<![CDATA[Bea Creative]]>https://blog.beabyrne.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0BFb!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4648ba3a-dde9-4cef-b779-dc9b50027887_500x500.pngBea Creativehttps://blog.beabyrne.comSubstackSat, 19 Sep 2026 09:24:01 GMT<![CDATA[When Worlds Collide]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/when-worlds-collidehttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/when-worlds-collideTue, 11 Aug 2026 22:41:14 GMTThe last few months, and the last few weeks in particular, have been really really awful. For a lot of you, creativity is your escapism and I know from when I shared my political views that too much reality can be uncomfortable, but if you like some drama with your newsletters, keep reading after the PS.

Bea’s Bright Idea

Stress sends me back to basics so this week I’ve been diving into my scraps and making 1” english paper pieced hexagons. I have seen many teacher’s share their scrap strategies (especially recently in this Studio Tour video series) and had thought about creating an ebook of different strategies. I store scraps by color and am fairly liberal with the types of fabric I’ll mix in one bag i.e. quilting cotton, jersey, upholstery, hand dyes etc. I have found over the years you need to have one rule that guides you and only one - minimum and maximum size.

Minimum = 2.5” square

Maximum = Fat Eight (roughly 21x9 or 18x10)

I put all my scraps in an archive box that also contains the sorted bags of scraps and when the box is overflowing that’s my sign to spend an evening sorting by color.

How do you deal with your scraps? I might end up putting it in my collection of ideas ebook!

Leave a comment

Did you notice the tray my hexagons are in? It’s not my pattern but I adore the one I made and have used it constantly for years now. Plus I love all her patterns - very well written. Link to the Zip Tray Pouch Pattern

From the Studio

I have been doing a lot of dyeing recently. From Summer Camp classes with 11 year olds (messy, would not advise) to stitched shibori for myself (pictured).

My stitched shibori shirt, dyed in indigo

My Studio in the background - you can see a tour of it in this video.

I have been stock piling avocado skins and stones for my next batch. They give an amazing pale pink color. I am always delighted when the colors you can get are so very different to the material you start out with.

I’ll be teaching Stitched Shibori in Palo Alto next month - come and give it a go!

Join Me

In my next newsletter look out for a summer sew-a-long that is just for pleasure and for you. We’ll be making my EPP Hexagon Bag which I designed and made more than 11 years ago and still adore. I will be sewing-a-long with you and I’ll have kits available so you can follow along. But unlike a usual sew-a-long, we’ll be connected in real time, able to share progress as we go.

The original bag, made while I was living in Japan.

The pattern will be released in a few weeks and we’ll have a whatsapp group for those who want to chat and show progress or ask questions in real time.

Meanwhile over at Global Quilt Connection (my other business, which helps Guilds and individuals find fantastic teachers to learn from) I gave a lecture on “Solving your Guild’s Volunteer Problem” which is still available here. I also did a massive update of our Teacher Directory, which now looks truly beautiful! My next lecture will be on “How to Attract Younger Members”, coming in September.

Amazing Things I Think You’ll Find Worthwhile

  • NYT Article “HobbyAmory”: I am polyamorous and loved the union between hobbies and poly! “(Young people are…) a generation feeling disenfranchised by A.I. and disinclined toward drinking, making wholesome, creative and tactile activities all the more appealing. Online, terms like “hobbymaxxing,” the pursuit of as many hobbies as possible, have taken off. According to TikTok, #hobbies has seen an almost 15 percent increase in posts in the U.S. so far in 2026 compared with last year, and #grandmahobbies has grown by more than 400 percent.”

  • HUGE archive of Antique Patterns for quilts, embroidery, crochet, knitting, “churchwork” and a few terms I had to look up.

  • My friend Jen Perkins has a new blogpost about tiny journals. I have a batch of paper I’m dyeing currently cooling on the stove, a lot of which is intended for junk journals. If you have ancient notebooks you have no use for don’t whatever you do throw them away. There will be an artist in your network who will drool over them and if you don’t know anyone…me! I do! I want them!

