usually after the holidays (new year) since it is a long process that can take a year- depending on how many people in each group- and allowing enough time for each participant to add their row- and deal with the postal system
i participate in one every year- and the past couple years we have had quite a time with the shipping part- some holding up the rounds by 2-3 months due to sitting in customs somewhere - and then there is the folks who have (life happen) which causes them to be on the back burner for a time- plus with the expense involved and the economy the way it is- since it's a financial commitment too-
the one i participated in last year cost me over $500 by the end of the project- just in materials- and shipping/insurance costs.
so they are becoming a (thing of the past) maybe---
i'm not doing the international one next year that i have been part of for the past 7 years---but i am participating in a local one- a small group of friends who have decided it would be fun to do one together- we can just meet once a month and trade -no shipping involved- if someone has a crises we will know and be able to help out- i think it will be much less stressful- and definitly less expensive.