The swap organizers got together to come up with some guidelines (based on concerns we were hearing from swappers) and to answer all the swap FAQs. Here they are, hope these are helpful!!
What is a swap?
The swaps we do on this board are mostly swaps for items that can be used on a nature table/seasonal/play table. There are some other swaps posted every so often as well, such as accessories for altars, homemade music instruments, tiny things, etc. Those swaps will be explained in the OP of that particular thread.
A swap is a group of people each crafting a set of items (one for every person in the swap) based in a set theme. For example, if you are signing up for a bug swap, you may want to choose to make dragonflies. If there are 10 people signed up for the swap, you would need to make 9 dragonflies and end them off to the swap hostess on or before the mailing deadline. The swap hostess will then collect all the packages, divide everything up, post shipping totals and then send out a package to each swapper, with one item from each swapper included.
Who can participate in swaps?
Anyone with no negative feedback or unresolved swaps/transactions.
How do I sign up for a swap?
When a new swap thread is posted, post to the list to say you are interested. You can also post ideas as to what you think you will be making. If the group fills up before you are able to join, feel free to post to the list anyway to say you are interested in either filling a spot of someone drops out or asking if there is enough interest to start another group. The swap hostess may choose to start a new group, have someone else start a new group or start a waiting list for when someone drops out. If you are new to our craft swaps, you may want to sign up for only one or two to see how they work and so you don’t get too overwhelmed.
I am signed up, now what?
Post to the thread with your ideas on what you are making. If you need some ideas, just ask! Swaps are a great way to get yourself to try new crafts and techniques, so once you are comfortable in the swaps, you may want to start crafting in areas out of your current comfort zone. Once you are finished with your items (remember, you are making one item for each person in the swap), get them ready for shipping. Please label each item you are sending with your name. Some swap hostesses prefer you wait until near the ship date to mail your packages, some don’t mind having packages months/weeks early. If you finish early and want to send early, just check with your hostess to see if that’s ok. Each swap has a mailing deadline and needs to be shipped on or before that day. Please PM your swap hostess for her mailing address. If you are going to be shipping a day or two late, please notify everyone on the thread. If you are shipping after the swap deadline, please be sure to give a Delivery Confirmation number to the swap hostess. If you do not have your swap items shipped by 5 days after the swap deadline, you will need to mail to each person individually at your expense. The swap hostess will hold your other swap items until you have done this. As far as shipping, you can either send money for shipping with your swap package (it would have to be an estimate since each swap is different), or you can wait until the hostess calls for shipping (when she posts totals) and send her the money via paypal.
What type of crafts can I send?
Anything related to the theme for that particular swap. Here is a brief list of some of the crafts seen in swaps frequently: knit or crocheted items, clay items, bendy dolls, dyed silks/cloths, needle felted scenes and animals, sewn playmats, hand sewn animals and creatures, wood peg dolls, paper crafts, painted wood items, hand crafted wood items, wet felted items, etc.
What type of materials should I use?
Natural materials, no plastic. Wool, wool blend felt (even the 30% wool/70% rayon felt is highly preferred over the acrylic kind), clay, cotton, fabric, silk, items found in nature, wood, paper, papier mache, wax, etc. Polymer clay is also fine. When in doubt, ask your swap group. There may be a time when you find the perfect item that is not a natural material (a few times I can think of in the past have been roses for bendies, flowers for a fairy house, and the perfect glittery felt for snow), please just check with your swap group to make sure it is ok. For materials like leather and suede, please check with your swap group in case there are objections.
What do I do to prepare my items to be shipped?
Please label each individual swap item with the swap name and group, your name and the person it is intended to go to. Labeling with the recipient's name makes it easier for the organizer to know at a glance which items need to be shipped back to the maker in the event of someone dropping out of the swap.
What is the value for swap items?
Value is a very hard thing to place. You shoul dbe sending something that you have put time and effort into, not something you threw together at the last moment, kwim? You should send an item that you would be overjoyed to receive as well
A general guideline would be at least $5-6 value (most of the times it is higher), or somethat that may be of a lesser monetary value but took you more blood, sweat and tears
For Tiny Things Swaps, there is no set value. For Tiny Things Swaps, you will be sending tiny items that need not be crafted ... they can be bought, found in nature or crafted. Tiny Things Swaps are generally used as either accessories to other swaps or as fairy gifts left for our children.
