Quilting bee is a social gathering where quilters work on quilts together, share ideas and create friendships by sharing about their lives.
Gathering together to quilt is one of the '8 assignments to create a beautiful world for everyone through Quilts'.
Emerged in the early 18th century, a quilting bee is a social gathering of quilters to share quilt techniques and whatever else you want to talk about. Often the bee was a combination of a gathering of friends to catch up, and a way to finish quilts together. The original of the term quilting bee is attributed to colonial America where people depended on communal work to accomplish certain tasks such as barn raising, harvesting, and also the finishing of quilts.
A quilting bee was really seen as a party with good food and communal meals together with husbands, friends and lovers.
Often, quilters did the last part of sewing the layers together, the quilting, in a group. In this way, they sometimes managed to finish several quilts in one day during a quilting bee! It was really seen as a party with good food and communal meals together with husbands, friends and lovers.
Sometimes those quilting bees were organized for special occasions, such as a trousseau for weddings or a fair. Sometimes it was a regular occasion to combine friendship with industriousness.
The exact origin of the word is hard to determine, as is the case with many old things. It is either one, or a combination, of these two things:
Both words indicate the communal, helping-each-other spirit of a quilting bee. This spirit is still present in the quilting bees today.
A Quilting Bee is foremost a group of like-minded people to share the love of quilting with.
Today, with the rise of internet and digital communication means, quilting bees exist in 2 forms: offline & online. Usually they emerged based on thematic interests of the quilter.
I am part of a modern quilting bee. Modern quilting is the closest description of the kind of quilts I make. We’ve met for a few years now, and I feel at home with the group, and we’ve become friends. One of the members also makes the photos for Kick Ass Quilts.
As in most modern quilting bees, we work on our own projects, and we also teach each other new techniques. During the meeting we first have a Show & Tell where we show the quilt we’re working on for feedback, inspiration, or admiration. After that, one of us will explain a new quilt technique to try out. It’s great fun to chat and learn from each other!
The name 'Quilting Bee' signifies the communal, helping-each-other spirit of such a gathering. This spirit is still present in the quilting bees today.
These days, quilters rarely work on a single quilt during a quilting. However, it still happens, especially when there is a special occasion or theme going on! Also, some groups make the same pattern together. It all depends on the wishes and needs of the quilters involved. It’s foremost a group of like-minded people to share the love of quilting with.
There is a Quilting Bee for any kind of preference of the Quilter
Quilting bees are often formed online. Through Facebook, email and Instagram, people connect with a similar desire to make quilting friends or to learn more about a specific quilting style. The internet is wonderful, because it puts quilters with a similar interesting in contact.
Sometimes those bees remain online, and sometimes they move to offline places. It all depends on the geographical distribution of the members. Many quilters still prefer offline meeting to online meetings. It is important in a global and digital world to also have connection with / in the place you are living.
Kick Ass Quilts also has an online quilting bee! You can find out more about it and join here: Online Quilting Bee.
Our main focus is to inspire each other, learn about sustainability & joy, mindfulness, connection and how to use quilting to reach a sustainability future for yourself, your community and others.
Quilting Bee: Inspiration sustainable quilting online!
A quilting bee has always been a place where quilters help each other. In the olden days by finishing a quilt together, and in modern days by learning techniques and give each other feedback and inspiration. And mostly a quilting bee is a place for friendship and support. While working on the quilts. You can share about your life and support each other.
Similar terms: quilting retreat, quilt holiday, quilt party, quilt guild
Questions, let's have a chat in the commentary section:
Sources:
Have you always wanted to give a new life to the clothes you can't wear any more? For example, to make a keepsake of the old shirts of your grandfather or from the summer dresses of your mother?
The 'Quilting Out of Your Home' e-book is the first step to learn how to do so!
In the e-book, I give tips and tricks how to upcycle old clothes and fabrics into useful quilts. Also, I show you how little you need to start quilting. There is no need to buy any fabric or tools to quilt!
The e-book is a gift when you subscribe to my newsletter. No spam, only the occasional tips and inspiration to become a sustainable quilter.
