A quilting bee is a group of people who get together to sew and quilt and to share parts of their lives. Often, a bee is thought of as a group of women gathered around a large quilting frame, all of them helping work on the quilting of a single quilt. While quilting bees like this still exist, the modern notion of a bee is much broader and is often used to describe a group of people who get together on a regular basis, whether there is a quilt in a frame or not. In these modern bees, quilters may work together on projects for each other or for groups in the community, or members may simply get together to socialize as they each work on their own projects. Quilting bees provide their members the opportunity to talk about their ideas and their quilts with other quilters. They also benefit broader communities since many bees regularly take on projects to benefit either a larger quilting guild or a chosen community group, such as a hospital or a nursing home.

The Austin Area Quilt Guild sponsors many quilting bees to which its members can belong. There are bees that meet at night as well as bees that meet during the day. There are bees that meet all over town and in surrounding areas. Some bees are highly organized, where there is always some kind of group effort going on, and there are very "hang-loose" bees whose members simply enjoy getting together to sew, talk (and maybe eat!). Some bees meet in public places, such as libraries, while others meet in members' homes. Bees that meet in public places are always open to new members. Bees that meet in member's homes may have a limited membership simply because of space.

Any AAQG Member is invited to join one or more open Bees. In order to be a Guild-affiliated Bee, all members of the Bee must also keep their membership in AAQG active.

If you are interested in joining a bee, and you are not a Guild member, come to a monthly Guild meeting and join the Guild or mail in the New Membership Form. If you may want to find out more about the open bees so you can choose one (or two or three) that best match your interests, help is available. To join a bee, start a new bee or to get more information about bees, call the Bee Coordinator whose phone number is listed on the back page of the Quilting Quips or in the AAQG yearbook or you may click here to send an email to the Bee Coordinator.

Following is a list of quilting bees sponsored by AAQG. Please click here to email corrections to the web manager.

There is a place in the bee for you! Join today!

So sorry, the bee membership is maxed out at this time.

Day Bees:

'Angels in Stitches' (AIS) (Day) (open)           2nd Tuesdays,10 am           Central Austin           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Carolyn Robinett           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'APPLIQUETTES' (APP) (Day) (open)           Third Monday 10:00am until 12 noon           Old Quarry Library           Bee Keeper: Sharon Cole           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Art Quilters' (AQ) (Day) (full)           4th Friday, 9:30 am           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Sherri McCauley           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Bee Friends' (BF) (Day) (open)           2nd and 4th Thursdays at 9:30am           Price Senior Center           222 W. San Antonio St., San Marcos, TX           Bee Keeper: Martise Cooper & Rouye West           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'BEE WELL' (BW) (Day) (open)           2nd and 4th Wednesday from 10 to 12           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Stacia Debill           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Bits and Pieces Bee' (BPB) (Day) (open)           2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 9:30 – 12 noon           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Beverly Mahady           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Bluebonnet Belles Bee' (BBB) (Day) (open)           Every 2nd Tuesday, 9:30-2 pm           First National Bank Community Room, Elgin           Bee Keeper: Dorothy Matheson           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Crazy Stitchers' (CS) (Day) (full)           1st Friday, 10 am- 3 pm           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Frances Ledenbach           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Doo Bees' (DB) (Day) (open)           Thursdays, 11:30-2:30 (bring lunch)           North Austin           Northwest Baptist Church at 6301 Woodrow           Bee Keeper: Barbara White           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Dutch Dolls' (DD) (Day) (full)           Tuesdays, 1 – 3 pm           Crestview Baptist Church           Bee Keeper: Gail Yawn           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Easy Piecers' (EP) (Day) (full)           Thursdays, 1 pm - 4 pm           Yarborough Library           Bee Keeper: Jane Bray           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Honey Beezzz' (HB) (Day) (open)           1st & 3rd Thursdays, 9:00 am – 2 pm           South Austin           South Austin Senior Activity Center           Bee Keeper: Amelia Greene           50+ bee           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Ladies of the Lake' (LL) (Day) (open)           2nd and 4th Wednesdays from 10:30 to 2:30           Lakeway Activity Center           Bee Keeper: Judy Hazen           Must be member of LAC (Lakeway Activity Center)           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Match-A-Patch' (MP) (Day) (full)           Thursdays, 10 am – noon           Woodlawn Baptist Church, 4600 Manchaca           Bee Keeper: Nancy Hennings           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Material Girls' (MG) (Day) (open)           3rd Sunday AFTER AAQG Mtg 2:30–6:00 pm           Members' homes           Bee Keeper: Lorraine Cooper           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'May Bees' (MB) (Day) (full)           Thursdays, 11 am – 2 pm           Central Austin           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Sandy Harris           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Newbies Bee' (Day) (open)           Tuesdays, from 9:30 til 2 pm           Round Rock Area           Members' homes           Bee Keeper: Pat Beachy           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Patchwork Pals' (PP) (Day) (full)           1st & 3rd Thursdays, 10 am-2 pm           Meet in members homes           Bee Keeper: Karen Monaghan           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Pearl Jam Bee' (PJB) (Day) (full)           Thursday 10-2           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Pearl Gonzales           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Piecemakers' (PM) (Day) (open)           Mondays, 10 am – 2 pm           Millwood Library, 12500 Amherst Dr.           Bee Keeper: Noelann Brown           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Pin Pals' (PIN) (Day) (open)           Fridays, 10 am – 2 pm           South Austin           St. Paul’s Catholic Church (280-4460)           Bee Keeper: Debbie Janelle (please - no smokers)           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Quilted Hearts' (QH) (Day) (full)           2nd & 4th Thursdays, 10 am           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Jo Beth Kerr           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Simply Quilters' (SQ) (Day) (full)           Thursdays 10 am - 2 pm           South Austin           Texas Oaks Baptist Church           9910 Bilbrook Place (off Slaughter & Manchaca)           Bee Keeper: Diane Faulkner           Bring your lunch           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Southern Stars' (SS) (Day) (open)           Friday from 9:30am to 3:00pm           Member homes           Bee Keeper: Alice Henigin           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Speedy Bees' (SB) (Day) (full)           2nd & 5th Fridays, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm           Central Austin           Members' homes           Bee Keeper: Josie Carraher           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Victorian Ladies' (VL) (Day) (full)           3rd Tuesdays, 10 am – 2 pm           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Shirley Cox           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

