Irish Needlecase and Dunfanaghy Jazz Festival, and Some Interesting Local Information

I wanted to first tell you that I am feeling much better since my fall, and I am grateful for that.

Thanks to all the well wishers! I really appreciated it so much!

I made an Irish needlecase today, and it was fun. It was a combination of machine sewing, hand stitching, and some applique. The inside has a pocket that has several sections to it, and I used a very colourful blue pattern. I loved the shamrocks which I put on the front and back. Now, in the pic, they don't look green, and by gosh they are green, but that's the way it goes with a camera. Also, the stitiching did not come out too clearly with the pic, but you will get the idea.I also added some wonderful decorative trim all around and fun buttons that I had, and I enjoyed the whole process. As you can see, I used crosshatch quilting which is a grid pattern that I created. I think that needlecases are great to make for oneself, but they also make great gifts.

Joe and I are both looking forward to the Jazz Festival in Dunfanaghy. I am including this link here, as it gives you all of the music sessions that will be held in our village, and also gives you information about Dunfanaghy. If you click on the music programmes on the left column, you will see all of the music events at various places like the pubs, hotels, etc. We have several that we will be attending. All of the music sessions are free. Of course, the drinks that you buy are not, but it should be a fun weekend. I will take some pics and post them, and I hope to give you a sense of the festival. We have always loved this festival each year.

As to the interesting local information, if you are planning a visit to Ireland, several quilters coincidentally run B&B's and display their wonderful quilting projects throughout the B&B rooms. One of them lives here in Dunfanaghy. Bridgit owns the Carrigan House in our picturesque village of Dunfanaghy. She is an avid quilter, and she is a member of the Sheephaven Guild in our village. She displays her lovely quilts on all of the beds, on the walls, and has them hanging on quilt racks, thus staying in her lovely B&B is like attending a quilt show, plus you get a huge Irish breakfast. There are B&B's like that all over the area.Some of them even host quilting weekend getaways where you can partake in a little patchwork or applique. You can see her B&B to get an idea of what I am talking about here .When I first came to Ireland many years ago, Joe took me camping, but we also stayed at several B&B's. I just love them!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and enjoy whatever you are planning!