Hands2Help 2019 - It's Signup Week! (With a Giveaway!)

"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!

Things are all falling into place for this year's Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge!  I'm so excited to get this started!

2019 represents the ninth year of the Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge!  We've had an amazing seven years...

2011:  47 quilters made 60 quilts

2012:  55 quilters made 94 quilts

2013:  65 quilters made 127 quilts

2014:  70 quilters made 145 quilts
2015:  67 quilters made 147 quilts
2016:  104 quilters made 194 quilts
2017:  125 quilters made 267 quilts
2018:  150 quilters made 416 quilts!

With last year's quilts, we have spread comfort to over 1450 people!  I can’t wait to see what the ninth year of the Challenge has in store - so let’s begin!

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This year we have five great charities to choose from!  There is so much need, and so many great charities, it was hard to choose - so I decided to go with them all!  No matter what size quilt you like to make, I'm sure you'll find a perfect fit (or more!)  Here's some info about this year's charities...

Charity #1 - Carolina Hurricane Quilt Project

The Carolina Hurricane Quilt Project is collecting new and nearly new bed size quilts for the victims of Hurricanes Florence and Michael on the North Carolina coast.  Over 4500 homes have been totally destroyed and more than 700,000 homes have sustained damage mainly by flooding, so the project needs a lot of quilts for those trying to rebuild a home.  The focus is on larger size quilts because each household can only receive one. They are asking for twin, full or queen size quilts.  Carole is also looking for long arm quilters to assist top makers with finishing quilts.  Complete information along with volunteer form links, shipping addresses and drop off sites in NC are on Carole's blog, From My Carolina Home.  The post is linked to the button on her sidebar too, so you can find it easily later. Whether you are making a quilt specifically for this drive, or you have one finished and sitting on a shelf in your home, all quilts welcome. Do you have a nice size quilt just sitting that you could part with for someone who has lost everything? Can you help with the Carolina Hurricane Quilt Project?

Charity #2 - Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo!

Once again, Emily of Em's Scrap Bag will be collecting quilts to be donated to people undergoing chemotherapy.  This has been a favorite charity for the Challenge participants since the second year, and a whole lot of love and comfort has gone to them in the form of quilts over the past seven years.  Quilty Hugs gives quilts to cancer patients through the Rack Pack, Primary Children's Hospital, and various chemo labs.  They are given to the patient for their own personal use.  Emily accepts quilts of all sizes, from 48" square to twin size (approximately 65" x 88").

  

Charity #3 - Victoria's Quilts Canada

One of last year's H2H participants, Linda Miller, has volunteered to be a collection point for quilt tops for Victoria's Quilts Canada.  Here's a little bit about their organization:

This mission of Victoria's Quilts Canada is to provide handmade quilts to people living with cancer in Canada.  By providing these quilts, we hope to bring physical comfort to those dealing with cancer, as well as spiritual comfort in knowing they are not alone in their struggle.

Donations for this charity will be a little bit different, so take careful note:  quilt TOPS only, measuring 50" x 70", made of 100% cotton.  Linda is located in Canada, so this charity will be particularly convenient for our Canadian participants, and if anyone elsewhere chooses to participate, the postage will be significantly reduced as opposed to mailing a completed quilt.

Charity #4 - Mercyful Quilts

The Merriam-Webster definition of mercy includes compassionate care of those in distress.  So many of us have provided quilts for compassionate reasons, to help those in need or distress.  Mercyful Quilts is the heart-child of Bernie Kringle, who blogs at Needle & Foot.  Mercyful Quilts benefit the Mercy Hospital in Sacramento, CA.  The quilts are given to patients as they reach end of life stages.  The quilt provides comfort to the patient, and after the patient passes away, the family is able to take it home as a remembrance of their loved one.  If you want to learn more about Bernie's efforts, you can read this post or this one.

Here are details about what kind of quilts are needed:  lap size only, approximately 60" x 70", but there aren't any firm rules. Not huge, as they are used for patients in a hospital bed.  Adult fabric only, as this hospital doesn't serve children or teens.  Fabrics for men, women, or gender neutral fabrics are great.  If you want to do a Quilt of Valor with patriotic fabric, they do serve veterans and it is nice to offer this if they have them available.  Finish the quilt with machine binding or hand stitching, either is fine.  Quilts can be hand quilted, machine quilted or tied.

