Quiltingboard Forums - Boomerang Swap 16

Sign-ups for Boomerang Swap 16 will be open for approximately 3 weeks until February 29 or until enough people join to make good-sized groups. I would suggest you sign-up sooner rather than later because if the groups fill quickly, I may close sign-ups early. Each group will probably have 16 to 20 swappers. You may select whether you want a 2 month or 3 month swap. All skill levels are welcome but you should be able to sew a well-constructed 12 ½ inch block. Rules from my previous Booms remain in force, including use of FAT Eighths ONLY, not Eighths, proper preparation of all fabrics, participation on the dedicated “Boom 16” boards, proper packaging of fabrics and completed blocks, etc. 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 a fabric, prepare it and send it to me for distribution to the other members. You need one Fat Eighth (18” x 11”) 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 out of the F8 you receive from them. When you have finished ALL blocks, you ship them to me and I will again sort them and return the completed blocks to everyone.

Tentative schedule
Sign-ups open through February 29, 2016
F8s due to me: March 14, 2016
I ship to you: March 16, 2016 (Clock starts for 2 and 3 month group this day)
2 month group blocks due to me May 16, 2016
3 month group blocks due to me June 16, 2016

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) Please pre-wash your Fat Eighth (F8) fabric before cutting into Fat Eighths by de-selvaging, pre-washing and pressing. Cut your fabric into Fat Eighths, generally about 18” x 11”. Mail them to me.
2) When mailing your F8s to me for distribution, please make sure they are individually sealed in a Ziploc-type bag. Label each F8 with your board name along with any instructions or color requests. (DO NOT SPECIFY A RECIPIENT unless a fabric is being directed to a particular person. Doing so slows my sorting process immensely.) Labels are useful to help the recipient prevent fabric mix-ups, something that’s easy to do. When you send your completed blocks back to me, please seal and label your completed blocks with the owner’s name AND your name in a similar manner as you did the F8s. (Your name is important so that the owner knows who made what block.)
3) Please mail your F8s to me within 2 weeks of the start of the swap, date to be finalized as sign-ups progress. The sooner you get 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 will establish an online Fabric Gallery.
6) You are REQUIRED to keep in touch with your group by posting to the dedicated Boom 16 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 should be 12 1/2” unfinished. They may be regularly pieced, paper-pieced, appliquéd, whatever the block maker decides to do. It is up to each individual. Again, the feeling is to get a true friendship quilt out of this. Please do not request specific blocks as the idea is to let everyone, of every skill level, join in and try new things and grow. Before mailing, be sure to clean up the blocks by trimming your threads and cutting dog ears.
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 I mail 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 at a cost is $6.80. You may supply me with a pre-paid or pre-stamped USPS Padded Priority Envelope (available for free at USPS.com) or send me $6.80 in well-concealed cash and I will supply the envelope, whatever is easier for you.

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. Once names are published on the Boom 16 thread, I will likely be told if there have been previous problems and you may be dropped at my discretion. If you sign-up here and do not fulfill your commitment, negative feedback will be given.
All skill levels are welcome but you must be able to sew a basic, well-constructed block. It need not be fancy or detailed but it must not be falling apart. I respect new quilter’s need to learn and that will be taken into account.
PLEASE pre-wash fabrics without any fragrance residue. Please note that that some swappers may be smokers or have pets. If either pets or smoking is a serious problem for you, you may find 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 16, please EMAIL me with BOOM 16 in the subject line at [email protected] with the following info:

Board Name*
Full Name
Complete Address
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

*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 16!
Janice McC