Glue Stuff To Stuff with Jennifer Perkins
I Thought I Had a Few Tiny Journals. Apparently I Have a Collection.
My mom used to say that having 3 of anything made it a collection. Apparently I became a collector of tiny notebooks a long time ago without actually realizing it. The largest of these are about the size of my hand and a few fit in my palm. Most in my collection are vintage, a few are handmade. Some are totally blank and others are full of some stranger’s notes. Either way I adore this tiny but mighty collection…
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a month ago · 3 likes · 1 comment · Jennifer Perkins

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Thanks for reading,

Bea

PS: If you wanted some T with your tea, this is where the personal stuff starts.

Most of you know that I was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2020 and went through a lumpectomy and weeks of radiation therapy during lockdown while living solo and only months after leaving my cat poo of an ex-husband. It was not a happy time. My cancer was hormone receptive, meaning that my own hormones and any extras I might be given (such as from an IUD) fed the cancer and made it more likely that it would return. I was given a common post-cancer drug for 5 years which halved the chance of it returning but also tended to put women into early menopause (or not so early in my case since I was 42 when this happened) AND increased the chances of cervical cancer.

Fast forward to February 2026, this year, and I stop taking the drug and am officially cancer free and hooray etc. I’d been having menopause symptoms but a lot of them went away, yay, along with my periods coming back, boo. Then in April I got biblical level bleeding for ten days. Followed by the same starting on May 21st…which continued for almost TEN WEEKS, until JULY 28th, when I got the second and third biopsies of July, for cervical and endometrial cancer AND another procedure which, thank frickin all the gods, has actually stopped the bleeding. (First biopsy had come back negative earlier in July.) During the ten weeks I’d become anaemic from so much blood loss so had to take iron supplements and all sorts of other things, some of which made me very unwell, and I couldn’t take the usual stuff to stop it because it contained hormones that would increase my risk of cancer recurring. The results from biopsies 2+3 usually take 1-2 weeks to come back. It’s now been more than 2 weeks and I just booped the doctor. Or one of the doctors. I’ve had more people peering up me in the last few weeks than have explored the sea floor.

At the same time I’ve had all sorts of drama elsewhere in my life and really started fearing for my sanity as it all mounted up. Fortunately I seem to have reached a plateau and can take a few deep breaths, even with the results still pending. I am teaching 8 workshops in 6 days this week but am proud of myself for still finding time to dye this batch of paper for junk journals.

Tea, wild bay leaves, avocado skins, inks, rusty iron, wire wool, cochineal bugs and more were used to dye this batch of new and vintage papers.

If you’d like to share what you’re proud of this week I’d love to see it in the comments below.

Bea Creative is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[This Week in my Business - Friday June 19 2026]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-friday-junehttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-friday-juneFri, 19 Jun 2026 18:43:14 GMTFuck Fuck Fuck… Money.

Saw this great sign in a window yesterday.

Top Three Wins This Week

  • I found out I’m not earning enough to continue as I am. Why is this a win? Because I now know the exact number I’m short by.

  • I do not currently have cervical cancer (that I know of). First round of biopsies came back negative!

  • Taught seven workshops this week and I a…

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]]><![CDATA[Love for June, for Scraps and for Making Purely for Pleasure]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/love-for-june-for-scraps-and-forhttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/love-for-june-for-scraps-and-forThu, 11 Jun 2026 18:07:11 GMTWe’re almost at the half way point for the year! Summer Solstice (or “Winter Solstice” as it is called in the southern hemisphere) is June 21st but did you know it isn’t just a date but a specific time as well? It is when the Earth’s tilt toward the sun is at its maximum, resulting in the longest period of daylight and shortest night of the calendar yea…

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]]><![CDATA[Sparrows, Stitches, and a Workshop for Almost Nothing]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/sparrows-stitches-and-a-workshophttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/sparrows-stitches-and-a-workshopWed, 03 Jun 2026 13:17:59 GMTHello and thank you for reading my newsletter! June has brought nesting sparrows to the roof corner outside my studio window. I am so looking forward to seeing the baby fledglings peek out as the weeks pass.

