the modern quilting bee

With the development of modern quilting, the quilting bee has also taken on a modern twist. There are numerous online quilting bees and one that I'm a part of is do. Good Stitches {a Charity Bee}. There are several different circles and each member contributes quilt blocks each month to be made into a quilt for a charitable group.  My group, the WISH circle, makes quilts for Project Linus. We've only been working on blocks since June but already have one completed quilt to donate. I'm amazed that 11 members from across the country can combine their unique blocks to make a beautiful quilt. It's a quilting bee gone modern!

In June, our group admin Erica decided our first blocks would be these scrappy kaleidoscopes from Don't Call Me Betsy. We were given instructions to make two 12.5 inch blocks using bright pinks, purples, and oranges with some light to medium grays/neutrals. The goal is to work from your stash and for my blocks I came up with these:

(This was my first attempt at a pieced block, and I was pretty happy with the results.) I was blown away when I saw a picture of the completed quilt:

It's wonderful what a group of quilters can come up with whether they "meet" online or get together in person as a guild or group. It's a great way to try new blocks and techniques, meet new people who share similar interests, and sometimes even benefit an organization in need.