Birthday Block Exchange

[CherylUribe]

As Judi requested; let's do it! Since it is December, a great time to start. Everyone in January; post your details now so we can get started on your bocks!

Here are the details so far:

-Everyone is invited to participate!

-Please commit to this exchange in good faith. We trust and honor you! In exchange please do so in return and follow through with your commitment to make blocks!

-This exchange is Even Steven. You will receive as many blocks as you send.

Receivers:

-Find your Birthday month thread (example: if your birthday in in June, list under the June Birthday Block Exchange post)

- Post your Birthdate

- Color(s) if you have a preference

-Block size if you have a preference

-Block pattern will be the choice of the maker

-Fabric If you have a preference (batik, silk, rayon, 100% cotton etc)

-If you want the block signed, dated etc.

-How you would like to receive. You may not want to post your address. Post: "email me for my address" or something like that.

-Additionally email your info. to Vicki at: dancingstitcher@mac.com for the private master list. She will add you and email you a copy.

-When you have received enough blocks please post on this forum under your birthday month and let Vicki know so she can update the master list.

-Quilt should be finished before your next birthday.

-Photo of finished quilt should be posted here for us to all enjoy!

-Receivers of blocks must reciprocate

Makers:

-Please use quality fabric

-Fabric must be pre-washed

-Send blocks anytime before receivers birth date.

-If desired, include index card with your info. for your returned block.

Other idea's; let me know!

[GERRY]

Hi Cheryl great idea!!

So then we just pick as many people as we want, or do we make blocks for everyone in our month, What if there are to many people in any given month, like 50-100, how does one make blocks for everyone.

Has this been done before, are there any rules & how-to's we need to know,

Don't get me wrong, Cheryl I love the idea, but I would hate to make a mistake, & hurt some-ones feeling, by not doing things correctly..........

please let us know if the are set rules for this kind of exchange............

Thanks

[Myrna Ficken]

how fun to see when everyones birthday is.

[Judi]

CHERYL - I am SO glad you started this! I have been thinking about it ALL

day! How could be do this.......? what should we do....etc..... GREAT!

Lets GO!

Just an idea - maybe if we send a block to a birthday person - we include

our birthday block / date and prefence and such.... ya think? I'm not sure

that we would get 50 even, but heah - I would be SOOOO happy with one

quilt - but more?? extras??? WOW! Oh oh oh - Only 4 months to wait ----

April 25th - yes!! Feel a bit sorry for the December people - but it is a bit

early or shall I say "late" to start with them! Sorry - no - really I am!

I would love the signatures and yes color is a must, size would be good,

but nice to have different ones at times....

As far as fabric - I sure hope that we would all use quality fabric.!?!? We

have a problem at our quilt guild with a few icky Fat Quarters coming in that

have to be lower than what was ever on a Wal-mart shelf! PLLL-ease!

I LOVE PURPLE!!!!! But also others... maybe we could change our requests

for the next years to be maybe (my second choice) - black/red/white.

See..... I am already moving on to next years version / choice - and YES -

You MUST post a photo of the finished quilt top - QUILTED even - by your

next birthday! Or we won't send you any more blocks!! LOL!!!

[quiltingtina]

I am very interested in the birthday block exchange. I would like more info, like Geraldine, as to rules and guidelines.

Thanks!

Tina

[CherylUribe]

GREAT! Glad to hear the excitement!

It is our block exchange, we can do whatever we want! We are all going to have to contribute for there to be enough blocks to make a whole quilt. Shouldn't be a problem. Maybe we could list desired amount of blocks on our birthday post?

I have a solution if we end up having a lot of birthdays. The previous month recipients can make blocks for the following month.

Until then, everyone involved should commit to a certain amount of blocks per month so everyone receives.

I don't know if this has been done before. If anyone knows; please share! I had mentioned in my birthday quilt photo post that a guild friend of mine belonged to a birthday group and the birthday person would choose colors, pattern etc. of blocks to be received. That's all I really know! We'll have to make it up as we go along!

I don't think we should have to many rules. Just guidelines. Don't want to take the fun out of it or the creativity. To make it easier, we could delete the pattern choice. The maker can choose.

We could also do a standard size? Although some may like it scrappy with uneven block sizes.

Don't think we should worry about doing it wrong or hurting any one's feelings. The spirit is to give. Like receiving any gift we will all be grateful for what is shared. We will also dial the guidelines in with what we all agree on here.

I believe everyone here will use quality fabric. I would like to include this a a guideline to be safe. Wal-Mart fabric has a place. But I prefer it to be someplace other than MY quilt! LOL!

Judi, I am overwhelmed by your enthusiasm! LOVE it! I will add to the guidelines: MUST post a photo of the finished quilt. Must be done before your next birthday. (-or we'll tell Judi and she won't let you get more blocks until you finish!) LOL!

Let me know your other suggestions and what you think of these ideas.

Changes will be edited on the above first posting.

[Pam.Nagle]

Hi,

I think this would be very fun. I would prefer a particular size. 8.5 is fine for me.

[Bonnie]

Okay, just a little slow here....its been blowing and I think my brain was taken to OZ, and hasn't returned yet.

