I belong to a wonderful group of quilters ("Playgroup") who meet every week to stitch, share, and enjoy one another's company. We mostly work on our own projects, but once in a while, a "challenge" is proposed to the group. Participating in various challenges is a way we stretch and grow our artistic abilities. A topic is proposed, and whoever wants to participate follows certain rules and guidelines to make an original piece of fiber art. 

When I heard the Beatles were celebrating the 50th Anniversary of their first performance in the US, I thought it would make for a fun challenge. I proposed the idea to Playgroup and they eagerly responded. Surprisingly, the idea spread far beyond our local group. The idea was to choose a Beatles song from a master list (everyone had to choose a different song) and to make a quilt depicting that song. It didn't take long at all before requests to make a Beatles quilt came from quilters near and far who heard of the project. In all, 150 quilters made a Beatles quilt for Inspired by the Beatles. When I realized how many people were drawn to this idea, I contacted Pete Schiffer at Schiffer Publishing, and submitted a book proposal. The rest, to include a lengthy exhibit schedule, is history!