Hi! Has anyone participated in one of these? My niece sent me one and not sure if I should do it? Do they work? Do you actually get fabric back? Thanks for any info.

They are Illegal and a long time ago I did one but got nothing! Same happened with little golden books when my kids were little. Zilch!

Yeah I've gotten a couple of those recently too. I did do 1 a few years ago and got nothing. Sooooo totally up to you but I'm not doing it anymore. :thumbdown:

I just ignore them. It is illegal.

I ignore them also ! Use to be lottery tics also

a fabric swap seems like a more sure thing

i signed up for one, too - the good thing about it is, i was invited to join the quilt group i've belonged to for over 15 years by the person I sent the fabric to - the bad thing, i never received any fabric back from anyone

I got a lottery ticket one once, I was a good girl and sent it back to her, I could have scratched it off but I didn't.

Personally I don't do chain letters of any kind. My friends and family all know not to send them to me on email either. It's one of my more peevish pet peeves.

I also resent e-mails that say "forward to X number or people so that . . . . ."

I was in two back in Massachusetts. Never got a thing.

I would rather spend my money on a sure thing :wink:

Do a SEARCH on here for it. Someone asked awhile back about them, and they are not only illegal, but you will be the loser in the end.

I agree with both of you and ignore all types of chain letters. I especially dislike the ones that threaten bad luck if I don't pass them on.

Only twice did I ever receive anything when I did a "chain" letter. And then I only received one, when I was supposed to get 36! I will never participate again.

same here, I never receive anything back after spending my time to pass them on.

They do not work. I never heard of anybody getting fabric back.Even if they did work, you may never use the fabric you receive. My suggestion for what it's worth is to buy your own fabric.

I tried that with a book swap. Send 1 book, get 36. I did end up getting 4.

Hate when I get those kind of things....... feel obligated to do it when it comes from a friend or relative..... right??? Have done a couple in the past GOT NOTHING....
Now I just send it back and say I am very sorry but I don't do chain letters - don't want to brake it so returning to you. I put in a couple of squares for that person when returning the letter.......
Scrapquilter

The only time chain letters are illegal is when there is money or some sort of profit is promised. I did a purple swap and got 24 or 25 pieces of fabric back. I ended up getting squares from 2 levels after me but then it stopped. I only sent to people I knew would not be upset getting it. I know I had better luck than most people. Good luck if you decide to do it.
Wendy B

I'm saying no.

The only "chain" type thing I have ever participated in was friendship bread :-)

Can't say I appreciate this kind of thing....most people of my acquaintance don't send me banal drivel via email or post. Maybe I'm too serious, but in the main I think people just get disappointed if they participate.

I've politely refused to participate.....knowing my relatives, I'd get the ugliest fabric back (as a joke). I DID send out recipes on two of those recipe swap letters...I've yet to receive even one back!!!

I tried 2 or 3 through a quilt magazine way back when and got nothing back. Absolutely nothing. No reply, nothing. It was frustrating and upsetting. They would start the thing and that was the end of it. These are nice fun ideas but not when the other end doesn't follow through. Way back, before the internet, ladies would write into the magazine and tell how much fun they had doing these and set on up but I won't do them again and especially not now. I tried 1 fabric one and 2 where you send a quilt block and they were to send a block back. I suppose they got swamped with people wanting to participate and couldn't keep up.

Hmmmm...I've never done one, but was asked by a friend the other day to do one. I said I would, now I'm wondering...but its only for 2 little pieces that I send...I think.... :?:

I've learned from experience to return them to the sender as instructed. If they are truly my friends, they won't be offended and if they are offended, who needs them as friends. I thought it sounded so exciting to see the taste of others. I did receive from 1 quilter and the fabrics were not at all of my taste. As stated before, they are illegal so can just use that as an excuse.

I swore I would never do anymore of these and then got suckered in to doing one this last Winter because of a friend.......sent all mine out, talked some friends into joining me and got NOTHING back....NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!! Don't fall for it is my advice.... :thumbdown:

Not only are they a pain in the rear but I have had to clean up my computer form Trojan Horses because someone sent a chainletter and it infected my computer. If I open a e-mail and it says to forward, I don't even read it, I put it in the recycle and EMPTY the recycle. Chain letters and forward stuff is not a good idea for your computer, besides I want the choice if I want to send something to someone, not a threat that I will I have bad luck forever. What a nasty thing to send to a friend!!!!!

Same here.

In theory it sounds so good but someone has to come out at the bottom, fabric doesn't just multiply by itself... that only speaking of a chain letter that actually worked. Chain letters and Fowards... two of my least favorite things to see in my snail mail and my email!!! :thumbdown: :thumbdown:

Me too, especially the ones by e mail.

Thanks ladies for all your imput! Swapping fabric is much more fun! :-D

Five of us formed a charm swap group/dinner club. It was such fun and OMG such a fabric collection! All of us preferred a different type fabric so even after 3-4 years, there were very few duplicates. We also had show and tell at each meeting. the group is still meeting but for family reasons, I can no longer attend. Have gone to a few meetings on special occasions and it is still fun! I made a big quilt out of the charms and it is my very favorite.

Chain letters are a type of pyramid scheme and are illegal in all cases, they violate US Postal regulations. Even if all you are 'sending on' is a bit of fabric, that has monetary value.

Have fun, swap fabric with people you know,
Pati, in Phx

They're boring to me. Plus the few times I've tried to participate, I never get anything back. However, I know quilters who like it. If you do participate,
remember the old saying, "Whenever you gamble, be prepared to lose."

I did one I got but no fabric came back to me unfortunately.

I've NEVER gotten anything back in a chain, so I stopped doing it. I also don't pass along e-mails that tell me I'll get money - or prayers answered - if I send this to friends.Or the ones that say a true friend will send this back and to 10 more friends etc.!

for you to get anything more then you put in, someone has to loss, most do not win at this and many people don't like being sent them. Do your self and friends a favor and throw it away.

I fell for this once -- never again. Didn't receive anything.

I did one last fall with some local women and I got from one person

Boy, it sounds like I was one of the very lucky ones. I checked the FTC site and they are targeting the chains that promise money or selling something. Exchanging pieces of fabric is not illegal under their definations but it does sound like most people have not had good experiences with them. The lady that sent it to me got enough 5" purple squares to do a lap quilt. I got fabric from all the ones I sent to and from the next 2 generations. Not all that was promised but I was happy with it. Since I found this thread, however, I have not done anything outside the swaps here. I absolutely hate the emails that tell you 'you're not a good friend' if you don't pass it on or versions like it. My FIL is famous for sending me those even though I've told him not to. Guess they made the Delete button for a good reason.
Wendy B