CHAT ROOM STATUS
There are no members in the IFQ chat room now.
To learn more about the username and password, click here. The forum username is different from the IFQ site username (which is your email) but 
the passwords are the same.
When you first come to the forum, you will see a list of categories and separate forums below these category headings. You can tell that you are logged in when you don't have the option to log in up in the upper right of the screen and your username is in brackets[]. You must be logged in to post and participate in the forum.
If there have been new posts since you were last there, the little icon that displays on the left of the forum name is colored (on our machine it's filled in with orange!). By the way, if anyone can figure out what that icon is suposed 
to look like, like us know! It's a bit like a ghost flying or maybe a rough drawing of a bell? Well, whatever it is supposed to represent, it's a very handy tool. It lets you go right to the posts that you haven't read yet.
Each forum (which are listed individually under the Topic bar) is comprised of topics. So when you click on a forum, you will see a list of topics. Click on these topics to see what people have to say.
The first category of forums is the IFQ ANNOUNCEMENTS. Here you will find some general IFQ announcements and a list of upcoming chats. There is also a forum called IFQ MEMBERS that you can post general IFQ questions and comments on. The IFQ NEWCOMERS' CORNER is a great forum for our newest members, but it's important for experienced members to keep their eye on this forum and answer the questions put forth by new IFQ members. As well as make them feel welcome to our group!
The following categories are the special event forums for ongoing events on the site. For instance, when there is a mystery quilt happening, there will be a forum here to talk about the project. Same for the Personal Challenge projects. All IFQ events have a special forum. This is a very helpful place to find out late-breaking event news or ask questions about the event. It's also fun to find out what other people are doing in the event!
There are also special interest forums. For instance, members who are 
interested in cloth doll making or crazy quilts have a place to post.
Then there are general quilting categories, such as techniques. If you have an idea for a forum, please let us know.
Occasionally we will post polls in the forum. IFQ members can vote on questions such as what our first round robin project will be. If you have a question you would like to pose to the membership, let us know and we'll set up a poll!
When you wish to leave the forum, you can use the "RETURN TO IFQ HOME PAGE" link at both the top and the bottom of the page. We'll share a little secret with you - if you click on the big IFQ logo in the upper left, that will also take you back to the home page!
Quick Navigation. When you are reading a post in a forum, you can quickly just back to the main forum page by clicking on the words "INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP QUILTERS Forum Index" that run along the top of the forum box.
Posting. You can either post a reply to a topic or start a new topic yourself. If you are reading the posts in a topic, pressing the "post repy" button will give you a blank box in which to post your reply. When you have typed your message, click on the submit button and it will be posted. If you are in the 
forum (and seeing the list of topics) and you want to introduce a new topic, press the "new topic" button. For this, you must enter a subject line, because that is what the new topic will be named. Be sure your topic pertains to that specific forum. And, if there is already a topic on this subject, put your remarks under that topic rather than starting a new one. This makes it much easier to read, rather than having so many new topics....which are all really on the same matter! The hosts of the various forums may set guidelines for posting too, so be sure to read the forum carefully!
If you want to know when some responds to your post in the forum, be sure that the box "Notify me when a reply is posted" has a check in. You will received an email when people start replying to your post.
If you want to directly email a person who has posted, you may press the "email" button that appears under their post.
Private Message. If you wish, you may send a "private message" to a member on the forum by clicking on the "pm" button. This is NOT an email but is a message that will be stored in that member's special private message area on the forum. The member will receive a message that they have
received a private message via email and there will be a link that brings them back into the forum. They will see a link at the top of the main forum page that indicates they have new messages and clicking on this will bring them to their private message box. If they are in the forum at the time, a box will come up and inform them that they have a private message. However, you can always email another member, using the "CONTACT A MEMBER" page under the MEMBERSHIP menu elsewhere on the site. This is a very easy way to contact ANY member in IFQ.
Icon by Posts: You'll notice that every post has a graphic by the name of the poster (like the image on the left). For 
most members, this indicates how many posts they written. This image changes color as your posting number mounts. Watch your icon change color as you get to know the forum and start posting more!
Members who are on the admin boards at IFQ also have special icons too! They're always good people to ask questions of if you need help!
So you see, there is lots of fun to be had in the forum. If there is something we haven't covered here and is still confusing, please let us know.
We'll see you in the forum!
James