Quilting Bees and Block Swaps

For as long as there have been quilts, there have been groups of people who share their hobby in groups. From Quilt Guilds to Sit ‘n’ Sew groups at your local patchwork shop, the social aspect in quilting is still just as strong today as it was before the internet and social media.

Quilting Bees are a great chance for quilters to get together and work on a project – it gives you a great opportunity to finish a bigger quilt, or more complex design, in a shorter amount of time – after all, many hands make light work! They also provide a great opportunity for members of Quilting Guilds or groups to get together and work on a raffle quilt for the upcoming quilt show.

Block swaps are another great way to bring socialising with other quilters into your quilt making. The really great thing about block swaps is you have the opportunity to collect blocks with different fabrics, which may not be fabrics or colours you would typically choose. They’re also a great way to make scrappy quilts, and everyone’s finished quilt will be different! When choosing a quilt for block swaps, make sure all participants are at a similar level of skill and go for reasonably straight-forward quilt designs with the same block repeated.

If you’re looking to join/start a Quilting Bee or Block Swap, here are a few of our favourite quilt patterns ideal for Group Quilting, Quilting Bees and Block Swaps.

Quilting Bees:

Block Swaps: