Have you joined a quilting bee?

I know most of you are totally bogged down with holiday crafting right now, and I just want to let you know that you have not been forgotten. One of these days you'll come out from under that mess!

And when you do, I wonder if you'll want to do something fun, like join a quilting bee for example...?  I have seen more inspiration in the last week than one girl can handle, and I need to do something with that. Unfortunately, I don't have time for all 100 quilts on my inspiration board. I could, however, make a block or two each month to send to someone else who gets to do all the quilting, etc.

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What about you? Doesn't that sound like fun?! (You know it does.) I have been looking into joining a bee, but they fill up so quickly or the ones that are open are pretty lame not my style, so I'm taking things into my own hands (and hopefully yours).

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Since I have never done this before, I need a few suggestions as well as some bee members.  If you are interested, be sure you leave your email address here or send me an email separately so I can contact you.

• This will be a 6 or 12 month bee with 12 members.  
• If it is 6 months long, two members will host each month so every member will make 2 blocks per month.
• It's a STASH BEE which means that you don't mail fabric to each member; they are going to use what they already have (or what the decide to buy). 
• Each member will have enough blocks to finish one quilt top by the end of the year. 
• The bee will start in January 2011.
• The bee is open to international members.
• The bee will focus on modern blocks, but the design will ultimately be up to the member whose month it is to host.
• The hosting member will be responsible for providing links to appropriate tutorials for blocks or special skills.  Only free tutorials will be used since buying books or patterns each month will get expensive (albeit fun).
• Skill level should not exceed intermediate. Host should be as specific as possible in communications regarding color preferences, seam allowances, pressing preference, etc.
• Improv blocks are acceptable.
• Fabric needs to be good quality quilting-weight cotton. This is not an excuse to use the cheap stuff you wish you never bought.
• If a member cannot fulfill the commitment for any part of the year, that member should contact me as soon as possible so a replacement member can be found. 
• The bee needs a name!
• We will use Flickr to post pictures and communications, so a Flickr account is required (it's free!).
• This should be totally fun and a great way to be challenged with new blocks and designs as well as make your own truly unique quilt.

What do you all think? Do those guidelines sound acceptable? Did I forget anything? I have never participated in a bee before, so I'm totally open to suggestions on this.  What is the normal time frame for making blocks? 3 weeks? 4 weeks?

For those who are interested, please let me know via email (irenedesign[at]ymail[dot]com) or leave me a comment here and include your email address.  If you have a flickr account, leaving that info will be helpful as well. I will open this to the "public" in a week, but wanted to give my readers first dibs (mainly because I know how freaking creative you are, and I desperately want your blocks!!). 

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