Quilting Bees 101 -- Helpful Hints

A collection of all the different hints and tricks we share with each other that don't really fit into any of the other categories. They can be about anything - running a bee, contributing to a bee, organizing your fabrics, etc.

1. Whenever I get a new envelope of fabric in the mail, I immediately write on the outside of it: 1) the bee it's from 2) the month it's for 3) the flickr name of the person it's for. For example: "PTQB / November / stitches&scissors" This has proven to be very valuable as I tend to work on one than one block at a time & don't want the blocks getting mixed up.

2. When I mail fabric or a completed block I put it in a ziploc bag and include the recipient's name and address on an index card inside the bag. That way if the outer envelope is damaged or the fabric baggie becomes separated from the envelope during mailing, the mail service can still deliver with one of those "We're sorry your mail was damaged" messages. -- Marblesbestfriend

3. Be respectful of copyright.  Unless you have permission from the author - it's never OK to print out patterns and send them to your bee members.  Send them a link to their online tutorial instead.


If you have a hint you want to share, post a comment or email me and I'll post it along with a link back to your site/Flickr!

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Quilting Bees 101 -- Bee Mama & Papa Hints

A common nickname for the "host" of a Quilting Bee is the Bee Mama or Papa. They are the person generally in charge of the bee, and typically their responsibilities will include:

- compiling all participants and making a list of email addresses, blogs, flickr names & mailing addresses
- setting up the schedule of months
- deciding on the "rules" of the bee
- facilitating communication between members (sending out emails, flickr mails, starting threads in your Flickr groups, etc)
- helping keep track of whos month it is, and if fabrics have been sent out & recieved
- answering any questions from bee members
- keeping track of blocks made/returned
- deciding how to address conflicts within the bee (fabrics or blocks lost in the mail, members dropping out, tardy blocks)

Starting a bee is as simple as choosing a name, setting up a Flickr group and/or group blog, deciding how the group will run, recruiting members, and getting everyone started.

Custom URL: Did you know how easy it is to set a custom Flickr URL for your bees Flickr group? So instead of the ugly, default: "flickr.com/groups/N#@JHKKD#" that is randomly what your group is assigned, you can have a pretty: "flickr.com/groups/YOURNAMEHERE" URL too. It's easy! (Ours is flickr.com/groups/quiltingbeeblocks)

1. Go to "administration"
2. In the middle column, under "about your group", the 2nd paragraph should be talking about your Flickr web address/alias. Click here.
3. Choose your alias, usually your groups name or a shortened version of your groups name.
4. Choose wisely, because you can't change it (watch for spelling errors!)
5. Click preview
6. If it's correct, click "OK, Lock it In"

That's it! Now you have a pretty URL!

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Quilting Bees 101 -- Mailing

One of the most important parts of any Quilting Bee has to do with MAIL! Since members of our bees are spread out over the whole world - we have to rely on the mail to get us our fabric & our completed blocks. A few mailing hints:

- Usually the good old regular mail (USPS First Class here in the US) is the cheapest.

- From what I've received, most people like to use the 6x4 white or manila envelopes for mailing. Depending on how much fabric you send, it will cost between $1.00 - $2.50 to mail an envelope of this size/weight.

- It's definitely OK to reuse the envelopes, just plop a sticker over your address when you're returning the block.

- A lot of people put their fabric into little zip lock bags before putting it in the envelope. I think this is nice (keeps me a place to keep all the fabrics organized & together if I have a few blocks out on my work table at the same time) but not necessary if you're trying to cut costs.

- Some people choose to print out an instruction paper to include with their fabrics. I LOVE this, for a number of reasons:

* It usually gives me their name and address right there on the paper, helpful for when I'm sending back their block
* It tells me what bee their in, helpful for when I'm uploading blocks and adding them to groups.
* It gives me my instructions right there in my sewing room so I don't have to constantly go back and forth to the Flickr group to see what kind of block I'm making

- Of course it is not required to send an instruction paper with your fabrics, a lot of people choose to just start a thread in their Flickr groups with instructions, inspiration pictures and other hints.

- There have been varied reports on if the post office charges you more for the little metal tab/clasp on the back of most manila mailing envelopes. To play it safe, you can put a piece of packing tape over it.

- You might want to print out return address stickers for yourself to make it easier to get those finished blocks back in the mail. :)

- At the beginning of the bees that I'm in, I've printed out a hard copy of the list of all participants and their mailing addresses, along with what month they're assigned. This has made it easy for me to have addresses all in one place, as well as to update the list when new addresses have come up.

