TLDR/Your commitment:
- Complete google form to sign up (due Oct 4)
- Browse maker profiles here (everyone participating will be listed by Oct 4)
- Pick your top 3 makers you want to trade with (due Oct 7) -- you'll only get matched with someone if you are mutually in each other's top 3 (I'll be in touch by Oct 12)
- Connect with your new friend to figure out the details of your trade! **You do not need to offer anything custom -- swapping from your current inventory is totally acceptable and cool and good!**
- You can choose to share details of your trade online or not -- the group will decide how public we want that bit to be :)
Hey fellow makers! I’m interested in hosting this maker-swap as a way for makers and creative businesses to connect with each other, hopefully make some new friends, perhaps score a gift for ourselves or someone on our list, and maybe even cross-promote each other’s businesses -- though participants do not need to be running a handmade business in order to participate and here’s why:
I’ve already heard from a handful of hobbyist makers who do not sell their stuff but want to have their chance at joining in the swap. Presently, I’m open to this, because it fits the spirit of sharing and gifting handmade wares and supporting artisans. Promoting the handmade businesses who are participating is obviously a key part of this idea, because I happen to run a handmade business and love it when people promote and support me in this endeavour. But not every skilled artisan turns their passion into a business, and by excluding non-businesses we miss out on great crafts and better connections. We all have something to contribute!
This all sounds great but here’s the thing: I don’t want anyone to feel obligated to participate in a trade that they aren’t really interested in doing. I’m not interested in this being a stale, contrived exchange. I want people to be genuinely excited about what they are receiving/sharing, so a random lottery-draw doesn’t feel like the best way to go about pairing folks up. I acknowledge that this also means that I might break some hearts if folks don’t find their match right away -- and I’m open to suggestions on how to make this process feel the best for everyone involved because I don’t actually want to break hearts. As someone who collects and gifts very intentionally, and whose core values include DISCOURAGING overconsumption, I don’t think I can understate the importance of enthusiastic consent in this process.
As I receive “entries” I’ll add them to the MAKER SWAP 2021 page so that everyone can have a chance to browse the participant profiles. Then we’ll set a date to choose our partners!
I’m super open to suggestions, but right now am thinking we do a ranked ballot: choose your top 3 trade partners, and if you’re a match -- I’ll put you in touch so that you can get to know each other and organize your swap. The ranked ballots will open up on October 4 and be due October 7. I'll hopefully have everyone in touch with their trade partner(s) by October 12, unless something unexpected comes up!
Click here to fill out the Google Form and sign up for our swap! Answers must be submitted by end of day October 4, 2021. If you aren't able to fill out the Google Form, please contact me (worthmending@gmail.com) for an alternative option.
Click here to browse participant profiles & see who you want to trade with!
Thanks so much for reading, I look forward to organizing this event and getting to know you!!
❤ Elysha
1 comment
I think this is a fantastic idea. As for how to run it, I’ve been to swaps where every item had a sign-up sheet, where you would list your name and what you wanted to trade for that item, then the items owner could look at the list and choose who they wanted to trade with (if any). I also have a barter group on FB (hibernating now bc covid) but there, people would make an album of what they had to trade with the approx value, then would post the kinds of things they were looking for (say kids clothes or pantry items or car wash…) if soneonecreaches out to trade again you could choose to accept or not. On rare occasions post comments would result in 3-way trades, which are fun. Not everyone will make a trade but it is fun to be part of.