Quiltingboard Forums - Boom 26 - Sign-ups now open thru 4/30/21***

Woo hoo, Boomers! Here we go a few hours early!

Sign-ups for Boomerang Friendship Swap 26 are open! They will close no later than 11:59 pm EDT, Friday, April 30, 2021. ***If sign-ups go quickly, I will close full groups early*** and 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 if you are a repeat Boomer in good standing. 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”, a little larger is welcome but 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 read all posts and post at least weekly. If something comes up and you cannot post, please have somebody email me. Absolutely no disappearing please!

Anticipated schedule:

Sign-ups end 11:59 pm EDT, Friday, April 30, 2021
Groups likely post by Monday, May 3, 2021

ALL F8s due to me Monday, May 17, 2021
I ship F8s to you Thursday, May 20, 2021

2 month group’s blocks due to me Thursday, July 22, 2021
I mail 2 month group’s blocks Thursday, July 29, 2021

3 month group’s blocks due to me Thursday, August, 19, 2021
I mail 3 month's blocks Thursday, August 26, 2021

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” but a little larger is welcome. 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. Please label each baggie 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 board name and your board name easily visible to me in a similar manner as you did the F8s.
3) Please mail your F8s to arrive by the due date. 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 will continue the online Gallery found at boomerangswaps.weebly.com.
6) You are required to keep in touch with your group by posting your progress to the dedicated Boom group threads at least once a week, even if you have completed your blocks early. This is a requirement. Nobody likes to make a slew of blocks and not have them acknowledged. If you do not keep in touch with me or the group for any reason, you will not be able to participate in the next Boom. 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. This means you must measure. 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, let’s keep this space a positive and enjoyable place to be! We’re all here to have fun, even me.

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. Be sure when you ship to me that you have covered the cost fully as I will not accept packages with postage due. 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, currently $8.55. Please send a pre-paid envelope or label (no regular stamps please!) or you may send me $8.55 in well-concealed cash to cover the cost of shipping the F8s and I will supply the envelope. You will also need to send me an additional $8.55 per group for return shipping of your completed blocks. This can be done in advance or when you send back your completed blocks. Regarding Multiple Groups, please note that I will send only one group’s completed blocks per package. (F8 shipping will remain combined whenever possible.) If you are in both groups, please send enough money to cover separate shipping of completed blocks for each group you are in.

Keep in mind the following:
You must be in good standing with previous swaps on the QB. 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 does not have to be detailed but it must be stitched well. All seams should be ¼ inch or a scant ¼ with at least 12 stitches per inch. All fabric should be cut on the straight of grain to avoid "wonkiness" and fraying whenever possible. 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. 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. Please note: when you measure, measure under an acrylic square at least 12 ½ inches square, not on top of it, squaring the block on a corner after pressing. Also, be sure to 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. Turn them over, trim your threads and cut 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 either 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] but I will accept constructive comments only. No exceptions!

To join Boom 26, please email me (not PM) with "Boom 26" in the subject line at [email protected] with the following information:

Board Name
Full Name
Complete Address
Best Phone Number (please specify cell, home or work)
Email Address
Have you fulfilled all your swap/exchange obligations on the QB in the past?
*2 Month Group or 3 Month Group or both? (Newbies to the Boom should select only one group, preferably the 3 month group if you are unaccustomed to piecing on a deadline.)
*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 26. We hope you'll join us!