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Quilting Bees 101 -- Fabric

"How do I know how much fabric to send out to each person in my bee?!!"

This is THE million dollar question! And there really isn't just ONE right answer. It all depends on how big of a block you are requesting, how much scrappiness you want in your block/overall quilt, the type of block you are requesting, if you're letting bee members add fabric from their own stash, etc.

I think a good general idea is to send approximately the equivalent of 1.5 fat quarters to each person. How you divvy this up can vary greatly and you are sometimes going to end up sending less or more fabric, depending on what you're asking for.

A good thing to do is start with all your fabric in front of you for your quilt. Think about what kind of blocks you're asking for: how big (smaller 8x8 inch blocks or large 15x15 inch blocks, or the "standard" 12x12 inch blocks), what look you're going for (monotone, one color only, very scrappy?), and what cuts of fabric is someone constructing the block going to need. For instance: if you're asking for a 12" log cabin, you're going to have to send at least one cut that is 12 inches long for that last log of the log cabin.

Once you've generally thought about it - start cutting. You can cut randomly (just chopping up all the fabric into different sized pieces) or very organized (cutting your fat quarters into half, then half again). Start assembling little packets for each of the members of your bee - and don't forget one for yourself. Mix and match the fabric - do you want all members getting the exact same cuts, or do you want some to get certain fabrics and others to get different?

Another good thing to try is for you yourself to make a block, notating along the way how much fabric you've used up. This way you'll have a general idea of how much fabric the block you're requesting uses.

I think the biggest thing that people worry about is NOT sending enough fabric - but in reality, it's not that big of a deal. I've had blocks that I've sent back that have needed an extra border added because I've ran out of fabric - and the original bee member has never minded.

Other good points:

- Make sure you specify if you'd like your bee members to add their own fabrics from thier stash or not. Be as specific as you'd like (i.e. ONLY fabrics from a certain colorway, fabric line, designer, etc) after all, it's your finished quilt.

- Make sure you specify if you'd like any leftover scraps sent back to you, or if it's OK if bee members keep them to add to thier own stash. If you're planning on making more blocks or doing a pieced back or scrappy binding, it might be a good idea to ask for scraps back, especially if you didn't keep much of the fabric for yourself.

This is just the tip of the iceburg of information about fabric in Online Quilting Bees. Please add to this post your ideas, thoughts, experiences, etc so we can all learn from each other.

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Quilting Bees 101 -- Bee Basics

What is a Virtual Quilting Bee?

To understand what a Virtual Quilting Bee is, you have to have a basic understanding of what a regular Quilting Bee is. A traditional quilting bee involved inviting women from the community or town to help you complete a quilt quicker than you could do it yourself. Colonial and pioneer women would gather around a quilt frame to help the hostess quilt and finish off her quilt top - the event becoming largely a social gathering as well, sometimes with the husbands arriving later in the afternoon and the even turning into a large dinner or country dance.

Quilting has changed over the years but one thing has remained the same - it still has a large social aspect. Quilt shops are often a gathering place where people bring in their works to show. Churches often participate in quilt making as a means for fund raising and support. And the quilting bee has gone virtual - with people participating in quilting bees with other women and men all over the world!

The basic Virtual Quilting Bee is made up of 12 people who are each assigned a separate month as their month to be the recipient of the blocks. The bee will run then for a year, with each person taking turns making blocks for for everyone else 11 months, and one month sending fabric out and receiving their own blocks back.

There are many variations of this - a lot of bees will let more people be included and double up on some of the months, where one month you will have 2 blocks being made for 2 separate people. Other bees have been set up with everyone sending out their fabric at the beginning, then the different members having a set amount of time to make a block to send back.

When it is a month you are just making a block for someone else: sit back and relax while you wait for their envelope to come in the mail (or if you're like me, stalk Flickr and your mailman every day to see if you can anticipate when the envelope is going to arrive, then rip open said envelope and pet the pretty fabrics). When you get the fabric, read the directions the person sent (or posted online somewhere) about what they want their blocks to be. Sew block. Mail it back to them.

When it is a month you are sending out fabric: figure out what kind of blocks you want everyone to make you. select fabric (aka stress over fabric selection). print out or post online directions/inspirations for your blocks. mail out your fabrics to your bee members. wait for finished blocks to start arriving in the mail back to you!

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