How cruel, craftster swapper!

I am a member of Craftster.org. It is an online community where you can post pictures, chat, learn, etc about all your craftiness. You can also participate in swaps. In the swap forum you can find something that interests you. They are all different themes. I have done 3 of these swaps.

Over a year ago I participated in a simple swap because it was my first one. The theme: Dishcloth/Washcloth. You fill out a questionnaire: your likes/dislikes, abilities, favorite colors. The moderator then gives you a partner and you can email them more information and chat about the swap. Then you get to crafting for that person. Its great because you can receive some really personalized items from different people all over the country and world.

I had a great partner and I thought the swap went really well...until today.

I was browsing the most recent posts with pictures. I saw the washcloth and scrubby I made!!! My partner had given it to her partner in the same swap just a different round (when the same swap theme is used they just give it round numbers, some swaps are up to 15 rounds!) It really made me angry. I took my time to make something for her, personal for her! She just re-gifted it. The whole point of this is to CRAFT the item you send specifically for your partner. My guess, she didn't like what I made. I wonder how many of the other things I sent she has re-gifted through swaps. I wonder how many of the items she mailed me weren't even made by her. It is even more upsetting because the things I made are knitted and from what I remember, she didn't knit, only crocheted! So, obviously she didn't make them.

I am now done ranting. It just really bothered me. Above is the picture of what I sent her. I am not a cruel person and I am not going to upset the poor woman who received the package from my old swap partner because she seemed so excited about what she received. I will just tell her anonymously through my blog "You're Welcome!"

Does this deter me from joining another swap? Yes and no. I am sure there have been others who are sharing my feelings right now. I am just going to suck it up. There is too much joy and fun involved in swapping to let this ruin it for me.

An hour a day

Well, at least 45 mins. I am going to try to dedicate at least that amount of my lunch hour to knitting or crocheting for christmas presents! I feel that if I give at least 30 mins of the rest of the work days. I will have approximately 38 hours to get projects well on their way! Wish me luck. I have lot of things I would like to make. Not all of them can be brought into work. Unless they let me set up a sweat shop in the back room with my sewing machine, smelly glues and paint.

Here is what I started: