What have a minibus, an old milk crate and a bunch of intrepid quilters got in common?

The answer is P&Q Tours first trip to Ireland. I joined them a couple of days into their tour, which started in Belfast. From there along the Antrim coast via The Giants Causeway – all in the most atrocious weather – to our hotel in Buncrana in Co. Donegal. Excellent food, (I think I was the only one who had a Guinness!), a two day workshop with Gaye Grant of The Fennel Shed in a lovely hotel, plus various jaunts out and about – still all in atrocious weather! 
 
One evening we went to the unveiling of a spectacular quilt made to commemorate the Gweedore Sheep Wars. We only got a fleeting glimpse largely due to the numbers of people there and lack of time, but if you are in Letterkenny it will be well worth visiting the museum to have a look at it. 
 
Our journey back to Belfast included the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra, where the curator of textiles, Valerie Wilson, gave us the opportunity to view some wonderful examples from their quilt collection. With flights for everyone leaving at different times on the last day and, as I had missed going on the Belfast Wheel during the first weekend, I set off on my own on the last morning. A tad
unnerving to be the ONLY person going round on it. I’m not wonderful with heights but had really wanted to go on the Wheel. It was ok but I was a bit anxious when my car stopped at the very top – presumably while the commentary, which I couldn’t hear, played. Since I was the only person on the whole thing I had no idea if this was ok or not. Very glad when it started moving again!
 
Despite terrible weather - but it was probably even worse here as it was the time of the terrible Cockermouth floods - we all had a very good time.
 
Apart from Ireland, November included going over to Sew and So’s in Bungay to teach a class for Verona – what a wonderful place!, London to see the Fine Cell Work sale of work, plus other places for the mag. I also had the bonus of going to a talk by Dilys Fronks when she was in South Wales for an event at St David’s Hall in Cardiff, ‘Deck the Halls’. I do think she is one of the most delightful, entertaining and inspirational of speakers so it was a bonus evening to say the least.
 
Well that’s my month – hope yours was good too!
 
Judi
 
The reason for the milk crate in Ireland? Well it was the only thing available to help people climb in and out of the minibus!