Bea Creative is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Bea’s Bright …

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]]><![CDATA[Totes, Baskets, Quilts, Beads, Flights and Fancies]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/totes-baskets-quilts-beads-flightshttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/totes-baskets-quilts-beads-flightsMon, 18 May 2026 22:52:20 GMTI lost a good friend this week. It was my 6 year old laptop, and saying goodbye to those stickers was tough.

That Functional Introvert sticker was limited edition!

I flew to Chicago for the creative H&H Trade Show and somehow my water bottle opened in my bag. My laptop sat stewing for maybe 4 hours before I realized. It’s definitely an expense I didn’t n…

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]]><![CDATA[This week in my business, May 15 2026]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-may-15-2026https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-may-15-2026Fri, 15 May 2026 18:39:13 GMTTop Three Wins This Week

  • First Trade Show for Global Quilt Connection is in the bag. Survived H&H in Chicago last week.

  • Charm Hoop workshop in San Francisco was a huge success.

  • UV Resin and Shibori workshops I taught went really well this week.

Beabyrne.com Business

  • FUCKING ZENLER!!!! Honest to god if I could ever deliver a Stone Cold Stunner to someone, …

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]]><![CDATA[A Few of my Favorite Things]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/a-few-of-my-favorite-thingshttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/a-few-of-my-favorite-thingsTue, 05 May 2026 11:45:55 GMTI am at a Trade Show this week, representing Global Quilt Connection. I’ll be posting on social about it but in the meantime here are some of my favorite online places and tools.

Making Zen

I’ve praised Making Zen in previous newsletters but I do love their events. I’ve come across all sorts of new people to follow. Last summer Rebecca Desnos was someone …

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]]><![CDATA[See me at the Quilter's Life Summit]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/see-me-at-the-quilters-life-summithttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/see-me-at-the-quilters-life-summitTue, 21 Apr 2026 13:40:39 GMTA quick reminder that the Quilter’s Life Summit starts tomorrow. There’s an amazing line up and I will be LIVE 1pm PDT on Wednesday (tomorrow) for Meet the Maker and then I am hosting the Sit n Sew 5-7pm PDT the same day.

REGISTER NOW!!!

My Cathedral Windows Made Easy workshop is scheduled for 10.30am on Thursday but, as always, if you splash just $39 o…

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]]><![CDATA[This Week in my Business April 17, 2026]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-april-17https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-april-17Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:36:15 GMTTop Three Wins This Week

  • Built a bot/GPT for ChatGPT and listed it on Etsy (but paid subscribers to this newsletter get it free)

  • Attended a Meet the Teacher event and got two bookings while there

  • Recognized that I was NOT WELL and cancelled a class - but also realize I should have acted sooner.

Beabyrne.com Business

  • Craftcation was last week and it went rea…

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]]><![CDATA[This is why I would never EVER r*comm*nd New Zenler]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-is-why-i-would-never-ever-rcommndhttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-is-why-i-would-never-ever-rcommndThu, 16 Apr 2026 17:48:33 GMTPerhaps I was spoiled. I started with Kajabi, which is kind of the Queen of platforms. When I took over an existing business in 2025 they were already on NZ, and so I stuck with it. I checked the support docs and the pricing pages carefully as well as watching support videos. I knew there would be limitations. Sadly, I assumed everything I was reading w…

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]]><![CDATA[Coloring, Candles and Cocktails]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/coloring-candles-and-cocktailshttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/coloring-candles-and-cocktailsWed, 15 Apr 2026 13:37:37 GMTI am just back from Craftcation in Ventura where I was teaching, selling and participating. I taught a new workshop, “Totes to Baskets: Transform Too Many Totes into Beautiful Baskets”. I think it’s safe to say that we all have too many totes. I swear they multiply in my closet, and thrift stores are full of them. What if you could take a tote and make …

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]]><![CDATA[This Week in my Business - Friday April 3rd 2026]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-friday-aprilhttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-friday-aprilFri, 03 Apr 2026 13:25:17 GMTLeading the charge in a kind of Quasimodo motion

Top Three Wins This Week

  • Booked a Summer load of classes for local Libraries on UV Resin, Block printing and Mending

  • Global Quilt Connection opened registration for the All Star Sampler Platter

  • I decided to start living in my apartment properly

THIS woman has successfully stopped thinking about her to-do list …

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]]><![CDATA[A Weekend in the Country]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/a-weekend-in-the-countryhttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/a-weekend-in-the-countryWed, 01 Apr 2026 13:04:10 GMTLast weekend saw the San Francisco Quilters Guild decamp from their usual city home to Camp Newman near Santa Rosa CA. It was a hot few days at around 28C/82F but with much cooler evenings and early enough in the year to avoid mosquitoes.

