ROBOTS!!!

Here are a few shots of our new Robot Workstations. Thanks to Peter for all of his work on getting these up and running!

The Kit includes a computer running freeDOS, special software, two stepper motors, a solderless breadboard, IC chips and other electronic bits, a custom connector cable and instructions on how to build your very own ROBOT!! All for only $50, mega cheap!

These kits are designed so that once you understand the basic concepts you may alter and customize your robot, you can add on more pieces, you can change the software, you can start breaking open old electronics and start building new creations from them... The world is your robotic oyster!

These are perfect for anyone looking to learn about electronics, computer science, and robotics in a real world way. You start with a real computer, you create real electronics from scratch, connect real motors and run real software to talk to them. There is no better way to learn all these concepts than to put them in motion (you can even make them sparkly like we did!)

To check out a working example station just come by the Scrap Exchange and see it in action!

Don't forget our Fall Warehouse Fabric Sale!

We are busy here at Scrap Exchange setting up for our next warehouse fabric sale. Our preview sale for members of our Friend's Club is Friday October 23 from 5 pm to 7 pm. (Not a Friend's Club member yet? You can purchase a membership at the door on Friday.) And our public sale is Saturday October 24 from 10 am to 1 pm. Our warehouse is located above our retail store, with an entrance off Rigsbee St.

Have you been to one of our warehouse fabric sales before? Then we hope to see you again! Never been to one? Then don't miss this one! This sale is worth the drive if you live outside the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area.

During our warehouse fabric sale we open up our warehouse and let you shop from all the fabric overstock that we store up there. And we offer this fabric at amazing deep discount prices - even LOWER than our everyday low prices in the store. We have rolls of fabric, designer fabric samples, fabric cutaways and scraps from manufacturers, fabric sample books and more.

If you love to sew, quilt, design or create with fabric, don't miss our warehouse sale. These fabric bargains just can't be beat!

Swap-O-Rama Rama!

The Swap in Raleigh on September 5th was great, thanks so much to everyone who participated!

We thought we'd post some pictures so people who haven't been able to make it yet can see what goes on at one of our Swaps.

Of course the main point of our Swap-O-Rama Ramas is to put clothes that are languising in closets back into circulation -- so all of us can get new (to us) stuff!




But it’s also to promote “creativity over consumerism.”

So we have stations for ...






And even a station where you can turn clothes into wall art (thanks, Ruth!).



It’s all tons of fun.

You can take whatever you like from whatever other swappers have brought in, and wear it as-is or bring it over to one of the stations for further embellishments.

We have staff and volunteers on hand to help with the sewing and screenprinting ...




And we have other fun stuff going on like a raffle...


And a fashion runway for swapper to show off their finds and creations.



It's awesome!

Board Member Blog by Jenna

I joined the Scrap Exchange Board in August 2008 and immediately felt like I needed to have more creativity in my life. I started poking around in the store and thinking about what I could make and quite frankly, I got overwhelmed by the possibilities. I had heard about the yearly warehouse fabric sale and decided to check it out in October 2008.

When I got there and I started searching through the bins of fabric, it came to me - pillows - I would make pillows for our bed. I was not deterred by the fact that I had never made a pillow before or that I had no idea how much fabric I would need. I picked out my fabric, got it home, and proceeded to do absolutely nothing with it until July 2009.

Why did it take so long? I got busy. I found other “projects” that needed doing. The truth is I was missing a key piece of knowledge to make my pillow dream a reality. I know how to do basic sewing but I had no idea how to put in a zipper. I waited to see my mom in California so that she could teach me how to do it. Once I knew how to put in a zipper, there was no stopping me. In one afternoon, I was able to make three pillows for our bed.

I must say, I love them. I think what I love even more is that I was able to make some beautiful things I look at everyday with $5 worth of fabric that, if not for the Scrap Exchange, would have ended up in the landfill. So if you have a pillow dream or any other dream that involves fabric (or really anything else), you should definitely check out the Scrap Exchange before you head anywhere else.

Thanks, Part One

Just a quick “Thank You” to everyone who participated in the Swap-O-Rama Rama in Raleigh on Saturday 9/5 -- sorters, greeters, designers, silkscreeners, national Swap sponsors Singer (who provided sewing machines for use for the day) and Yudu (who provided silkscreen machines and screens), our host Marbles Kids Museum, and last but not least, everyone who came to swap!

We took lots of great pictures and will put some up soon.

Thank you, everyone!!

The Scrap Exchange on WRAL

The Scrap Exchange was featured on today's “Here to Help” segment about resources for helping people get through the down economy. Here’s the link.

(One thing to note... The Swap-O-Rama is mentioned in the story but we just want to be clear that it is a clothing swap with a creative arts component. Please bring a bag of clothes, and take whatever clothes you like from what other swappers have brought in. We’ll have materials and tools on hand to use in altering and embellishing your new finds. No need to bring store donations!)

Swap-O-Rama Rama in Raleigh!

September 5, 11am to 4pm
in the Zanzibar Room at Marbles Kids Museum

Hey Swap fans in Raleigh -- here's your chance to experience a Swap-O-Rama Rama without having to drive to Durham!

As a follow-up to our spring Swap, we're heading over to Raleigh in September to give the folks over there their very own Swap.

If you haven't been to one of these before, it's an amazing, low-cost way to completely overhaul your wardrobe and promote creativity over consumerism.

Just show up at the door with $10 (suggested donation) and any size bag of any type of clothing (men's, women's, children's, shoes, accessories, etc.) and take whatever you like from items that other swappers have brought in.

We’ll have DIY stations for sewing, painting, screenprinting, and embellishing your finds along with other fun activities throughout the day. (We'll be posting more details here as we get everything finalized.)

Our events are part of a national network of Swap-O-Ramas created by artist Wendy Tremayne. You can visit the Swap-o-Rama Rama website for a great overview of the Swap-O-Rama phenomenon and more information about it.

Special thanks to the Singer Sewing Company for providing sewing machines for use at the Swap. Thank you, Singer!!