Pamela Artman

I participated in 4 block swaps on another board. I enjoyed them, but they did have some drawbacks. The first drawback was the number of blocks received. It was a small group, so not enough for a good size quilt. The second drawback is quality of blocks/fabric. The coordinator was very specific about quilt shop quality and size of block, and most were well done with beautiful fabrics. One block however, was just horrible. I thought I might be able to resew it and make it useable, but after closer examination, the fabrics were so thin and the cutting was so far off, that it rendered the pieces unusable. That block hit the trash can and it really takes a lot for me to throw anything away! I combined the blocks from the first three swaps (all scrappy, all the same size, and similar patterns) and made a beautiful queen-size quilt with one block leftover. The 4th swap was wonderful, and made a beautiful throw size quilt, a jewel box with black background. We were concerned about the black background not matching, so I bought enough black fabric for everyone and mailed some to each participant. The quilt means even more to me because everyone included an extra block to me as a housewarming gift, so when it is quilted, it will hang in my sewing room as a reminder of the friends who pieced it. The third drawback is pressure to sew and mail in a certain time frame and some not mailing on time. The fourth drawback, I have so many projects of my own I don't need to keep adding projects! And the final drawback, the cost. I did buy more fabric for the last swap which wasn't scrappy, and I needed jewel toned fabrics, plus the cost of mailing. So, I did decide not to do any more block swaps, but mainly because of my huge list of UFOs I need to work on. I wouldn't rule it out for some time in the future, though. It's so much fun to get those blocks in the mail and see everyone's fabrics!

CircleSquare

I haven't done a swap on this board but would be open to do one. I'm neither a smoker nor a pet owner, but I wouldn't be offended to receive a block from someone who is. I can always wash them. My primary problem with swaps at my guild is that the blocks usually aren't all the same size. That makes them hard to put together, but even that can be gotten around. The fun of swapping makes it worth the small inconveniences.
I've just joined a swap on Carol Doak's online group.
My guild does something we call "Block of the Month," but what it really amounts to is a raffle. Everybody makes the designated block and one member wins them all. I love it! I've won it 3 or 4 times in the last 5 years, and most of them are still UFOs! :)

Debra Mc

The blocks I received from you were nice. I wasn't judging. But when you pick the block up & stuff falls off there is a problem. I always worried if mine were good enough. Making sure the fabric was nice & everything cut just so & sewed perfectly & squared up right. Maybe I'm too careful. Just wanted my friends to get the best.

VaNella

I love swapping! It depends on the group I guess. I am new here but have been on another board and have participated in dozens of swaps. I think the key is clear instructions and a hostess who doesn't mind returning inferior blocks.

Lobster

One problem I noticed in the swap I participated in was that people got utterly mixed up with finished vs. unfinished size, even though we did our best to make it clear which was which. So some people got a variety of sizes, for instance one person who was doing a wonky log cabin. She ended up solving it by adding a frame to each block, using three different colours for the frames so that it didn't really matter that they were in varying sizes. This is one reason why I asked for crazy quilt blocks and didn't bother about size, I figured they'd be hard to mess up. Of course, I still got a few odd ones, and several people blithely ignored my request for quilter's cotton with no metallics, but hey, I won't be the one washing the quilt over time, hopefully it'll hold up well. It does also mean that I am doing fairly peculiar sashing with lots of partial seams, as my blocks range from 6" to 12" (with some truly inventive right angles along the way!), but hey, it's fun.

Ripped on Scotch

I'm involved in 2 round\row robins, both on this site. I haven't really had a bad experience per say but it hasn't been been without it's issues. (One of my items was lost for a little while but it has been found.) I said at the beginning of the year that my goal for 2010\2011 was to try something I've never yet. I haven't seen a bad row or round yet with my things. you have to go into them with an open mind, you aren't always going to like everything that everyone and not every one is at the same level of quilting but the important thing is that you try your best in them and you get new friends out of it.

sandpat

Ripped, I found that one thing about the Round/Row Robins is that if you aren't thrilled with a specific addition...just wait...usually the next round makes it all work...somehow...Its amazing how it all works out. And of course, they are fun..communication in those things is the key!

KS quilter

I never have. At the quilt guild I belong to, we used to have a block of the month. Everybody (well, those who chose to
participate, made the block and brought it to the next meeting.
Then there was a drawing for the winner. After the drawing,
a pattern for the next month would be given out and we did it
all again the next month. I think I have only seen two who
actually made a quilt out of their blocks. I won, one time, and I had to "frame" each one so I could cut them down then to all
be the same size. A quarter-inch doesn't seem to be the same
for everybody..right? I think most of them just get stuck back
somewhere. Incidentally, now a new block is made each month
but the person who made it takes it home with them..and the
same in the following months. They end up having enough of
their own blocks to make a sampler quilt. That seems to work
a whole lot better.

Scakes

I used to join in a lot of block swaps and charm swaps but over the years it has less and less attraction for me. A couple of times I never got the blocks back that I was supposed to get. Seems like it just got to be too much of a pain and the rising costs of postage can really put a damper on it too.

eimay

I belong to a block swap at an LQS. We have a focus fabric and a common block each month. We make four with the focus fabric in the designated area, and the rest with our view of it (choice of colors). We meet and collect the blocks, shuffle them and deal them out like cards. We go round robin and can steal twice. At the end if we want a specific block we can pay $1 to protect it. At the end of 6 months, we have enough for a queen size quilt or other items. The money that has been collected pays for a brunch on the last day of block swap.

It is a social event, builds friendships, develops a variety of skills, and gives you one more UFO.