Introducing Scrap Lab

Its so much fun to play with scraps or small pieces of fabric that you aren't quite sure what you want to do with, isn't it? I think we all find ourselves in that spot once in a while and sometimes get stuck as to how to best use those pieces.

It's so much more fun to work on it with friends, or with the inspiration of others don't you think? And its even better when you get to follow along with what others are doing with the same exact scraps. Usually, seeing what others do, sparks your own creative juices, doesn't it?

It really never ceases to amaze me when a couple of designers or quilters come together with the same exact materials and walk away with projects that are so vastly different from one another that you could barely recognize that they all started with the same thing! Its the process of creativity at its best. No two eyes will see those scraps and come up with the exact same thing. For me, its a fabulous thing to watch!

In this new feature column in the Quilts and More publication [Better Homes & Gardens publication] my friend Camille and I will be doing exactly that. We will be playing with scraps, we will be inviting some friends to come to play with us in each issue and we will be sharing it all with you in the hope that you too might come and play. Sound like fun?

Oh, yeah and we'll be doing it in the next 6 issues with every kind and style of fabric you can imagine! Let's just say that it will stretch and challenge not only us but also hopefully you as you play along and create with us. I think you might want to stay tuned as we do some fun contests and giveaways along the way!

First up, a fun little challenge with my Spring collection, Buttercup. For this project, Camille and I invited our friend and designer, Brenda, to see what she might come up with. She went outside the rules just a little by adding a little embellishment but we won't hold that against her! Love ya, Brenda!

So, the projects are….

Camille obviously had a little baby on the brain.

Brenda wanted something for her studio…

As for me, I wanted to use the entire charm pack in a simple way that we could use for the table right away…

Now you've seen what we did, I wonder what you might create with the same little bundle of yummies? Thoughts?

For those of you interested in playing, we have little kits of the ingredients we used for this challenge available here. You will also need to purchase the current, Summer 2011 issue of Quilts and More for all the patterns and the article.

Talk to you soon.