Quilting Bees

A quilting bee is a small, ongoing group of quilters — typically 6 to 12 members — who work together over several months to help each member build a complete quilt.

Each month (or round), one member is the “queen bee.” The queen bee picks a block pattern, chooses fabrics or a color palette, and sends instructions to the group. Every other member makes one block for the queen. At the end of the round, the queen receives enough blocks from the group to assemble a full quilt top.

Then the next member takes a turn as queen, and the cycle continues until everyone has had their month. The result: each member ends up with a quilt made entirely by friends.

- Smaller groups — Bees are intimate, usually 6–12 members. Swaps can have 50+ participants.
- Ongoing commitment — A bee runs for as many months as there are members. Swaps are typically one-time events.
- Rotating leadership — Each member gets to be queen bee and choose the design direction for their quilt. In a swap, one organizer sets the theme.
- Complete quilts — The goal of a bee is a finished quilt top for every member. In a swap, you receive individual blocks to assemble however you choose.
- Deeper connections — Because bees are small and long-running, members often form close friendships and sewing partnerships.

You can browse open bees and request to join one that fits your style, skill level, and schedule. Bees often have a theme — modern, traditional, holiday, scrappy — so you can find one that matches your taste.

Want to start your own? Create a bee, set the member count and theme, and invite quilters to join. As the organizer, you’ll manage the round schedule and keep things moving.

Whether you join or start a bee, you’ll get a dedicated space to share progress photos, chat with your group, and track each round from start to finish.