Night Bees:

'Bee Buddies' (BB) (Night) (full)           3rd Tuesday, 6:30-9:30 PM           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Jane Coefield           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Crazy at Night' (CN) (Night) (full)           2nd Thursday           home of Mary Beard           Bee Keeper: Mary Beard           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Hill Country Quilters' (HCQ) (Night) (full)           3rd Tuesday, 6:30-9:30pm           Bee Keeper: Cheryl Degan           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Janeys Come Lately' (JCL) (Night) (open)           3rd Thursdays, 7 – 9 pm           Home of Carolyn Klassy           Bee Keeper: Carolyn Klassy           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Night Bloomers' (NB) (Night) (full)           3rd Monday, 7 – 9 pm           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Marguerite Hirsch           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Nite Owls' (NO) (Night) (full)           Wednesdays, 7 – 9 pm           North Austin           Northwest Hills United Methodist Church           (Across from Old Quarry Library)           Bee Keeper: Carmen Vasquez           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Quarterly Exchangers' (QE) (Night) (open)           3rd Tuesday Feb., May, Aug., Nov., 7:00 pm           Central Austin           Hyde Park United Methodist Church           Bee Keeper: Julia Wenzel           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Quiltaholics' (Q) (Night) (full)           Every other Thursday, 7:30 pm           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Roberta Starbird           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Quilting Divas' (QD) (Night) (open)           Mondays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm (except Guild night)           Hearthstone Rehab Nursing Home, next to RR Hospital           Bee Keeper: Cindy Lanahan & Jan Bissette           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Sew Be Its' (SBI) (Night) (open)           2nd Wednesday 6:30-8:30, 4th Friday 7-9:30,           South Austin           Hampton Oak Hill Library & Members' homes           Bee Keeper: Carol Watson           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator

'Wildflower Bee' (WFB) (Night) (full)           1st & 3rd Thursdays 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm           Homes of members           Bee Keeper: Rita Loyd           For more information:                Email: AAQG Bee Coordinator