I posted some information about virtual quilting bees the other day, and a lot of folks expressed an interest in starting our own virtual quilting bee! It sounds like a great idea and will be pretty easy to execute (we will use the blog to post our photos and have a sidebar button and links to keep track of everything). Interested? Here are the rules and instructions:
NYC Metro Bee Rules:
1. Up to 12 people can sign up the for bee. If more than 12 are interested, we can start another bee and designate a new "Bee Mother."
2. Please sign up only if you are willing to make a 12-month commitment. If you drop out, please find a new member to take your place.
3. Each month, one member will be the "Queen Bee." He/she will instruct the members what kind of block to make. The instructions can be as specific or general as you like (i.e., make a block using red fabric, make a wonky log cabin, make a springtime-themed block, etc).
4.
5. Each member makes one block for the Queen Bee each month, in any size that the Queen Bee chooses (12.5 inches is usually standard). Members are certainly welcome to make additional blocks (optional)!
6. After each member completes a block, he/she should post a photo to the blog (we want to see your beautiful work!) and mail the block to the Queen Bee. Each member is responsible for postage, but it only costs about one dollar to mail.
7. Members are responsible for staying current with their blocks! If you cannot meet a timeline, please let that month's Queen Bee know ASAP.
Signup Instructions:
Please email me at nicolehkaplan [at] gmail [dot] com with the following information (I will not post any personal information on the blog, other than first names and blog addresses):
a. Full Name
b. Email Address (and blog address, if you want to share it)
c. Mailing Addres
d. Preferred month to be the "Queen Bee." Please include 2 options, just in case.
You do not have to choose yet what kind of blocks you want the bee members to make. Start checking out Flickr and other sites for inspirations!
Questions? Just post a comment below or feel free to email me! Thanks!
Great fun! I am in. I will email you my info.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for putting this all together.
Awesome! thanks for running things Nicole~
ReplyDeleteI'll email you right now!
Have you guys done it this way in the past, where you send fabric OR use stash? I've only ever done them where everyone sends fabric. If so, do you feel that works out well?
ReplyDeleteI'd worry that I might send out fabric for mine, but then everyone else would request we use stash, and by then end I'd have used up two quilts' worth of fabric. Or that I don't have a deep enough stash to cover everyone's tastes! Or if someone wants something specific, and you don't have the stash to cover it, like, you don't have solid black or something? Do you specify that people pre-wash or you don't worry about that?
Guess I've got a few questions about how it works!
Mary,
ReplyDeleteAfter talking to Nicole we decided to change the guidelines so that the Queen Bee must send out fabric to all participants. It's just more structured this way and covers all the concerns you mentioned.
I have been in bees that did it both ways (bees that sent fabric and a bee that only used stash). The stash-only bee is scrap focused so members usually don't have trouble making something out of their scraps. The block requests in that bee are never super strict (i.e. use batiks with solid black) because we know everyone's stash is different (and it's run by victoria.. and we all know how she feels about rules..), but still there are sometimes issues of people not having fabric to cover the request, so your points are valid. I'd have to say that the biggest perk of the stash-only bee is that when it's your month you don't have to send anything out, just sit back and enjoy the packages as they arrive (March was my month, it was awesome!). We'll see how the first round of the NYC Mod Bee goes and change things up as needed for the next round.
oh, and a thought-- I suppose it's possible (if you plan far enough in advance) to bring your fabric for distribution at a guild meeting prior to your month instead of having to mail it to everyone. then you'd just need to send it to the folks who missed the meeting. Makes me want to cross my fingers for November..
Update: we have three spots remaining for the first group! Please email if you're interested...it will be a great group!
ReplyDeleteI am soooooo excited...that I will have the benefit of all of these hands...making something for lil ol' me...and only for me to return the favor...Ghee I guess I am headed to My favorite city quilt store...smiles... with my lovely schedule..you may have them before the beginning of May...smiles...
ReplyDeleteP.s. Thanks again Nicole for doing this....
ReplyDelete