Patchwork and Prose

Fabric requirements are 100% cotton fabric. Pre-washing is not required. If you cannot finish please let the group know so that someone can potentially cover and or assist. There will be no judgement if someone cannot finish. Life happens and this is supposed to be FUN! We will establish the order when we get our bees! WELCOME TO OUR QUILT BEE! 13 quilters. 13 months. 13 quilts - and a whole lot of happy mail. Ladies, it's official - our Quilt Bee is happening! There are 13 of us, which means 13 months of sewing, new friendships, growing our skills, using our stashes, and, at the end of it all, 13 beautiful quilts that each carry a little piece of everyone in the group. The idea is simple: every month, one of us gets to be the Queen Bee. When it's your month, YOU choose the quilt you want to make - your pattern, your colors, your style. The rest of us help bring it to life! HOW OUR BEE WORKS Each month, we'll have one Queen Bee. The Queen chooses a 12-inch finished block and a general color palette for her quilt. The other 13 members each make TWO blocks for her. That means every Queen receives 26 blocks. The Queen is responsible for arranging, assembling, quilting, and finishing her quilt however she chooses. THE BEE TIMELINE By the 10th of the month BEFORE your Queen month: Post your block pattern/instructions, general color palette, inspiration if you'd like, and any important fabric preferences. During your Queen month: Everyone makes two blocks. By the 25th: Your two blocks should be in the mail to the Queen. Please let the Queen know when your package has been sent. OUR BLOCKS Blocks will finish at 12 x 12 inches and will generally measure approximately 12.5 x 12.5 inches unfinished. Please do not trim or square your blocks before mailing unless the Queen specifically asks you to. This allows her to square all of her blocks consistently. Our bee is beginner/intermediate friendly. It is absolutely okay to introduce us to something new, but Queen blocks should be reasonable for a beginner/intermediate quilter to complete twice. This is a place to learn, practice, and have fun - not chase perfection. FABRIC = SHOP YOUR STASH! Everyone will use their own 100% cotton fabric. Solids, prints, batiks, and novelty fabrics are all welcome unless that month's Queen specifically asks us to avoid something. Queens should keep requests general and stash-friendly - for example, "pink, red and white," "jewel tones," "scrappy blues," or "bright rainbow colors" - rather than requiring a particular designer, fabric collection, manufacturer, or exact shade. Your two blocks do not have to be identical. As long as both follow the Queen's pattern, palette, and instructions, have fun with them. PATTERNS Let's keep our bee affordable. Please choose a free, traditional/public-domain, original, or otherwise shareable block pattern. A purchased pattern should not be copied or distributed to the group unless the designer specifically permits group or quilt-bee use. We don't want members to have to purchase a new pattern every month just to participate. HAPPY MAIL! Tracking is encouraged but not required. Please consider placing your blocks inside a protective plastic bag before putting them into the mailing envelope so they are protected from weather or damaged packaging. Want to add a handwritten note, fabric scraps, stickers, a small notion, tea, or another little surprise? Go for it! Extras are completely optional. Nobody should ever feel obligated to buy or send anything beyond her two blocks. DON'T SPOIL THE SURPRISE! Please don't post pictures of your finished blocks before the Queen receives them. Opening the package is part of the fun! Once the Queen has received your blocks, you're free to share pictures. Blocks do not need to be signed. MOST IMPORTANTLY... We are 13 quilters starting this adventure as strangers. By the time we've sewn our way through 13 months, hopefully we won't be. There will be different experience levels, different sewing styles, different fabric tastes, and probably a few wonky seams along the way. That's part of what will make these quilts special. Every finished quilt will contain 26 blocks made by 13 other women who took time out of their lives to make something for you. Encourage each other. Ask questions. Share tips. Learn something new. Raid those stashes. Send some happy mail. And remember: there are no quilt police in this bee. NOW LET'S MAKE SOME QUILTS!