gallery etiquette for lousy swap item?

[Bigmouth]

TOTALLY! i understand if a beginner is crafting and that person is not that skilled, but it still shows effort, then i'm happy with what i get...

what i hate is the stuff that looks like it took two minutes to make and was sent off right away without any regard to whether the person would like it or not.

I agree with lasandri.  Craft items that are a little rough around the edges can be charming for their effort, but putting a sticker on a notepad (for example) kind of pushes it.

My problem is with entire swap packages that have been purchased from retail stores.  That's appropriate for some swaps (supply swaps, wishlist swaps in which the person requested "candy from your country" or "beads" or the like), but it's not in the spirit of a craft swap. 

Actually, I'd go farther than that and say a package like that just doesn't meet the swap requirements.  I'll go with a cheesy example so it clearly doesn't apply to any actual swaps.  Let's say the "I Love Oprah" swap requirements specify "1 large and 2 small items."  A participant in the swap goes to the mall and buys an Oprah biography, a silky scarf with "You go, girl" printed on it, a framed print of downtown Chicago, and some puppy-shaped chocolates Oprah listed as her "favorite things."  More than three items were sent, but none of them were crafted. 

I haven't decided whether I'd consider that flaking; if it isn't, then it's awfully close.  That example is totally hypothetical, but I've been so disappointed for people when I've seen them receive all-purchased packages after working really hard for their partner in a swap that's formed around crafting. 

Maybe the point that they're crafted items needs to be driven home a little harder.  I also think it would be appropriate to note that in the swapper's feedback--but I think it'd only be fair if that were specified from the start of the swap.  If someone's not ready to craft all those items, then maybe they'd be less likely to join.  I prefer prevention over punishment any day.




(Please don't contact me about organizing an "I Love Oprah" swap. )

[alwaysinmyroom]

I also have a question sort of related:

If you join a swap and you are paired with someone you know is a lousy swapper, what are your options, if any?  If the moderator knows the person and pairs with a newbie, that person might never swap again if it is a lousy swap.

If it is an experienced swapper, then he/she might not do their best and look like a lousy swapper too!

I know that on the unconditional swaps, I am much more generous if I see that the swapper was generous to others and made "crafty" items.  I also try to see why the person might not have crafted, like sometimes the poor moderator gets swamped and might not do their best for that ONE swap.  I will still send a nice item, but maybe not take a week to do it and maybe no "extras".

I wish there was a SWAP COURT in which both sides can tell their story in private and maybe positive suggestions could be made to help both parties.  I would love to be a judge for that as I think a little encouragement would improve the entire swap process!!

[mommabear1963]

a swap court, that is an interesting idea!!!

[BlooCanoe]

I see that someone raised a related issue that I was wondering myself. Do many organizers try to pair newbies with newbies, experienced swappers with the same, etc.? or not? I am organizing my first swap and decided to pair partners based on matching what they could make/what they wanted. (i.e. Boobooboo knits and wants art, Loolooloo paints and wants knitting, so I matched them up). I didn't take into account their swap experience, figuring that a new swapper was not necessarily an inexperienced craftster.

[teapotdnky]

I see that someone raised a related issue that I was wondering myself. Do many organizers try to pair newbies with newbies, experienced swappers with the same, etc.? or not? I am organizing my first swap and decided to pair partners based on matching what they could make/what they wanted. (i.e. Boobooboo knits and wants art, Loolooloo paints and wants knitting, so I matched them up). I didn't take into account their swap experience, figuring that a new swapper was not necessarily an inexperienced craftster.

I think until I get more people noticing my stuff I will be paired with sort of newbies. I have had one partner that has swapped a lot, but have not gotten my goodies yet so I don't know what they look like. I am not a newbie crafter, but I feel like the big dogs don't want to play with me so I am sort of ignored. One swap I did I really felt kind of left out. Maybe I'm just sleepy and cranky.
Also, if your craft is sub-par don't blame it on the camera. Its usually pretty easy to tell if it was the camera or the crafter. I have avoided posting in this thread for a while, but couldn't hold back anymore. 

[parisgirl]

I see that someone raised a related issue that I was wondering myself. Do many organizers try to pair newbies with newbies, experienced swappers with the same, etc.? or not?  I didn't take into account their swap experience, figuring that a new swapper was not necessarily an inexperienced craftster.

If someone asked me if I wanted something specific, or to swap with someone who was as inexperienced a swapper as I am - I would rather get something unexpected and swap with someone new to the activity like myself.  If when I become a more experienced swapper I think I would still like to swap with someone who has completed swaps equal to myself.  

But I'm strange.  I like to swap for the surprise and not so much for something specific.  I'm generally very nervous about sending my items, as I am about making gifts or projects for payment.

[tamedvixen]

One craftster's treasure is another craftster's trash...
You may receive a paper bookmark with a design drawn on it. You may be thinking to yourself, this is lousy. However, what if your swap partner designed the design themself? It could be a one of a kind piece of art even if it is only drawn in pen (that may be their medium). Your partner could have spent hours making something totally original for you. Think before condemning a swap partner.

[peachsorbet]

I've never received anything that has obviously been hashed together, but I have felt inadequate sending things out. I crochet which is a very time consuming craft so when I send out there's usually fewer items in my package than what I receive from my partner. I'd like to get people to weigh in on this: do you feel shafted when you give your partner 15 items but you receive 3-4 in return?

(This is also why I really like to communicate with my partners so expectations are clear, but I totally get "extras" and I feel bad about it...at the same time, unless I sit with hook in hand for 6-8 hours a day I'm never going to match that count!)

[PinkyK]

I'll send extras because it takes me about 15 mins to make a beaded bracelet and I typically have all the supplies in my stash with the exception of anything special I get specifically for the swap.  For one swap I got a really cool charm at my local bead shop and some spacers but had most of the beads already.

For the swap I'm in now I sent a couple of days late so I included a few extra things I had around the house. Nothing major, a local newspaper, a magazine highlighting the area I get for free, and some stickers I had around the house. But these bought items are in addition to items I crafted. I did not just send bought items. I agree that would be bad.

For my last swap I had what will forever be known as the "headband incident" in which I attempted to make two lace headbands.  ugh!  So I included all of the leftover lace and beaded and velvet trim in a headband salvage and/or repair kit and explained the disaster.  I hoped my partner would be able to either fix them and if not she would have some cool trims to use on future projects.  I also felt so bad about the headband disaster that I whipped up some earrings for her. Actually, in the end she said she like the headbands! But they were a disaster in lace and fabric glue I tell you!

In each of these cases I included a note explaing why I included extra items so my partner would not feel like they got more than they sent. I just felt like I needed to make up for short comings and I was happy to send the items I had on hand.

[CosmicCranberry]

how about when a swap partner puts totally no thought intop a swap package and just buys a bunch of stuff to send you.....this happened to me in a swap and it was very dissapointing......