Rolling hills of blue and green, plus bonus shot of Bea in relaxation mode.

I am a pretty hardcore volunteerer, so no…

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]]><![CDATA[Performer Life]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/performer-lifehttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/performer-lifeFri, 13 Mar 2026 18:47:58 GMTWelcome to the new iteration of my newsletter - Bea Creative on Substack. In many ways it’s just like my old newsletter on Quilt n Learn. You can read what I’ve been up to and click on links, but you can also leave comments now, and share it with friends more easily.

Bea’s News

There has been so much going on - and you can read about a lot of it in my wee…

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]]><![CDATA[This Week in My Business - March 13 2026]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-march-13https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-march-13Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:41:45 GMTIt’s never not busy around here. Let’s jump in.

Top Three Wins This Week

  • Santa Clara Libraries - taught in two this week and they are excited about a new workshop for their America 250 celebrations.

  • Global Quilt Connection held an amazing session “Building a Healthy Quilt Guild” with Guild Leaders worldwide.

  • Held my first 1-1 sewing lesson at my Studio

Be…

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]]><![CDATA[Two New Quilts and the 100 Days Begins]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/two-new-quilts-and-the-100-days-beginshttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/two-new-quilts-and-the-100-days-beginsTue, 24 Feb 2026 23:30:37 GMTWelcome to the next iteration of my newsletter - Bea Creative on Substack. In many ways it’s just like my old newsletter on Quilt n Learn. You can read what I’ve been up to and click on links, but you can also leave comments now, and share it with friends more easily.

Subscribe now

Bea’s News

The 100 days project is ticking along and this is day 3. You can absolutely …

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]]><![CDATA[This Week in my Business - Feb 21 2026]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-feb-21-2026https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/this-week-in-my-business-feb-21-2026Sat, 21 Feb 2026 19:26:24 GMTIt’s sometimes hard to celebrate the wins when you’re a solopreneur. Let’s share them here.

Corporate Candle Making

Top Three Wins This Week

  1. Officially cancer free after five years - no more Tamoxifen!

  2. Three word of mouth people contacted me about delivering workshops for them, and one has already booked.

  3. Debuted my “Then They Came for the Quilters” quilt.

B…

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]]><![CDATA[A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell Just as Sweet]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/a-rose-by-any-other-name-would-smellhttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/a-rose-by-any-other-name-would-smellTue, 27 Jan 2026 20:24:15 GMTHave you ever heard someone describing you, and the words they were using didn’t sound quite right? They didn’t quite align with how you thought about yourself, perhaps? Many years ago I did a course in child psychology and how they use schema to build their knowledge of the world. (This article gives more information about this). We all use them consta…

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]]><![CDATA[What Happened in 2025]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/what-happened-in-2025https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/what-happened-in-2025Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:00:43 GMTYou know how sometimes you can’t believe that a year has passed already? You can look through your photos from the year, or flip back through your calendar, and enjoy the memories, and perhaps gladly skip over one or two of them. Yesterday I did a planning workshop that has me well set-up for 2026 but in doing so I gave myself an overview of what happen…

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]]><![CDATA[First Steps in Online Teaching for Quilters (and other crafts)]]>https://blog.beabyrne.com/p/first-steps-in-online-teaching-forhttps://blog.beabyrne.com/p/first-steps-in-online-teaching-forSat, 20 Dec 2025 21:06:53 GMT

You want to teach quilting online - awesome! You’ve taught in person and know how to structure your workshop. You’re ready to move to teaching over Zoom or recording your own workshops. Great! Let’s get you started.

Establishing Who You Are

People need to be able to find out that you are a teacher, which means having an online presence. As a minimum you’r…

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