Couple brings world closer one stitch at a time

ST. GEORGE – Clint and Judi Madsen are the owners of Green Fairy Quilts, which creates quilt pattern designs, and provides fabrics to quilting enthusiasts throughout the world.
 
The couple, looking for a fresh start, moved to St George over two years ago. According to Clint Madsen, he was previously employed in construction, which took him across the country to various work sites; he did this for six years. Tired of the travel and being separated, they sold their home in Northern Utah, and moved to Southern Utah to go full time with their business.
 
Judi Madsen said her mother taught her how to sew when she was young. When she had her first child, her mother gave a “super easy quilt pattern” to try. From that simple quilt pattern, Judi Madsen would make 15 quilts and eventually start designing and publishing her own patterns, and to this date, has created over 50 patterns. While she was sewing, she started to blog about her sewing experiences, gaining a following that has now spread throughout the world.
 
“Half of the orders placed by customers are out of the country,” Clint Madsen said.
 
He is in charge of the website, processing, packaging and mailing to far away places such as Australia, United Arab Emirates, and the island of Pago Pago, the capital of American Samoa.    
 
The couple have four children and just had their fourth a week ago. Running a home-based business and raising a family has its challenges but “it is wonderful and I don’t think we could go back to anything else,” she said.
 
She said she designs while the children take their naps, and when they are tucked in bed for the night, she sews. She is an award-winning Long Arm Machine Quilter and is in high demand being currently booked solid, with quilting projects for clients, till the end of June 2011.
 
Giving back is an important part of life for the Madsen’s. Clint Madsen previously served a mission in Romania and now has created a charity that distributes quilts, food and school supplies to those in need in Romania.
 
For three consecutive years, he has traveled to Bucharest to distribute quilts, buy food and school supplies. His first year, he “found an organization that was struggling to help kids stay off the streets,” having lost much of its funding. The second year, his wife accompanied him and they again distributed quilts to an orphanage and provided toys to the children.
 
Judi Madsen said it was a humbling trip that “made you grateful for what we have.”
 
The third annual trip was recently completed in September of this year and Larry Madsen, Clint Madsen’s father, made the trip. The next annual trip is planned for September of 2011.
 
The Madsen’s pay for their own airfare, hotel and expenses. One-hundred percent of the monetary donations received by the charity go to food and supplies for the children.
 
You can find out more about Green Fairy Quilts and their charity at www.greenfairyquilts.com, www.greenfairyquilts.blogspot.com, or see their page on Facebook.

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