I decided to make this Woollypetals Mini Quilt Swap Extras Guide to help you know what to add to your swap package. This guide is for the Woollypetals Mini Quilt Swap 2023 but if you come across it for another swap I hope it can help you too.
Wow! That’s a lot of stuff. I wanted to show you a vast array of fun things that work in a swap package. In general I think swaps suggest 1-4 things added to the package as extras. Most say to not go crazy or send anything expensive. What works best is things you may have extras of. Something small that you use over and over again and love. A fun little kit or sticker.
Let’s break down what’s in the photo above.
3.5″ bloc loc / Cindy’s seam ripper / aurifil 12 wt. thread for embroidery or hand quilting / a needle grabber / pig pouch (pattern by woollypetals) and any pouch would do / a Quilty perler bead creations (get your kids involved) / smiley face sticker (Quilty sticker linked) / thread pin (similar linked) / stitch supply binding spool / hexagon flower / artwork / felt Butterly magnet kit / charm pack / heart garland (similar linked) / fat quarters.
I linked what I could in that picture. But some of the above are just things I have picked up here and there, created, or are not linkable. None of these links are affiliated. I just like spreading the love.
What to actually send
Below are several groupings of some of the stuff shared above. Broken down into a smaller group of what might be included in one package.
Keep the person you are sending to in mind. This little grouping could get sent off to someone that likes hand work. Maybe you noticed your recipient uses and makes Hexagon flowers a lot for quilt or to sew on projects. The little finger seam ripper is a fun easy tool to have close by for hand work too.
Maybe you noticed your recipient loves to sew quilts with HST’s of a certain size so a bloc loc ruler would be a great asset to them. Or they love pigs and to hand stitch so you make them a pig pouch ;) Some hand quilting thread is a fun addition to a package when someone likes to hand quilt a lot.
Sometimes it’s very apparent someone loves a certain animal, drink, or style. Which allows you to play with that obsession… ;) For example this group of extras could be for someone that loves squirrels, with cute squirrel art and some fat quarters with squirrels.
Shipping it all out
The goal with extras is to just to have fun. So don’t over due it and definitely don’t stress. Some people will send a lot of stuff and that’s okay, some people might not send any, and some will send a few. I think everyone in this swap is pretty amazing so will be happy with whatever comes their way. But if it’s your first swap or your not a big gift giver, keep it simple and stick to just a couple things that any quilter would love. Or you know for sure they would like based on your recipients info and Instagram.
Remember for the Woollypetals Mini Quilt Swap 2023 the goal is to send in a padded Priority envelope or a padded 9″ x 12″ envelope for those outside the US. So once your mini is in there not much else will fit.
Padded is best as it has a little extra protection from the outside world. Often it has some sort of plastic liner or the whole envelope is plastic which helps protect against the elements.
Feel free to wrap your items or not. I do recommend putting in a plastic bag (you can reuse a target bag) and separating any food or liquid items in separate bags from the mini quilt.
Lastly DON’T forget a card with your name, Instagram name, email. Any way you want your recipient to find you is good to write in that card.
A few more ideas
A few more things that could be fun extras: Please don’t forget to put any consumables or liquids in its own bag or separate from the mini quilt.
Drink gift card, tea bags, candy, sweet treat, notecards, small roll of binding, pins, thread, scissors, any small handmade item, patches, socks, pattern. There are so many options. Feel free to share what you’re sending in your stories or post on Instagram for others to see and to get input from your fellow swappers.
I hope you found a fun suggestion in this Woollypetals Mini Quilt Swap Extras Guide to add to your package.
Thanks so much for stopping by!