SBQ: Choosing Exchanges

Today's

Stitching Bloggers' Question

was suggested by Ish and is:

How do you choose a project for an exchange? Do you pick solely on what you know of the taste of the recipient or are there other reasons you pick the piece you do?

It depends on

1. Do I know the person, and if so, how well?
2. How good wish list they have?
3. How broad likes/ dislikes list they have?
4. How many WIPs you can find from their blog (if they blog - I prefer stitching blogger exchanges as with them it's always easier to choose)?

Sometimes I choose the colour based on my recipient's blog colours, or if they have listed their favourite colours I choose according to them, and if it's obvious that my recipient likes certain style and I have suitable design/ I know suitable design (and I can afford to buy it) I will, of course, stitch it - taking that it strikes my stitching fancy at least a bit.
Of course there are moments when you can't deduce what your recipient might like. In those cases I try to choose something neutral (politically correct with generally liked colours) which I would like and just hope for the best.
When it comes to finishing the piece I go with either their wish list (Sometimes person's wish list reveals that they have blooming addiction for something), a hunch or what the design calls for.