Am I to make a quilt block for each person in the month of January, Febuary etc even though my birthday is in another month?

I'm not trying to get out of anything I just want to make sure I'm getting it right and if so I need to get started to pull fabrics.

I love the idea of changing your color requests each year....I love Reds and Purples, but would love a Yellow and Blue one as well. No Rules is a good thing, but agree there needs to be guildlines.

The only thing I can think of that hasn't been covered is are we washing the fabrics before making the block or not....I personally don't wash my fabrics until the quilts are finished, but some prefer washed fabrics. Should we address that or not?

Off to find the perfect block and to think about getting the first ones done.

[sewingupastorm]

This is a really fun idea and I would like to participate.

I am a January gal.

Here is my input on how I think this can work. I am a registered hostess on about.com quilting and there are loads of swaps that have been done there. I have been hostessing and participating in those for 7 years.

I think the best thing is we choose a leader (I think that should be you). You then can coordinate the entire year of the ongoing swap. Everyone signs up in advance with you say before Jan 1st. We give you all our information and you in turn make that available to the entire group. Then each month we each make and send blocks to those people that are celebrating a birthday on that month. So if we have 36 people sign up and the birthdays are evenly spaced then we would be sending out about 3 blocks a month to those who are having a birthday that month.

The last word of caution is that people that sign up for this need to make it a real commitment so that the people with December birthdays get their blocks from everyone in the group.

If you have worked this out in a different way let me know as I said I would like to be in.

Here is my info:

Jan 17

Colors: I love jewel tones

Block pattern and size.....................suprise me and I will make them all play nice! I love a challenge.

Ami Krenzel

ackrenzel@msn.com for mailing address

[sewingupastorm]

Forgot to say...................yes please sign the blocks.

[GERRY]

Hay Cheryl:)

I was thinking that, if all the people with birthdays in Jan. would make blocks for each other, the same for those in Feb. & so on. that may be a way to keep the amount of blocks under control, if it lands up that we have far more people signing up you first expected.

It's just at this moment we have 2443 members, if even half of those sign up, we all could end up making over a thousand blocks:( Yiiicks

I for one couldn't even get close to making that many blocks, or even 100 for that matter.

Really sorry, don't mean to be a worry-wort, just want to make sure I can handle this, with the limited time I have to fit in all the other projects I have on my plate.

I still love this idea, & really want to play with my LA freinds, so maybe I'll just wait & see how many sign up,

This could really be a hoot, what fun.

[CherylUribe]

I knew you would come through with logistics. I don't know everything although sometimes I think I do!

Pam- post your block size and other things under your birthday month thread.

Great questions Bonnie. I just posted to Danetta's similar question and I also had the same concern. I think (tell me if you all agree) we make as many blocks as we would like to receive. So if you wish to receive 24 blocks; reciprocate and make 24 blocks for others. They would in return make a block for you. This would solve the issue for those of us that are limited in time and wish to make a smaller amount.

- To prewash or not that is the question! Didn't we just have a big long thread on this very topic? I think so and I recall everyone having a different opinion. Here is what I think; (if you disagree please say) we should all dampen and press/steam fabric. This will preshrink at least. I prewash, for those that don't I think this is a good compromise. The only concern would be bleeding. Should we just say please prewash fabric? Let me know.

Hi Ami, -great suggestions. I am willing to be the leader, with Judi? as my co-leader? What do you think Judi? I can not commit to keeping track and that much detail. I am relying on getting the guidelines straight, get everyone started, straighten out any logistics, and have everyone post and keep track themselves. I really like your idea of everyone making blocks for everyone else in their month. What if there are only a few people for a certain month? I guess they could make extra blocks. What if there are 50 or 60? Spilt into half month or week? Again, let me know hat you all think.

Yes Geraldine, I agree. That's why I was counting on all of you to help me work it out. I don't have time to make bunches of blocks either! Thank you for your concern! I have it as well. We as a group can and are diplomatically making decisions and working this out! I could not do this alone, thank you all!

So, answer/vote on these questions:

Amount of blocks, do we:

A. Make as many blocks as we would like to receive?

B. Make blocks for our birthday month?

C. Make blocks for the birthday month before ours?

Prewash or not?

A. Prewash?

B. Dampen and press/steam?

C. Don't worry about it?

D. Specify on your individual post?

Keep the input coming. We will have a pretty cohesive block exchange!

[Stagecl]

I vote to make blocks for our birthday month.

For the second question...I vote prewash...dark colors are so unpredictable.

Cheryl Mathre

Stone Creek Quilting

Sandy Hook, VA

[Judi]

I vote prewash - I always do - since I like bright bold and also dark colors.

It really woundn't be that big of a deal would it? I think most of us do, and

if not, if we receive a block that we are in doubt about, I would just soak

it in water myself If it were to shrink a bunch - we can deal

with it - we always find a way!

Yes - I would love to help! It would be nice to have an email reminder at

the begining of each month with a list of "who" is having a birthday that

month. Just a thought. If we could do some kind of a Master Birthday Block

enchange list....hmm..... and if somebody does happen to receive all of the

blocks they want or could possibly use, maybe they only want a wall hang-

ing or such..... or we have just such a great turn-out! We could send out an email and

say so.

