When Life Gives You Scraps...

If you are a sewer like me, I'm going to take a WILD guess that after you finish cutting out a project you stop for a minute and look at the scraps on the cutting table and ponder, "What can I do with those??"

Since a lot of what I make is cut on the bias, I have some pretty sizable pieces. So, I save them and they accumulate. Here's the ugly proof. (note: please do not call Horders)

Last week, I gave myself the challenge to use only scraps and make a couple new aprons - no pattern. It kind of felt like being on Project Runway! It was a lot of fun, and in digging through the scraps, I discovered some 'old friends' I had forgotten about.

The other brainstorm I had was to make a few dog bandannas. Here's a pic of Matt modeling his.

Next blog I'll show you a step-by-step on how to make a simple bandana, so check back for that.

Here are some shots of what I ended up with. They are quirky and fun, and my scrap box might have gone down by a sixteenth of an inch!

First up was some Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat fabric. Very 'boxy', and I could have placed the prints better - I give it a passing "C". Might be a fun teacher gift.

Next up was the Rubber Ducky print. I liked that the size of scraps allowed for bigger pieces, so the cuteness of the ducks shines through. I also got fancy on the pocket. Just a basic start, but I gathered the top with a little band. For added interest, I folded the contrast piece in half and tucked under the binding band (super easy trick to fancy things up). I give this one a B+ because of the pocket.

The pink one had the least amount of scrap available, so I paired it with a simple dot. This allows the scraps to be more focal. Then, I went a little crazy adding a jumbo ricrac accent at the hem.

I've had this reel of pink and lime trim forever, and added it to the top. Even though it's not a perfect match, it looks great.

For this pocket, I just did a simple foldover band on a square pocket, but added a pretty button just for fun.

I really like this one - it's different, a little unpredictable and has those elements of 'surprise.'

Now it's your turn - take the Scrapbox Apron Challenge, and send me some pics of how yours turned out!

Happy Sewing!