Surfin' Sunday - Are You Up To The Challenge?

“What does love look like? 

It has the hands to help others. 

It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. 

It has eyes to see misery and want. 

It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. 

That is what love looks like.”

Hi, all!

I know that many of you participated in the Brown Bag Challenge, as I did.  Imagine the conversation I had with my husband, trying to explain the concept - discussing its origins in the “ugly fabric” challenge, but calling it a “brown bag” challenge to avoid calling any fabric “ugly”.  My wonderful husband said, “You should call them orphan fabrics - - - and make quilts for orphans.”  

Light.bulb.moment!  

You see, Judi over at Green Fairy Quilts collects quilts all year, which her husband Clint takes to Romania and distributes to people in need over there.  I got in touch with Judi and asked her if she’d be interested in collaborating with me on a charity challenge, and she agreed!  So we’d love for you to join us in the very first Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge!

Now, maybe you're not acquainted with Judi......  

She is a fellow quilt blogger, quilt designer, and does the most amazing long arm quilting I've ever seen...

 And apparently, I'm not the only one that thinks she does amazing quilting - because she was voted as the Best Long Arm Quilter over at SewCalGal for the Golden Quilters Awards!  


But I'd love for you to take a few minutes and check out this video she's posted about their 2010 quilt donations to Romania.  Here's what Clint (her husband) wrote about their trip last year...


I'd first like to thank everyone who donated to our charity, whether by sending a quilt or by sending us money. I just returned from Romania with my father, and had the opportunity to hand out all 50 quilts donated by all of you, to kids in need, and was also able to use the money donated by all of you to buy large amounts of school supplies and large amounts of food. I can't tell you how blessed I feel after spending time with so many needy people. We visited kids living on the streets and families crammed into tiny homes. The families we visited were living in small homes the size of an average bedroom - 12' x 12'. That includes a tiny bathroom and tiny kitchen. These kids have no yards, no grass to play on, no room to run around in their little humble homes, and very little food to eat - but above all, very little to call their own. They were so grateful to receive a beautiful quilt. Those we gave school supplies to were beaming from ear to ear to have such nice new school supplies to improve their chances of increasing their education. And those we gave food to were so grateful to be able to have some good meals. I hope we can all remember how blessed we are, and how lucky we are to live in our secure homes with food and clothing. Thanks again for all your help, I hope you like the video!

Clint Madsen

And now, there's a way you can be a part of this great charity - - - by joining us for the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge!!

Signups will begin on Sunday, April 10th.  Between now and then, you can help promote the challenge by putting the button for the challenge on your blog sidebar, or by posting about the challenge on your blog or on Facebook with a link back to this blog.  Either or both of these two things will get you an extra entry in the first of two giveaways!  Update - the blog button is working fine now, if you stopped by earlier when it wasn't! So feel free to grab it and put it on your blog sidebar!!

Come back and sign up between April 10 - April 13.  By signing up to participate, you will be entered in a giveaway for a jelly roll from Green Fairy Quilts!  

Here are the guidelines for the challenge - - - -

1.  Each participant agrees to send two yards of mixed fabric in any combination (fat quarters, width-of-fabric cuts, pre-cuts, etc.) to their assigned partner.  Assignments will be made by Friday, April 15th, and we ask that your fabric be in the mail to your partner no later than Friday, April 22nd.  

2.  Each participant is to complete a quilt measuring approximately 60” x 60” using the fabrics they receive and whatever fabrics they choose to add from their stash or purchase new.  (This is a great way to bust your stash, so you’re encouraged to raid your stash as much as possible!)

3.  The quilts should be quilted rather than tied - this makes them sturdier and longer-lasting.

4.  You have until July 31st, 2011 to complete your quilt.  On Sunday, July 31st, there will be a linky party hosted on this blog for you to link up to a post about your quilt.

5.  Completed quilts are to be sent to Judi at Green Fairy Quilts no later than August 5th, 2011.  Judi’s husband, Clint, will take them to Romania to be distributed to older children and adults there.

6.  On August 15th, we will draw a winner for another jelly roll from the people who linked up their quilts.  You will get an extra entry if Judi has received your quilt by August 14th!

If you’d like to help sponsor this challenge, please mention it 

in your comment and I will get in touch with you!

I hope you'll join us - you'll meet new friends, and hopefully have a lot of fun, all while doing something that will really make a difference in other people's lives!

Later!

Sarah