryartsireland #emmarobinson

Every Tuesday you can now experience a local live music night with a difference. The Lisburn Sessions is a weekly free online broadcast of live, original music performed by some of Northern Ireland’s best up-and-coming bands and artists. Here’s a quick snippet of the session, featuring Ian Baxter on guitar and vocals, with Oliver Lindsey Crangle on violin: It’s the brainchild of Ryan ‘Bob’ Hanna, whom many of you will know from his regular gigs at events, bars and clubs across the country. Ryan broadcasts his gigs and sets online, and decided it would be a great idea to get a group of musicians together on a weekly basis and put some original homegrown music out there. Ryan says: “Lisburn Live Sessions was born out of a desire to showcase local talent; to be used as a platform for local acts to interact informally and to play and appreciate each other’s songs. “In an acoustic, stripped back style, the acts perform a more delicate version of their songs and get to chat a bit about themselves or their music in the comfortable setting of a living room, but the inclusion of a small studio audience gives the programme a live gig atmosphere. “Each session broadcasts to a live audience, who can live chat questions for short interviews with the acts to make a truly interactive experience for all.” It’s only fair I pop a disclaimer in here: I know Ryan personally as a friend, and indeed my own partner Andy was one of the musicians playing at this first session. Anyone who knows The Patchwork Quill at all knows I’m not in the business of ‘plugging’ projects, motivated by bias or loyalty. Everything featured on this site – including this piece on the Lisburn Live Sessions – only sees the light of day if I judge it to be of the quality my readers trust me to bring them. Indeed, if I plan to write about someone I know, their venture undergoes even more scrutinous judgement! Now that’s out of the way, back to the music! Meet the Musicians: Andy Arbuckle has been making music for 15 years, playing acoustic, classical and electric guitar. He has played in a number of bands over the years, and is now working on original solo material. Oliver Lindsey Crangle has been playing music for about 13 years. He plays violin and guitar and has performed with orchestras, bands, and other artists at weddings, funerals, concerts and many other music events. Ian Baxter, AKA The boy Bobain, has been playing acoustic performances for over 20 years. As a singer/songwriter Ian’s music has been described as “a kaliedoscope of folk laid melodic muse”. He is often found wherever a jam and session are to be heard. You can watch the full first session from last week below, and to watch tonight’s show, simply tune into Ryan’s U-Stream page from 10pm, and sign up to be notified of future broadcasts. #livemusiclisburn #olivercrangle #livebandbelfast #livemusicnorthernireland #livebandlisburn #ryanhanna #ianbaxter #andyarbuckle #ryanbobhanna #lisburnsessions #lisburnsessionslive

