As quilters, it's a given, that we all have a bin, a drawer or even bags of fabric scraps!🙋‍♀️🤦‍♀️

These scraps are inevitable byproduct of our creative work. Thankfully, the internet and quilting magazines are filled with advice on how we can use them. People are so creative! There's really no end to the projects we can make... everything from scrunchies to pin cushions to collage quilting! It's also somewhat reassuring that if the scraps get out of hand, we can always donate them to a kids camp, classroom or charity.😅

To be honest, I love my scraps. They are an integral part of my creative process, and I look through my bins EVERY SINGLE TIME I begin a new landscape. There are a few reasons for this, and it's only in recent years that I've really been able to pin down why I am drawn to them as a part of my early creative work flow (see what I did there😉📍).    

The first reason I reach for scraps is that I know that concealed in these fabric bins are colour combinations and past fabric decisions that can lead me to something new and beautiful. Grabbing a few bits to start that I know I have loved together before is like finding a little group of puzzle pieces still assembled in the box - a treat left behind from the last person who pieced it!🧩 I've realized I don't need to recreate the wheel each and every time. Combinations don't have to be completely new, and I find that by reworking some of my favourites with new additions and a fresh layout, I can significantly speed up the design process.

To add to that, there is some science behind the tactile benefits of our scrap bins. Sorting the fabrics, folding, ironing or collaging a few bits together provides the brain some quiet downtime where it can begin to work on planning and solving design problems. I often find myself ironing out a small pile of scraps as part of my early creative process. According to the American Psychological Association, mind-wandering can help allow creative ideas to flow, and honestly, there is no better way to let my mind wander than to smooth out some fabric remnants, remembering projects of the past.🥰🧵

I've heard the trick to get rid of writer's block is to write every day - even if you don't feel like it. There is definitely some truth to how creativity is sparked by simply beginning, and if you are ever struggling with where to begin, look at your scraps. Running my hands through fabric bits is a surefire way to trick my brain into thinking "We've started!"😀 Once the creative part of my brain takes over, the enjoyment of piecing and sewing a new landscape is a certainty.💗