Longtime readers of this blog know that my cardinal rule of blogging is that I offer original content rather than tell you about something interesting that someone else is doing. HOWEVER, I’m suspending that rule for the duration of the Repeat fabric design competition at theprintedbolt.com because you’ve just GOT to click over there to see the first round of submissions!

The competition is set up as a series of challenges based on a theme. The theme of the first challenge is Tiny Dwellings. Each designer designs a motif based on the theme and the submissions are charming and inspiring. I’m kind of glad that we’re slated to judge the last challenge and not the first because it will be harder for this month’s judges to choose from among such a large group of nice designs.

And allow me, if you will, to extol this very democratic form of commerce.  Say what you want about the internet and the problems it has created in the world. What I love, love, love about Repeat and opportunities like it is that it’s all about the merit of the work. There’s no producers stirring up drama among the contestants. There’s no product placement and there’s no who-knows-whom. It’s about talent and talent alone. Competitions like this raise the bar for all designers, including Bill and me. Mostly I hope the fabric manufacturers will take note of the tremendous talent out there. These people may not have books, popular blogs or huge followings but they have talent and they deserve fabric lines of their own. All of these designs will be printed on demand over at Spoonflower with 50% of the profits going to the designers. So get clicking!