70,000+ Quilt Blocks
One Incredible Story

The Nifty Fifty quilt block swaps were established in 1997 by Teresa Drummond and Wendy Cooper. What started as a simple idea — one quilter from each of the fifty states exchanging 12-inch quilt blocks — became one of the most beloved quilting communities in the world.

Over twelve incredible years, the group completed 29 quilt block swaps, each with a unique theme. From Burgundy Green/Cream Traditional blocks in the very first swap, through Batiks, Amish, Civil War Reproductions, Snowflakes, Sunbonnet Sue, Native American, State Flowers, Butterflies, and a moving Red/White/Blue swap in remembrance of 9/11 — every swap told a new chapter of America's quilting story. The system was elegant: each quilter made fifty identical blocks, sent one to every other participant, and received fifty unique blocks in return. The result? A complete quilt representing every state in the union.

The NiftyFifty wasn't just about fabric. Each swap created charity quilts benefiting Breast Cancer Awareness, donated or auctioned at hospitals nationwide. NF5's charity quilt was auctioned at the Carol Baldwin Center in New York City. NF7's went to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Washington State. Others were raffled at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia, auctioned at the University Women's Health Center in Alabama, and donated to the Moffitt Cancer Institute. The original two NiftyFifty Breast Cancer Survivor/Memorial quilts traveled the country, collecting signatures and sharing stories.

The "Fabric of a Nation" article by Wendy LaRue documented the NiftyFifty One gathering, where members finally met face-to-face in Virginia to sort 2,500 quilt blocks and sew the Breast Cancer charity quilts together. Teresa Drummond's article in the National Quilting Association's Magazine introduced the group to an even wider audience. And Wendy's "A Patchwork of Friends" article captured the Twenty Plenty International Swap, where quilters from around the world came together to exchange specially designed quilt blocks from around the world.. Seven Ginsberg's Washington Post article captured the essence of the quilting groups effort with the Breast Cancer Charity quilt.

When the group expanded internationally with the Twenty Plenty Swaps, 135 unique quilt blocks arrived from over 50 countries — from South Korea and Indonesia to Brazil and Egypt, from Scotland and Finland to Congo and Australia. The Classic Colonial Swap featured 26 Revolutionary War-themed blocks with educational signature squares about the Revolution and the 13 Colonies. A simple idea had grown into a global movement — proving that needle, thread, and generosity know no borders.