Every Tuesday you can now experience a local live music night with a difference. The Lisburn Sessions is a weekly free online broadcast of live, original music performed by some of Northern Ireland’s best up-and-coming bands and artists. Here’s a quick snippet of the session, featuring Ian Baxter on guitar and vocals, with Oliver Lindsey Crangle on violin: The Lisburn Live Sessions: brainchild of Lisburn musician Ryan Hanna. It’s the brainchild of Ryan ‘Bob’ Hanna, whom many of you will know from his regular gigs at events, bars and clubs across the country. Ryan broadcasts his gigs and sets online, and decided it would be a great idea to get a group of musicians together on a weekly basis and put some original homegrown music out there. Ryan says: “Lisburn Live Sessions was born out of a desire to showcase local talent; to be used as a platform for local acts to interact informally and to play and appreciate each other’s songs. “In an acoustic, stripped back style, the acts perform a more delicate version of their songs and get to chat a bit about themselves or their music in the comfortable setting of a living room, but the inclusion of a small studio audience gives the programme a live gig atmosphere.“Each session broadcasts to a live audience, who can live chat questions for short interviews with the acts to make a truly interactive experience for all.” It’s only fair I pop a disclaimer in here: I know Ryan personally as a friend, and indeed my own partner Andy was one of the musicians playing at this first session. Anyone who knows The Patchwork Quill at all knows I’m not in the business of ‘plugging’ projects, motivated by bias or loyalty. Everything featured on this site – including this piece on the Lisburn Live Sessions – only sees the light of day if I judge it to be of the quality my readers trust me to bring them. Indeed, if I plan to write about someone I know, their venture undergoes even more scrutinous judgement! Now that’s out of the way, back to the music! Meet the Musicians: Andy Arbuckle has been making music for 15 years, playing acoustic, classical and electric guitar. He has played in a number of bands over the years, and is now working on original solo material. Oliver Lindsey Crangle has been playing music for about 13 years. He plays violin and guitar and has performed with orchestras, bands, and other artists at weddings, funerals, concerts and many other music events. Ian Baxter, AKA The boy Bobain, has been playing acoustic performances for over 20 years. As a singer/songwriter Ian’s music has been described as “a kaliedoscope of folk laid melodic muse”. He is often found wherever a jam and session are to be heard. You can watch the full first session from last week below, and to watch tonight’s show, simply tune into Ryan’s U-Stream page from 10pm, and sign up to be notified of future broadcasts. #livemusiclisburn #olivercrangle #livebandbelfast #livemusicnorthernireland #livebandlisburn #ryanhanna #ianbaxter #andyarbuckle #ryanbobhanna #lisburnsessions #lisburnsessionslive

I’m delighted to announce that The Patchwork Quill has been nominated in two categories of this year’s Blog Awards Ireland. This is the third year of the awards and the PQ has been lucky to be nominated in both previous years, reaching the shortlist in 2012. This year we’re on the longlist for the Best Arts and Culture Blog award, and also longlisted for the Best Craft Blog gong. A heartfelt thank you to anyone who submitted a nomination for the PQ; it means the world to know people have taken time out of their day to put this site forward for recognition. The first round of judging has begun, and shortlists are due to be published on 25 August. Finalists will be announced on 19 September, with the big awards bash taking place on 4 October. You can keep up to date with all the key Blog Awards Ireland announcements by following them on Facebook or Twitter. * Crosses fingers, toes, arms, legs and eyes * …. * falls over * Wish us luck! #bestcraftsblog #craftbloggers #artsbloggers #bloggerawards2014 #blogawards2014ireland #BlogAwardsIreland #bestartsandcultureblog #Ireland #blogawards #ThePatchworkQuill

I’m delighted to announce that The Patchwork Quill has been nominated in two categories of this year’s Blog Awards Ireland. This is the third year of the awards and the PQ has been lucky to be nominated in both previous years, reaching the shortlist in 2012. This year we’re on the longlist for the Best Arts and Culture Blog award, and also longlisted for the Best Craft Blog gong. A heartfelt thank you to anyone who submitted a nomination for the PQ; it means the world to know people have taken time out of their day to put this site forward for recognition. The first round of judging has begun, and shortlists are due to be published on 25 August. Finalists will be announced on 19 September, with the big awards bash taking place on 4 October. You can keep up to date with all the key Blog Awards Ireland announcements by following them on Facebook or Twitter. * Crosses fingers, toes, arms, legs and eyes * …. * falls over * Wish us luck! #bestcraftsblog #craftbloggers #artsbloggers #bloggerawards2014 #blogawards2014ireland #BlogAwardsIreland #bestartsandcultureblog #Ireland #blogawards #ThePatchworkQuill

