Janice McC

Sign-ups for Boomerang Friendship Swap 20 are open! They will close no later than December 31, 2017. *If sign-ups go quickly, I may close full groups early. If so, I will start a waiting list in the event of a last minute drop. Each group will probably have 14 to 20 swappers. You may choose the 2 or 3 month swap or both. All skill levels are welcome but you must be able to consistently sew a well-constructed 12 ½ inch block. Details follow below but anyone who has participated in a recent Boom knows the basics.

In general, this is how the Boom works: You will receive a list of Board Names of those in your group. You choose your fabric, prepare it and send it to me for distribution to the other members. You need one Fat Eighth (no smaller than 18” x 10”, no selvages) for each member. Send all F8s to me along with any special requests for your fabric. I will distribute them to the other members. You stitch a block for each member using your pre-washed 100 percent cotton quilting fabric out of the F8 you receive. When you have finished all blocks, you ship them to me to sort and return to the owner.

Please note: Board participation is an essential ingredient in making this swap successful. So much information about the swap is found there, much more than I can possibly write in this sign-up post. If you wish to join the swap, please understand it is your responsibility to keep in touch and read the posts frequently.


Rules/Guidelines:
Please make sure to also refer to the basic policies that apply to all swaps through the board: Rules for Swaps and Similar Activities -Updated 8 December 2010.

Fabric, Completed Block and Package Preparation:
1) Use only 100 percent quilting cotton. Please pre-wash and press your fabric. Remove selvages before cutting into Fat Eighths, no smaller than 18” x 10”. No exceptions. (Packages that come to me with smaller pieces will be returned to you unswapped at your expense. Please keep off-sized pieces for your own use.)
2) When mailing your f8s to me, please make sure they are individually sealed in a small ziploc-type bag, no hard zippers please. Label each F8 with your board name (make it easily visible to me) along with any instructions or color requests for your fabric. This may be a note inside or a label on the outside. (Do not specify a recipient unless a fabric is being directed to a particular person.) Labels are useful to help the recipient prevent fabric mix-ups, something that’s easy to do but do not place the label over the opening as I will be checking fabric sizes. Please then take all the individually wrapped F8s and put them in a large Ziplock-type bag onto which you have written your name and address. This you will then put into your mailing envelope. Later, when you send your completed blocks back to me, please seal and label them with the owner’s name and your name easily visible to me in a similar manner as you did the F8s.
3) Please mail your F8s to arrive by Thursday, January 18, 2018. The sooner everyone gets them to me, the sooner they go out. Be sure to send me the tracking number as soon as you ship.
4) Carefully handle all fabric received and completed blocks, placing them somewhere safe until mailing time comes.
5) To help keep track of the fabrics and blocks made, I may (no guarantees this round) establish an online Fabric Gallery.
6) You are required to keep in touch with your group by posting your progress to the dedicated Boom 20 thread at least every 2 weeks. This is a requirement. If you don’t wish to keep in touch, this is not the swap for you.
7) All blocks must be completed within the time frame for the group and mailed to me with a tracking number.
8) All blocks must be 12 1/2” unfinished. Blocks may be traditionally pieced, paper-pieced, appliquéd, whatever the block maker decides to do. It is up to each individual. Please do not request specific blocks as the idea is to let everyone, of every skill level, join in and show their talents.
9) Most importantly, Have fun!

Important Shipping Details
You must supply me with tracking numbers on all parcels sent to me and I will do likewise when mailing to you. All shipping costs are your responsibility. You may ship to me in whatever tracked package you like however I will only ship to you in USPS Padded Priority Envelopes (unless other arrangements have been made) at the rate in force at the time of shipping. Today that cost is $7.20. Please send a pre-paid envelope or label or you may send me $7.20 in well-concealed cash and I will supply the envelope. Envelopes with “regular” postage stamps will no longer be picked up by my carrier but must be taken in person to the post office so please don’t send them. Please note: There is no guarantee all blocks will fit in a single padded envelope if you join multiple groups. I will contact you to discuss options if that happens.

Keep in mind the following:
You Must be in good standing with previous swaps. Anyone with a poor track record of fulfilling swap commitments will not be permitted to join. If you sign-up and do not fulfill your commitment, negative feedback will be given.

All skill levels are welcome but you must be able to sew a 12 ½ inch, basic, well-constructed block. The block doesn’t have to be detailed but it must not be falling apart. All seams should be ¼ inch or a scant ¼ with at least 12 stitches per inch. Blocks should not leave your hands until you know you have made every reasonable effort to get them as close to the 12 ½ inch size as you can get. We all respect new quilter’s need to learn and that will be taken into account. If you cannot consistently construct a 12 ½ inch block, this is not the swap for you. Also, this is important: Please allow yourself enough time to complete your full set of blocks. In other words, don’t leave them to the last week! The results can be hit-or-miss. And please be sure to clean up the blocks by trimming your threads and cutting dog ears.

Please pre-wash your 100 percent cotton quilting fabrics without any fragrance residue. Please note that that some swappers may be smokers or have pets. If pets or smoke is a problem for you, this isn’t the swap for you.

No public complaints or criticisms for any reason are permitted. All complaints must be addressed by Private Message (PM) or email to me at [email protected]. No exceptions!

To join Boom 20, please EMAIL me with BOOM 20 in the subject line at [email protected] with the following information:

Board Name
Full Name
Complete Address
Best Phone Number
Email Address
Have you participated in other Boomerang Swaps? Yes/No
If yes, what was your last Boom?

Have you fulfilled all your swap/exchange obligations on this board in the past?
*2 Month Group OR 3 Month Group or both? (Newbies to the Boom should select only one group.)

*Group lengths and group sizes are fluid and will be determined by sign-ups. You may be asked to adjust to fill vacancies as needed. If changing doesn’t suit you, you may withdraw at that time.

Thank you for your interest in Boom 20. We hope you'll join us!

Kassaundra

I would like to join the 3 month group

terriamn

Yeah count me in

ljdugas31

yes both groups will e-mail you

Mona G

Signed up for the 3 month group this time.

Cheesehead

I'm in, sent you an email.

Jan

mjpEncinitas

Sent an email for the 3 month group

travelinggramma

I signed up for the 3 month group. Really missed Boom19 and all the craziness.

quilt addict

yeah, it is time again and I have my fabric. I sent an email to sign up for the 3 month group.

joanelizbay

Email sent for both groups. Glad you got it figured out Janice!