I'll be there from lunchtime on Thursday until close of the show on Thursday, enjoying the quilts, indulging in retail therapy, flitting in and out of workshops and catching up with friends. It's my annual treat!

Just a quick enquiry about who is going to FoQ. I will be there on the Thursday as that is when my lqs has organised a coach. SO hope to meet up with as many as poss.
Lynn

Lucky you Ali, being so close and having many visits!! I had a brief glimpes of the 830 at Malvern, WOW, what more can I say, even dh was impressed and not much impresses him unless its in a bottle!! (wine I mean!!!) so Ali, you had better take a big bag and an even bigger purse!!!!! what days have you all booked for? Only I would love to meet up with one or more!!!! Would mean that retail therapy could be curtailed for at least 5 mins!!!
Lynn

Yup, Birmingham, Ali. I'm soooo tired at the moment, I can hardly remember my own name.

Lorchen

D'you mean Birmingham Lorchen : Yes, there's plenty to do around here, if you let us know what he's interested in, we can draw up a shortlist. I love FoQ, it's my local show (20 mins drive to the NEC from home). I go every day, one or even two days isn't enough, particularly if you want to do some workshops as well. Bring lots of money and a huuuuuge bag

I try to book with non-UK teachers as you don't get many opportunities to take their classes, so I've signed up for: Fancy Bindings - Kathy Kansier (USA), Garden of Eden - Laura Wasilowski (USA), Creating a Seascape - Sally Holman (UK) and the intro to the Bernina 830 - I'm curious to see what all the hype is about I also usually help with the hanging and take-down of the quilts which is exciting because you get a sneak preview

Lynn,you can always pop few £ notes into the top of your socks.

Amo, bring the light of your life. There is a motorbike museum near the NEC, and I'm sure other things he can do in Manchester if he doesn't want to trail you around the show carrying your shopping.

Lorchen

LMAO,

I know the purse thing!! Even at Malvern I had cash split up all over the place. If I'd of been strip searched it would have been like watching Paul Daniels pulling cards out.

Good idea about the cash, unless you lose your purse I haven't done any workshops at foq, always too late by the time I get organised. It would be good to meet up, make sure you say which day you are all going, then perhaps we can arrange something.
Lynn

I agree with Lorchen. It is the size of your bank balance that matters. Also agree with taking cash as the cash machines have huge queues and a tendency to run out quickly - except the ones that charge you £1.50 for the pleasure of taking your money out. You definitely need more than one day to do it justice and if you are considering a workshop you need to get booking. Pat Archbald's was sold out within an hour of the tickets going on sale back in March! Maggi

I have gone through the workshop list several times but I'm still trying to whittle down!! The evenings are bust too!

I have discovered I can train it from Salisbury via Baisingstoke but this is better than from Bournemouth which always ends up at Waterloo and I avoid London like they still have the plague!! The hotel list looks good enough seeing as it's only a bed stop really. It's me leaving OH overnight for the first time that's a minor hiccup!! We're still newly weds.

I like the thought of the Euro's being there and having things we cannot buy over here or that's new.

Size of bag is less important than size of bank account. Most traders prefer to be paid in cash. Suits me. I only take the amount of money I can afford. Lots of UK shops have stalls, but I find the ones from other countries (like Hungary, or the Netherlands) much more interesting. And then there are people specializing in stuff, like embellishments, buttons, dyes, hand-dyed fabrics, sewing machines, etc. The last couple of years it was very busy all the time. It'll be interesting to see how busy it's this year with all the scary stuff going on with economy, banks, and jobs.

Besides the very large section of quilts to look at, there are always smaller spaces with quilts from specific artists, countries or cultures. Some of those smaller exhibitions can be the real highlights of the show.

The organizers changed the rules for entering your quilts this year, and I hear on the grapevine that they have had less entries than in the past.

Then there are the workshops: A very large selection (UK teachers, and international ones), ranging from full day to 90 minutes. If you are at FoQ for a whole day, it may be rather nice to sit down and doing something fun with fabric and threads for a while, giving you a really nice rest.

FoQ is always a super place to meet with quilting buddies who live too far to ee them often. I can't wait to meet up with Brenda, Ali, and Sue, and some other friends. We normally have eachothers mobile numbers so we can do our own thing, but meet up whenever we feel like it.

Take your camera! Up to now it has always been permitted to take pictures of te main exhibition. Some of the smaller ones have signs saying 'no pictures'. I always like to take some pictures, because this old memory here can easily forget and needs a little help now and then.

The last couple of years, the organizers put together a very nice CD with pictures of all the winning quilts, and some of the special exhibits. At £10 that has been really good value, and I hope they continue this.

I guess I'm a big fan of FoQ. My hotel room and my workshops are booked, so I'm all ready to go.

Lorchen

Guess what? Iv'e been!!!! Like mALVERN but huge!!!! Loads of quilts and everything you could want!. BIGGGGG bag!!! Perhaps I'll see you there!
Lynn

Any one planning on going this year?

Who's been before and what could I expect?

How big does my shopping bag need to be??