I was just visiting my blogging buddy Perry and she has a fabulous quilt on her blog that is being raffled off to benefit Cystic Fibrosis. You absolutely must see this great quilt, and then buy a chance or two to win it. If we each buy one ticket we could help to benefit this cause, and someone will get lucky and win the gorgeous quilt! $5 gets you in the running! Perry's darling little granddaughter is suffering from this disease. Perry has instructions for us on her blog. http://okperisplace.blogspot.com/

Probably many of you are familiar with the Quilts of Gee's Bend. They have been shown on TV specials and have been exhibited around the country. I saw them on display here in Virginia Beach a couple years ago. These are amazing quilts that were born out of poverty in an isolated area of Alabama and have come to be respected pieces of textile art. As quilters we know what it means to have a relationship with fabric and we feel the force of fabric speaking to us. I know these women felt that same creative force as they constructed these quilts, primarily from old work clothes and donated materials. The pictures of the quilts are fascinating, but to see them in person has unbelievable impact. You feel like they want to reach out and tell you their story. So, in fact, they do! The museum gave us headphones and a recorded history of each quilt so that we could listen to their story as we wandered through the gallery. It was a wonderful way to personally connect with the quilts and their makers.
Now having said that, I had to chuckle when I saw this ad in the paper last Sunday. I really and truly hope that the Quilters of Gee's Bend are enjoying every minute of this, and that they are benefitting financially.

Apparently my clever title missed the mark! "Taking a Chance on Love" is a song and I was playing off it regarding the raffle quilt. You know, take a chance-win a quilt! No, I am not off having a mad affair! Sorry if you are disappointed. (Annamiek!)