Also - I would at that point say edit and add that to your post on your

bday month, with the new date and say "I have enough!" (I can only hope

that it might happen!) Too many????

Yes - if somebody sends you a block - you should commit to sending them

one! With every block you send out - enclose your info as to what you for

your block.

[BarbWetzel]

Sounds like fun...

I am a September Birthday... 09/09

I like jewel tones... in 10 " blocks.. .

It sound like a lot of fun.

Be sure to post the rules and further information..

Barb

[Bonnie]

I think we should just say pre-wash as well, I don't, but for this the fabrics need to be the same...we can make them be crisp with sizing and they will look beautiful.

What I don't want, is to run into half the block pre-washed and the other not. When you go to dampen them they sometimes shrink up funny and you have to really do some tricks to get the blocks to fit together.

Regarding the question of amount of blocks. I do understand that with this just being opened over the weekend and not everyone knowing about it yet....we haven't seen a whole lot of ME TOO's....us poor April's have only Judi and I so far....And I can't even begin to imagine that we are the only April Babies here.

My question is.....when do we decide if we are only doing our own month or bidding so to speak to do other months? I would hate for January's to come and go and they not get enough to even do a wall hanging.

[Rita]

Ok -this sounds fun and interesting -and got me to post -my info is April 19. I'll do my best! Rita:D

[chickenscratch]

Norece, Great Idea: You make a block for each person who sends you one, and say enough when you have enough. I probably will try to make one for each person who is listed, unless the list grows considerably.

[sewingupastorm]

I think there really needs to be a formal list for this to work. I would just hate to see someone being faithful and making blocks for everyone else, getting forgotten at the end. So suggest as Norece has suggested. Someone needs to take leadership and mabye a few work together. Collect a list of all the names. If there are too many break them in to groups and then once the groups are selected each member of each group gets the information for their group and blocks are made on each person's birthday month and sent out. I also want to say that those that sign up need to take the commitment seriously and see it thru to the end so those people with Dec birthdays get all their blocks as would the Jan people.

I vote for "preshrunk" as I always prewash my own fabrics.

Ami - Sewing up a Storm in New Mexico

[dtreusch]

I vote for preshrunk.

Also, I'll volunteer to help manage this. Whereever help is needed.

Debbi

[dancingstitcher]

On the 16th of December I'm turning 60 and would love to have a red and green Christmas theme set of blocks and can wait till my 61st birthday, be at the end of the list to receive blocks. Let me know who is in my group no matter what month is their birthday. Another color choice would be pink since it will be my 10th year as a breast cancer survivor in May 2007.

Maybe it would be good to make a block a month to send to someone so that I am making them all year. Or do we make one signature block of our choice and send the same block to everybody on our list? Then we would all have to have a color combination or theme for the year's contributions. Sounds like fun. I'm in.

Vicki

[CherylUribe]

Sounding better and better!!

We will add PRE WASH to our list of guidelines. I agree.

Also will add RECIPROCATION; if you wish to receive blocks you must in return make blocks for others. I believe that everyone here is very honorable and trustworthy. The spirit of the exchange is based on that honor and trust. I will list this as a reminder to please not commit if you can't follow through. Great point Ami!

Responsibilities: I do not mind maintaining the guidelines. I can not however commit to keeping track of lists and emailing. I just would not want to let any of you down. I already have a lot of irons in the fire.

Judi- what responsibility would you be willing to commit to?

Debbi has volunteered to help manage. Sounds great to me, thank you Debbi! Maybe Judi you can help? Let me know how/what you'd like to do. I will add the two of you to our guideline post, yes?

Norece, I do think simple will be better too.

Majority votes for even steven exchange. I really don't care, but like Bonnie said we need to decide so the January's don't miss the boat. Let's set it in stone by Wed. Dec. 6th.

Oh Vicki! Sound perfect! You do need a Birthday Quilt! The one that started all of this was not done on time either.

Let's have the maker decide what block design and the recipient decide the color and size. Simple.

I think we should get more additions to this exchange as time goes on.

I will also add that everyone is invited.

Okay- we've narrowed it down!

Does everyone agree even steven with Debbi and or Judi figuring logistics so everyone is giving and receiving?

Other issues may arise at a later time. I think we are all open minded/easygoing enough to go with the flow. We can address if and when something comes up.

[Bonnie]

Yep...sounds good to me. Can't think of anything else at the moment. Just let me know whos first and I'll get busy.

If I counted correctly at this time and date....there are 21 January - December I wanna play......

[dtreusch]

Ok, call me stupid.

I've never done a block exchange before. What is an even stephen exchange?

Debbi

[Judi]

Debbi - as in an "even stephen exchange" we just simply mean that if a

person makes and sends you a block, you will make and send one back -

in their choice of color and size.

I will commit to what ever needs to be done! This just sounds like so much

fun! I think an email list, where we can send out reminders or updates

would be a great thing to have. I will check the other posts and see if

there are emails with the names, dates and addresses. Otherwise, I can be

emailed directly at:: ta2tyme@hickorytech.net