Secret Sisters Stitching Group - Anyone Interested?

I just read a very exciting post this morning written by The Inspired Stitcher on her delightful blog, the name of which is The Inspired Stitcher   : )   In this post she tells about her local cross stitching group & how every year they have a Secret Sisters group.  In early December each person wanting to participate fills out a questionnaire telling their stitching likes & listing their special dates (birthday, anniversary, etc).  Each person participating is assigned someone to randomly show stitching kindnesses to throughout the coming year starting in January & ending the following Christmas.  The gifts include things like floss, charts, fabrics, embellishments, something made by you, etc.  This is a secret group meaning you don't know who is sending things to you until the year's end at which time there is a  "big reveal" meeting.  At this meeting you bring a stitched ornament for your assigned person which tells her your identity at that time.  It's really cute the way The Inspired Stitcher's local group does this   : )

I have been hostessing Secret Sister, Secret Santa, & various exchange groups online since the early 1990s & have aways enjoyed doing so.  I am wondering if any of my followers would be interested in attempting such a group here on Blogger?

The rules would be simple.  You would be emailed a copy of your assigned person's questionnaire listing her special stitching likes, other interests she might have, & her special days.  You might receive a questionnaire that looks something like this ...

_______________________________

Mary Smith
123 Snowfall Lane
Mountain View, AK  98765

Phone:  123-456-7890
Blog:  abcdefghijk.blogspot.com

Birthday:  1/1/60
Anniversary:  2/2/80

Pets:  1 cat, 2 dogs

Crafting Passion:  Cross Stitching

Other Crafting Interests:  Rug hooking, punchneedle

Crafting Likes:  DMC floss, counted linen fabric, wool felt squares, 100% cotton fabric

Other Likes/Collections:  Pinkeeps, buttons, snowmen, gingerbread men

Favorite Colors:  Burgundy, gold, dark blue

Allergies:  Scented candles

_______________________________

Throughout the year you would send a little package with a gift or two to your assigned person.  There is no set time you would be sending these things but you wouldn't want too much time to go by without sending something ... no longer than 2 months.  Of course birthdays should always be remembered.  The most important thing, whatever you send, is to pay attention to what she has written on her questionnaire & to send things like you would want to receive.  Things that are clean, unused, well made, etc.  There will be no set amount that you should spend on these items.  That is entirely up to you.  Do remember, however, that old adage ... "tis better to give than to receive."  This is a group you would be a part of in order to bring joy into someone else's life every now & then ... not a group where your main interest is "what am I gonna get."

If you sign up for this group, it is a year-long commitment.  Don't sign up if you are not going to follow through.  This group is open to all my cross stitch followers.  I think I know all of you well enough to know you will all follow through with your commitments.  

The question always comes up ... how can I keep my identity secret?  This person might realize who I am because she might be familiar with where I live.  This actually rarely happens.  Some people get a bit creative when they mail their packages.  They use a friend's or relative's return address on the package, create a special email account so they can correspond with their assigned person, &/or make up a fake name.  I have had people who travel or know someone who does & they mail their packages from a variety of places.  On the rare times that people have figured out who is sending things to them, it really hasn't mattered.  You wouldn't want your person to know that you have realized who they are though ... let them have their fun   : )

Are any of my cross stitching followers interested in participating in a group such as this?  If so, just post a comment here saying you would be interested.  If I get enough interest, we can get started.  I'll see where we stand on Saturday morning, December 10th, & that will determine whether this will happen or not.