Welcome to Magazine of the Month in its new, improved incarnation! A monthly magazine review proved to be an over-ambitious feature idea (even for this mag addict), plus there are so many other types of inspiring reading material out there for those with arty interests and crafting curiosity. So books, blogs, newsletters, websites, e-zines, magazines, pamphlets, papers and papyrus… each month I’ll be recommending a read. I’m starting with this deliciously chunky tome – The Great British Sewing Bee: Sew Your Own Wardrobe. I’m also giving away a copy of the book! Check the end of the post for details. FACTFILE First published:March 2014 Publisher:Quadrille Publishing Author:Tessa Evelegh Photography:Tiffany Mumford and Charlotte Medlicott Retail price:£25.00 As with the first series of BBC 2’s hugely popular sewing contest, the GBSB team brought out a book to accompany series two. If you own the first book and are wondering whether it’s worth buying the second, I found they are two very different (but highly complementary) publications. The first book provides an introduction to sewing, and to the show. It begins with 70+ pages of detailed basic sewing instruction, provides little articles on the history and traditions of sewing, and features a number of beginner-friendly projects such as cushions, aprons and bags. Sew Your Own Wardrobe mirrors the TV programme neatly by taking it to the next level. Series two of GBSB set far more challenging tasks and demanded incredibly sophisticated sewing skill from the contestants. Similarly, this book assumes you know your way around a sewing machine, and gets on with showing you how to really use it. This is a book that beginners (with a little sewing experience) and seasoned stitchers alike could really enjoy. It focuses on three fundamental principles – fabric, fit and finish. The first chapter of the book gives you the lowdown on this holy trinity of dressmaking, and the rest of the book is dedicated to each of these concepts. From here on in, the book consists almost entirely of detailed clothes-making projects. The ‘Fabric’ projects demonstrate the importance of paying attention to the material you are using; ‘Fit’ features garments with drapes, folds, gathers and darts, and finally, ‘Finish’ shines a spotlight on the little things that set apart a well-made item. There is a great variety of projects, and all really nice clothes that you’d want to wear. There are men’s waistcoats and shirts, kids’ and babies’ outfits, skirts, blouses, a wrap dress, plus some real challenges, including a 1960’s coat and a prom dress! There are excellent, concise ‘masterclass’ sections throughout – really useful for an improving beginner such as myself, as well as a handy revision session for those of you with a few more stitches and seams behind you. Sew Your Own Wardrobe also comes with five pattern sheets – featuring a traceable, full-size pattern for every project in the book. These may look quite daunting when you first open them up. In fact, in all honesty, it’s likely the pages will initially look a mess to your eye, especially if you’re not used to using patterns. All the patterns are layered on top of each other, with each individual pattern drawn in a different colour. However, take your time and you’ll find it’s easy enough to isolate the one you want to use. It’s then simply a matter of tracing it out – here is a really nice blog post on ways of doing that. Although the pattern pages do look like a bit like someone’s tried to visually express a migraine on paper, I think it’s a really clever way of including full-size patterns with a book. I have sewing books full of projects I haven’t bothered to try because they involve going to a copy shop and requesting a magnified copy of a pattern – which you then have to trace. Maybe I’m just incredibly lazy, but I think it’s fab just to have the full-size patterns at your fingertips. Admittedly I haven’t made anything from the book yet, so I can’t review how good the patterns and instructions prove to be on a practical level. I plan to make something from Sew Your Own Wardrobe very soon though, so I shall report back! All in all, a beautiful, inspiring book with bold, ambitious ideas for you to try. Here’s hoping the patterns and tutorials are just as good! And now… it’s competition time! Thanks to the lovely folks at Quadrille Publishing, I have a brand spanking new unopened copy of The Great British Sewing Bee: Sew Your Own Wardrobe to give away – and it can be yours just by filling in the form below. Entries are open until midnight on Thursday 14th August and the winner will be chosen at random. This competition is only open to readers in the UK and Ireland (sorry, rest of world!!). Good luck! #ReadofTheMonth #design #GreatBritishSewingBeebook #sewing #ChineloGreatBritishSewingBee #dressmakingpaper #PatrickGrant #creative #LyndaGreatBritishSewingBee #fabric #making #SewYourOwnWardrobe #tracingadressmakingpattern #MayMartin #sewingmachine #LyndaSewingStitcher #Chinelosewingbee #handmade #tracingasewingpattern #craft #TheGreatBritishSewingBee #Jennisewingbee #dressmakingpattern #Heathersewingbee