Charity #5 - Jack's Basket

In any life experience, receiving unexpected news can be very difficult and hard to process.  To have another person come alongside and share in their experience often gives hope and healing, knowing that you are not alone.  This is the premise behind Jack's Basket, a charity begun by Carissa Carroll after the birth of her son Jack.  As Jack's first birthday rolled around, she wanted to do something special to celebrate his life.  She eventually decided to deliver a gift basket to a family like hers, that had received news that their child has Down syndrome.  To encourage a family like hers, to give them hope for the future, and share how much their child had changed their lives for the better.  The baskets contain personal letters, brochures, books, and gift items for the baby, including a quilt or blanket.  Since March 2014, Jack's Basket has celebrated over 1150 babies in 46 states and 9 countries!

Jack's Basket accepts donations of handmade quilts made of soft flannel, knit, or cotton materials, approximately 36" x 36" in size.  If you are interested in supplementing your donation to Jack's Basket, you can view their complete list of needed items on their website, as well as learn more about this 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit organization.  

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Be sure to come back each day this week (Monday through Friday) as we learn more about each charity.  Each day a guest blogger will be sharing more about one of the charities so you can connect on a deeper level with each one.  

With five great charities to choose from this year, you can make a wide variety of sizes and styles of quilts - something for everyone!! And if you're torn between the charities, feel free to make more than one quilt!  Just think how many wonderful designs you can try.... ;-)

And to encourage more international participants, if you live outside North America and want to participate, you can choose a local charitable cause to give your quilt to.  So come on and join in, all you Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis!  And anyone else who wants to join in!  

Ready to sign up?  Fill in the form below (place your cursor in the box below, scroll down to see all the fields to enter, then click SUBMIT) and you'll be all set!

Initial signups will be Sunday March 10th through Saturday, March 16th.  You receive one entry for signing up, and can get additional entries for putting the button on your blog sidebar, and/or posting about the challenge to encourage others to join in, either on your blog or on Instagram!  (You can sign up after this time, but this is the period to sign up to be part of the signup giveaway. And if you signed up before March 10th, you'll be entered in the signup giveaway too!)

Monday, March 11th through Friday, March 15th we'll have five guest bloggers who will each share more about one of this year's charities so you can connect on a deeper level with each one.
  

The following Sunday, March 17th, we'll announce the winners of the signup giveaway.  

On Sunday, March 24th, there will be a linky party where you can post links to your favorite on-line tutorials or share a great quilting tip or hack!  It could be a tutorial for a quilt pattern, or a technique like machine binding, or even a recipe for your favorite "while-I'm-quilting" snack or crock-pot meal!  You don't have to write the tutorial, you can link up to another blogger's tutorial.  If you love it, someone else might too!

Sunday, March 31st, you'll Meet The Sponsors!  So many generous people have stepped up to provide giveaways for all of you fabulous H2Hers, and I'm sure you'll want to see who they all are - and maybe even do a little shopping for the challenge with them!

And then there's the guest bloggers!  You will definitely want to be here on April 7th, April 14th, April 21st, April 28th, May 5th, and May 12th as we get to peek into the creative lives of some of our fellow H2Hers!  

There will also be check-in dates like last year, when you can link up and show your progress....  April 14th and May 5th.

Quilts should be completed by the week beginning Sunday, May 19th.  There will be a linky party (May 19th through May 24th) to link your finished quilt and show it off, and giveaways for people who link up their quilts.  We've got some great sponsors this year!  Winners will be announced on May 26th.

Quilts should be mailed to the appropriate charity by Friday, May 31st.

Whew!  That's a lot of information to digest, isn't it?  Don't worry - I'll send the schedule to all participants via email, and you can always access it by clicking on the Hands2Help 2019 Page right under my blog header.

And did you notice that little mention of a "signup giveaway"?  I didn't forget - and I've got something nice to share! Check out these beautiful panels from Colorworks Concepts by Northcott.  Two lucky winners will each receive two panels! 

 Everyone who is signed up via the form above by noon CDT on Saturday, March 16th will be eligible, and you can earn extra entries by putting the Hands2Help 2019 button on your sidebar or by posting about the Challenge on your blog or on Instagram.  Be sure to leave me a comment to let me know you did one or more of those things!  I'll announce the winner next week.

And let's get to know each other a little bit - leave a comment below telling your first name (if you're comfortable with that) and a little-known fact about yourself!

Woohoo!!  Let's get started!!

Hugs!

Sarah