Okay now I've been really wanting to do a summer quilt swap, thinking I'll have put enough ground on my current projects and have enough skill to make something nice.

But! Here's the snag. Oh and first I'm asking all of you because the lady that runs it seems REALLY busy, perhaps to busy for a question...

The rules are as follows: Please adhere to the following restrictions as to material: 1) Prewashed cotton quilting material (you may make it before washing, but prewash before you mail your quilt) – no flannel, corduroy, etc. 2) cotton or polyester batting 3) hand or machine quilted 4) embellished as you wish, but not with glue 5) include a personalized label on the back of the quilt.

Now I wanted to make this a real true to life complete with textures. For instance I was thinking something rough and scratchy for the palm trees, for instance burlap (or whatever I can get my hands on). Does this fall as not a cotton material? OR does it fall under embellishment and doesn't apply? This is a deal breaker for me. If I can't put the palm trees up the way I wanted I would not use this technique and would either not participate or I would make something "different"

I have run into swaps, that have not worked so well. My best advice is swap with only people you know well and are friends........if they make new rules as you go i would ignore them, or drop out before it goes further if this is the first block. If your not enjoying it why do it..ask yourself these questions :D

with all those restrictions, i wouldn't play.

besides ... i'm with Ruth. swapping a whole quilt with total strangers? might as well spend the week in Vegas. :shock:

If they blow you off with simple questions, I expect they would show the same disregard if you never get what you expected. If you want to do it for practice, go ahead. I'd call burlap on top of cotton as embellishment. I really could not reccomend it as a piecing fabric - too loose a weave, and would unravel when washed. Consider it a donation.

Swaps are notorious for attracting predators who get what they're after, then drop off the face of the earth. Perhaps, if dealing with strangers, you all could post pictures of your progress. Besides having the fun of seeing what everyone is doing, the ne'er-do-wells will run out of excuses and the person swapping with them can be forewarned. It happens so often that I have become jaded by people who pop up, want to boss others around, or jump to get stuff, then disappear without so much as a wave or a nod.

Thanks ladies, I have been on the fence about this, and have been trying to come up with something else I'd like do do. Oh for sure I was going to have the cotton background with only the detail of something rough and altogether a "yuckie" fabric as burlap. :P

It's not really a whole quilt rather a wall hanging between 16"X16" and 20"x20", so it would be small, but complete.

Patrice you're the voice of wisdom as that tiny patch of rules exist and then it runs on and on from there, not rules per say, but expections.

Hi, I know that Bebe is trying to get together a quilt block swap, you can read about it on the swap page. Do you think you would be interested in trying something like that? I'm in the Birthday Block swap and have really enjoyed that.

I did look at that, but I just can't imagine trying to track down all the colors as well as the patterns that everyone wanted, let alone trying to figure them out in a way that looks good. I know I'm a big party pooper. :oops:

Elizabeth A. as for the Birthday swap we pick our colors but the pattern is whatever you want to do, that is your choice. I have had fun decideing on the different block designs. Really I think you would have fun and if your like most you have all those colors in your stash, :lol:

I'm really enjoying the birthday block swap, also. It's fun to be involved in quilting with a group.