Personally, I don't much care for detailed, fancy embroidery of any type on quilts (as opposed to single lines of machine or hand embroidery stitches), but if I were in a swap, there is no way I would be so 'presumptive' as to request no embroidery on what was sent to me.
Swaps are about sharing a piece of yourself, building confidence, and friendships, new and old. They're not about collecting works that are duplicates of what you would make for yourself. If it's not worth the risk of receiving something that "makes you cringe" (your words), don't join. It's that simple. Why make someone you don't even know afraid to trade with you?
