FRESH AND FUNKY QUILT BLOCK BEE..

Julie forestpoppy.blogspot.com and I are setting up A New Quilting Bee.  We were both disappointed to be to late to join in the one organised by Lynne lilysquilts.blogspot.com ..so we are boldly going ahead with our own..

You may spot some similarities between or rules as Lynne has kindly let us plagiarise her hard work.. Thank you Lynne..

The Bee is to be called Fresh and Funky with an emphasis on modern, fresh quilting using bright fabrics balanced with neutrals and whites..Inspired by the likes of redpepperquilts, jaybirdquilts and  of course lilysquilts..

WHAT IS A QUILT BLOCK BEE?  I here you ask.. Well, it is a group of people (in this case 15), each person is assigned a month in which their blocks will be made.  That person describes what sort of blocks that would like made and sends a fabric bundle to make said blocks to the fourteen other people in the bee..With me so far ?

When you have completed the blocks you send them back to the person who's month it is and they can make them into a quilt for themselves. 

The next month it all happens again with someone else in the Bee having a turn.  At the end of 15 months all members should have enough blocks to complete their quilts..

Easy !

So, if you are interested here are the Rules...

There are a few, but it just allows you to see whats what, so to speak...

1. Fifteen participants and 15 months. This means that if anyone has to drop out for any reason it would still leave the rest of the group with enough blocks to complete a quilt.  If everyone stays in we should all have between 15 and 30 blocks each (depending on how many blocks you ask the bee to make for you).

2. Start by leaving a comment on this post and leave us a link to your blog or flickr page.  Let us know your likes and dislikes regarding quilting, e.g. styles, quilts you admire, and the types of blocks that you enjoy making.  We will gather more info from each other once we have the final 15.

Our preference is for participants with active blogs/flickr accounts.  So we can be assured that they will be committed..

3. Once we have the final 15 we will assign months to each member.  This will be done through a Fresh and Funky Flickr group.  When it is your month you will post your block requirements/inspirations on the groups page.  You will need to send your fabrics to each member of the group so they arrive by this date (make sure you leave time for posting if we end up with international members in the group).  Before posting your fabrics post on Flickr mail that you are doing so to make sure everyone is still 'in', saves wasting fabric !

4. You can ask for one block or two and also specify the size of your blocks. Send enough fabric for the blocks you require and state clearly whether member can add fabric from their own stash.  Also state whether you would like the leftover scraps sent back or if the member can keep them.. Try not to make it to hard work for other members, please do not ask for anything you would not be willing to do yourself.  This is something fun for us all and we want to keep it fun..

5.When you are making the blocks you can post 'sneak previews' on the groups flickr page or on your own blog so we can all have a peep..

If you are running late or having difficulties completing the blocks in a particular month please let me or Julie and also the member you are making the blocks for know.

6. Communication will be key, so keep the group updated via flickr or through blog comments, and post photographs as well..  It is nice to see what each other are doing..

7. You will have until the end of the month to complete and post out finished blocks.. Leave a message on flickr when you have posted or if you are running late.  Also please leave a comment when you receive the completed blocks and then we all know where we are..

8.If there is anything you don't understand, shout out and we can sort it..

9. Lastly we will miss out December as I'm sure we will all be just to busy.  So that means if we start in July (hopefully we will be ready by then)  we should be finished by October 2011 !

10.                                                                          ENJOY !

      I hope reading all that has not put you off !  If not then go ahead and leave a comment and we can      
                                                                               get quilting..

          Once we have the final 15 you can post the Fresh and Funky button on your blog and we will link
                                                                           it to the Flickr group..

                                                                Ready, steady COMMENT !!