Quiltingboard Forums - 2024 Birthday Candy Swap (2.5" Squares)

It's time to sign-up for the 2024, 2.5” Birthday Candy Swap!. Join our group by January 1 for a year of birthday celebrations and swapping 2.5” squares, AKA “birthday candies”. Who doesn't like to give and receive birthday presents?

What is a 2.5” Birthday Candy Swap?

Each participant in the swap will send a package of fifty (50) different 2.5” squares to the member(s) to celebrate that member’s birthday. On the 20th of each month, I will send a Private Message (PM) with the birth date and mailing information for the upcoming month’s birthday member(s). Swappers then mail fifty (50) 2.5” squares to that month’s birthday swap member(s). This swap is a year-long commitment to send each member of the group “birthday candies” on or before their birthday. This swap started about 11 years ago and has continued each year since celebrating each other's birthdays. Let's keep the swap going!

Candy squares must be 2.5", 100% cotton fabric squares that you would be happy to put in your own quilt. Use your stash, but please do not resend squares from a previous birthday swap.

The cost to mail an envelope is generally less than $1 per envelope. Tips and cues to mail efficiently will be posted in the thread by returning swap members.

We have found that a wonderful benefit of the swap is the neighborly sharing photos of quilts and projects, large and small, made of 2.5’s. These can be photos of quilts we made ourselves or photos and links to other quilts or projects that use 2.5: squares. Our eyes just seem to find ways to use these little fabric squares everywhere.

Join us and then wait for your mailbox to fill with little envelopes and joyful greetings from your Birthday Swap friends on your birthday.

Steps to join in our year of fun:

1.Send a Private Message (PM) to me, WMUTeach, with your A.) name, B.) address, C.) your birthday (month and day), D.) and your phone number. The phone information will not be shared but it allows me to contact you should it be necessary.

2. I will limit our swap to the first 30 people and only addresses in the USA (for postage sake, Sorry!)

3. Newbies (new to this swap) You need a recommendation from a hostess of another swap or from anyone that was in a previous birthday swap. We want to be assured our new birthday swappers have been faithful swappers before being added to the swap. Absolutely no "Flakers" here!!! You must have swapped with or know the person giving the recommendation. Recommendations can be sent to me by PM also. We have had perfect swapping for several years! No dropouts and faithful swappers all. Yeah!

Now the Birthday Swap Begins

4. After you have been added to the 2024 Birthday Swap, it is time to search your stash and prepare your packages of 50 (All different) 2.5" candy squares to be mailed. I will post the final number of swappers on January 2. Previous swappers will show some of the best ways to package the squares, so they are safe in the mail and how to keep the cost of postage down to less than a dollar.

5. I will send out the birthday information on January 2 for any January birthday(s). After that you will receive a list of who is celebrating a birthday on the 20th of each month via PM. Have your envelopes ready so you can drop them in the mail quickly!

6. Birthday person, post the screen name of those who sent you a package on our thread as the envelopes arrive to your home. I will keep track also. You can open your packages as they arrive or wait until your birthday. It is all up to you and how long you can resist tearing open the envelopes full of beautiful surprises.

Sender, Post on our thread when you mail your birthday package. It helps me and our birthday folks know your package is “on the way”. Anticipation of an envelope in your mailbox is all part of the fun.

7. Contests will be part of the swap again this year about every other month or so. Answer a question, solve a puzzle or just be an active participant. Feel free to participate in the contests or not with just one rule: you must be a swapper “in good standing” to win, meaning all your packages have been arriving on time!

8. More than three "Late" packages will disqualify any one from participating in future birthday swaps. This past year, 2023, has been an excellent year for on-time birthday treats. Yeah, for us!!

9. Post your swap questions, large or small, in The Birthday Swap thread. Someone else probably had the same question and will have an answer for you.

I am looking forward to swapping with "old friends" and "new friends" this year. Send that PM to me, WMUTeach, and start cutting 2.5s.

The general swap rules apply: Rules For Swaps And Similar Activities – Updated December 2010