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!