swap performance anxiety

[sleepywalkin]

heh

i've been browsing the swap boards for weeks now and some of the crafts are just so great and professional looking!  i joined a swap and made some things...but now i have anxiety over whether mine will hold a candle to what you brilliant swappers come up with!  i believe practice will make perfect (or better, at least) and the swaps really motivate me to try new crafty things.  in time, i will be a confident crafter!

just wanted to put that out there in case anyone else is feeling a little apprehensive - you aren't the only one!    

[NessaGurl]

ha ha ha...I totally hear what your saying...I felt the same way once too. But your right it does get easier with practice...and don't worry, I think everyone on this site realizes that everyones skill levels are different and I think people just appreciate the time and effort that went into making whatever they receive. I'm sure your stuff is great and your swap partner will love it. And what I think now (I had to alter my way of thinking with swaps...cause I was loosing sleep) is that if I make something to the best of my ability, and my partner doesn't like it...tooo bad! Not to say that I don't try and make things that my partner will like according to the info they send me, I'm just saying if you sign up for lets say a bag swap...then you should be open to any bag you receive, and if your super picky about quality or colors or anything else, then perhaps you shouldn't have signed up for the swap, but rather made your own bag so your not dissappointed...sor ry about the rambling...I hope that made sense.

In a nutshell, don't be worried about what you send, just do your best and have fun...and your partner is bound to love what you send em'

Nessagurl

[peanutbuttanjellay]

   I can also understand swap anxiety.  I totally had that my first swap (which is over now and I'm currently in the middle of my second one).  It was a cookie swap and it went perfectly.  I even sent out my stuff early.  Sometimes anxiety can motivate you to overcompensate.  I started out with an easy one and it was really exciting.  Now I'm doing the bag and bag charm swap which will be a bit more involved and time-consuming but the outcome is sure to be satisfying.  I say go for it!

[sleepywalkin]

thanks guys!

yeah, i guess when you sign up for a swap you know that you may or may not like the items you receive.  and it's not really about that - or how much you get or how good they are - it's more the fun of doing it.  and i've never seen anyone say flat out that they don't like what they get.  plus - you can always reconstruct and improve upon things you get that might not be 100% what you're looking for. 

 

[craft_t_chic]

I was sooooo nervous when I did my first swap, but it turned out to be awesome. Now, I'm a bit of a swap addict.  Never doubt what it is that you are going to send. I'm sure your partner will love it, and even if they don't, they'd never say so anyways!!!

I agree that swaps challenge you to do things that you may have never tried. I sewed a tote for my partner once...something I'd never even THOUGHT about doing! It turned out just OK by my thinking, but she swore she loved it! I know I'm always impressed when I get things that I just can't do for myself...that's my favorite thing about swaps!

[LivinEasy]

I just wanted to add that I was peanutbuttanjelly's first swap partner and she was awesome! The cookies were delicious and the packaging so cute and she got it to me early! Anyone would be lucky to be paired up with her!

[peanutbuttanjellay]

I just wanted to add that I was peanutbuttanjelly's first swap partner and she was awesome! The cookies were delicious and the packaging so cute and she got it to me early! Anyone would be lucky to be paired up with her!

Thank you so much LivinEasy!  I just sent out my stuff for another swap: the bag charm and bag swap.  It's really fun and now I'm not so nervous about not being up to par.  You did a great job too.  I really appreciate it!

[sleepywalkin]

so good to hear all the crafty love! 

[jadey_mcshadey]

I have the same problem. Logically, I know that my stuff is well made and all, but I always imagine that I'll come on and see horrible things written about my work in the gallery.

[corduroy cat]

i've done several swaps now, and i'm still paranoid that they won't like what i send. i agree that swaps definitely challenge me to make things i've never tried before, like the very first purse i made for the euro swap, the pic revamps that i've done, and another 'secret' thing i'm making for the secret swap that i'd probably never had attempted. i guess i just need to think like nessagirl and know that my best will have to do, even if it looks subpar.