What if I need to drop out?
If you have to drop out of a swap, please post to the thread as soon as you can. It's not fair to the other swappers to drop out at the last moment. That said, there are extreme cases when someone may have to drop out at the last moment, and everyone will understand (jus try not to make it a habit
). Please let everyone know asap.
What if I don't send my items? & What is the time frame for swaps to be sent back?
If you do not send your items for a swap you will not be able to participate in any other swaps until you fulfill the prior obligations. This means that your name will be removed from future swaps that you are signed up for. Since these spots are highly coveted, your spot may quickly be filled by another person. If your spot is still open once you have fulfilled your prior swap commitments, then you can by all means resign up
Swap hostesses will hold onto all packages for 2 weeks and ship then. If everything is into them before the 2 weeks, then they can ship when everything is in. Items not received by the 2 week deadline (2 weeks after the swap shipping date) will need to be sent out individualy to each swapper at the late swappers expense. This needs to be done within one week. The hostess will hang on to late swappers items until everyone has received their individually shipped item and then will ship out the late swappers items.
Who can host a swap? How do I host a swap? What does hosting entail?
You must have completed 3 swaps prior to hosting one yourself (completed meaning swaps are sent and the organizer has already sent the items back). You must also have at least 100 posts at Amity and be known in the craft forum prior to hosting a swap, and have no negative feedback. You must have some positive feedback somewhere that you can link us to, if it’s not on Amity
There is a sticky in the swap forum listing all the future swap ideas we have been planning, with the people who have volunteered to host them. Please check this list first before posting a swap. Lots of swaps are on there already, with time frames as well as hostesses.
Once you have met these requirements, you are ready to host. Start a thread with the swap that you are planning on hosting. In the OP you will want to list the type of swap (nature table, tiny things, or something else entirely), the theme, how many people maximum may participate and a mailing deadline. Keep a space in the OP to keep a list of swappers, which you can edit whenever someone joins/drops. You may also want to post a list in the OP of ideas on what to send for that swap to get people’s creative juices flowing. You will also want to decide if you want to host multiple groups of this swap if there is a lot of interest, and what you want to do if people drop out (you would need to decide to either not fill the dropped spots or to keep a waiting list to fill the dropped spots).
During the time between posting the swap and the mailing date, just keep everyone informed on any packages you receive, ask how everyone’s doing etc. Be sure to post reminders to the thread when the mailing date is approaching. PM the swappers with your mailing address when the time comes.
Once packages start arriving, keep everyone updated on what you have received. Divvy up the swap items, one for each person, package them safely and get shipping totals for each package. Post the shipping totals to the thread and when the packages are paid for, pop them in the mail.
If someone in your swap does not send her items, you will need to PM reminders to that person. If it is 5 days or more past the ship date, please let the person know that she must ship to each swapper individually and that you will hold her swap items for this swap until she has done so. If no packages are sent, please alert the other swap hostesses so that the appropriate action may be taken.
Feedback/probation
Swap hostesses will leave appropriate feedback for swappers once a swap is completed. Feedback will be left in the feedback area on Amity, and may state that it was a great transaction, great items but slow shipping, person did not fulfill swap obligations, is not answering messages, etc. Negative feedback will be ammended/updated when the obkligation has been fulfilled.
A swapper will be put on probation when swap obligations are not fulfilled. If you do not fulfill your swap obligations, your name will be removed from future swaps, as stated above. Upon resolving the swap obligations, you will be able to sign up for a limited number of swaps (2) and once those are fulfilled (sent to the hostess) you are off probation and may sign up for as many swaps as you wish. If you do not fulfill your swap obligations, you will not be able to participate in any more swaps here and the appropriate negative feedback will be left.
* On swap hosting -- there are currently a few swaps being hosted by people who would not meet the criteria here, and since these were started before the guidelines were written up, then just feel free to carry on with those swaps
Then you can post more after you have met the criteria
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