How to explain swapping?

[Crying Goddess]

I'm looking for some advice here from Crafster's who have husbands and boyfriends or wives and girlfriends they live with. You see me and my boyfriend may move in together very soon and I wanna explain Swaps to him but I'm not really sure how to explain them. I tried once but he didn't really understand it. Can you tell me how you explained it to your other half?

[jungrrl]

I'd just go with a slight variation of what's in the swap rules:

Swaps come in many shapes, sizes, and forms, but the basic idea is that you make a great crafty package that meets the swap's theme and requirements and takes into consideration your partner's wishes and preferences. You send the package you created to them and they send the package they created to you! Swaps are lots of fun; they can motivate you to create something really great and it's often a fun challenge because there's a certain theme to follow. Plus, you get something original in return!

 

[Onyxnox]

"Shut up.  You buy guns, go away with the guys, act like a Neanderthal and kill cute little furry things to relax.  I craft.  You like it when I am relaxed.  DON'T YOU???!!!  "

In all honesty, DH understands that I am a ball of pent up repressed anger and rage, and if crocheting a stuffy, or beading makes me happy and keeps me quiet, he just leaves me alone.  He doesn't understand, but he also acknowledges that he does not need to understand, nor even want an explanation - and I am getting a craft room out of the deal.  The only thing he stipulates is that our home not look like something out of Hoarders.  And that occasionally if I make something cool, he gets an option too.

Like when I made a Jean Luc Picard shirt for a swap - I had to make him a Captain Kirk one.

[alteredmommy]

No one in my home really got it until they saw the cool stuff I received in so many swaps....for the longest time it was always "you're giving that away?"  Now they just ask who I'm making things for

[MareMare]

I just tell them I make stuff for strangers because they appreciate it more.   Although I am super excited to say that after years of making soaps, lotions, etc, my brother finally started using something I made the other day (a bug bite salve) and he really liked it. Although I was a little peeved at how surprised he was that it works.

[MissingWillow]

That's funny, Mare!

[ivoryh1632]

This seems dumb but for me, people seem to understand it more when I call it a "craft trade" instead of a swap. I just tell them that one of my nerdy craft websites puts up a bunch of themes and people sign up for a theme and we each make something of that theme and then we trade with someone else and then I give them an example of a past one I've done. I don't know why calling it a trade makes it more understandable but when I started using that word people were no longer confused. And even my friend's fiancee (who's a total guy's guy) always asks what kind of cool stuff I'm making for to my craft trades and sometimes even makes me bring my packages over to their house to open them lol.

[jezebel_1982]

My ex husband didn't get it for AGES. Even when I showed him what it was about. Even when I told him the premise as per the swap rules...EVEN WHEN I got kick-ass stuff from a partner!

When I told him that I made these things for friends, and that they were presents, he KIND OF got it...I told him it's like Christmas/birthday year round....I think that's the most it ever sunk in with him.
He'd just shrug & say ok... he accepted my oddities much as I accepted his.

[sloth003]

hubby was indifferent until the awesome stuff started pouring in. (tardis wall quilt, the mythbusters hooplas, and my purple wristwarmers (that he stole) to name a couple he approves of ) now he is all helpful and figuring out was he can get in on my projects (hence the increase in my use of light, sound and other computerized gewgaws)

in fact in my current swap he asked if he could make of of the items. and since it’s only a bit off what i was planning myself i  will let him run with it.

and oddly enough, all he’s ever asked for out of it is any “treats” that may come in the package... and as swappers know... there are almost ALWAYS! treats...

[MareMare]

haha, that's awesome sloth! He should sign up for his own account, we never have enough men around here!