Putting Together a FibreShare Box

Fibreshare is an online community of fiber lovers and crafters that organizes international fiber/yarn swaps. The only requirement for participating (aside from signing up) is to send your match at least 200 grams of fibre by the deadline. The organizers carefully match everyone up and you receive two partners, one you send to and one who sends to you. It's a great way to meet new people, experience new fibre, and learn new things. I'm having so much fun putting together my box for the current share that I thought I would document it :-)

FibreShare seems to run twice a year. Sign up for their news & announcements at www.fibreshare.org and follow them on Instagram to find out when the next sign up's happen. When sign ups open, you pay a $7 fee (which basically goes towards covering the costs of replacement boxes should something happen) and fill out some questions about the type of fiber artist you are and what you are into. This info helps the organizers match partners.

After sign ups close, the organizers work on matching partners and then send out emails in batches letting everyone know who they are sending a gift to and their fiber responses, as well as who is sending you a box.

FibreShare isn't a secret santa, you're supposed to know who is gifting to you and vise versa AND it's encouraged to get in contact and get to know each other.

The first time I participated I found putting the box together to be a lot of fun once I started with a box. I noticed on Instagram that a lot of people decorate the outside of their boxes as they fill it and post teaser pictures.

I've been working hard to select fibers that I think my partner will enjoy, based on the info she provided. I know she prefers raw fibre (unwashed) so I'm selecting a few ounces of harder-to-get fibres like Dartmoor, to send to her. She also likes locks, so Im sending her some of the various longwool breeds I have. I also plan to include stitch markers, probably some local coffee, and other knick knacks. I use plastic bags to separate and label all of the fibre.

Throughout the process it's fun to post teaser pics of what is going in the box you'll send. The first three pictures are of the box I sent during the Spring 2017 round. Along with over 200 grams of fibre I sent, I ordered some swag from FibreShare's Etsy shop to include.

Again, I noticed people on Instagram posting teaser pics of fabulously wrapped packages they were putting into their box. I start by just figuring out what I'm going to send and then wrapping it as I go. I also include a note explaining what is what, where it came from, business cards for the fibre, and other goodies I can find.

Someone else is gifting to you, so when you receive your box o' goodies, it's only polite to thank the sender---which is generally done via social media. This was the box I received the first time I participated, along with fiber, I was sent home grown ground coffee and turmeric which I've been using for dyeing.

The second picture is the thank you I received from my first match.