Raz-a-ma-taz

RAZ-A-MA-TAZ!!  I like that word.  I like how the z's just bounce off my tongue when I say it.  I like the smile it puts on my face.  I like the feeling it gives me. And I like how it has no meaning what so ever. 

I say it has no meaning because I can't find it in my dictionary.  But it does mean something. It's just that it has different meanings to different people. 

The last time I saw the word on anything was on a neon sign for a club in my hometown.  I was never in the club but I imagine lots of glitter and neon lights and loud music.  I think Raz-a-ma-taz when I see my metallic pinwheel tied to my front porch  railing reflecting the 5:00 sun in the afternoon as the breeze twirls it.

To me  Raz-a-ma-taz means light.  It means lots of color, bright solid colors in quilts.  It means buttons, feathers, metallic trim and sequins embellishing those quilts.  It means a new contemporary pattern that is done simply to emphasize all of it.  The idea of light bouncing off the trim and fabric makes me smile just like the word makes me smile.

Raz-a-ma-taz - what does it mean to you?  What do you think of when you hear the word?  What feelings come from you when you say it?  What is in your life that makes you think Raz-a-ma-taz?

Think about it.  And when you find your Raz-a-ma-taz, fill your life with it.  Get as much of it as you can.  It's the only way to live.

© 2017 – Cheryl Fillion

What if I….

Have you ever been working on something and thought what if I changed the color or the arrangement or the technique or the place or or or. Did you follow your ‘What if I’?   I bet most discoveries or inventions were made as a result of someone saying what if I.  I find the most creative results and most interesting adventures when I follow what if I….    

About nine years ago I hear a request on the radio to join an American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event with that station’s on-air staff.  I thought ‘what if I called them?”  I ended up joining the relay team and have been relaying ever since.  I even get some of the college students I teach involved in the Relay for Life.

There is an organization here in Tyler, Texas called Art of Peace.  Every September they have a week of events that promote diversity, the arts, community involvement and, of course, peace.  One year they had an activity to do a mural on the town’s square.  I thought “what if I went?”  There I met the manager of a local Farmers Market and I have been involved with them ever since.  In fact that is where I have the Kid’s Craft event every month (Check my blog post “Kid’s Crafts at the Farmers Market”)

Another ‘ What if I’  led me to wonder what would happen if I made a picture with my mini yoyos and found a cross stitch pattern of a heart and by replacing a cross stitch with a yoyo came up with my heart doily.

                                                                        Red yoyo heart

A few years ago I learned to weave on a pot holder loom with yarn instead of the potholder loops.   I wondered what if I made a doll with this potholder shape.  I fumbled with the shape a bit, slept on the idea (I get great ideas as I drift off to sleep) and ended up with a little tube shaped doll.  Let me introduce you to Weavy.

Purple Weavy

In thinking about writing this post, I tried to come up with some time when I answered the “What if I..” call and the idea didn’t work out.  The only thing I could come up with was the one time I combined some gazpacho soup (which is a chilled soup) with the chili mac I was making.  Gazpacho has tomatoes, onions, and green peppers in it.  Not bad for chili (maybe not conventional but not bad).  But it also has cucumbers.  Yeah, cooked cucumbers; not my best idea.

So the next time “What if I…” comes to your mind while creating something, follow it and see where it leads (unless it leads to cucumbers in a chili then ignore it).  Right now I have some “What if I…”s in the works, I will let you know how they turn out.  Stay tuned.

©2017 Cheryl Fillion 

String Quilt Tutorial

I like sewing string quilts.  You can use any width of a fabric strip. The pieces don’t have to be cut precisely.  The choice of fabric color or design is random (although you can plan your design if you want).  It uses all types of fabric. And you are able to use up scraps.

The only thing that needs to be consistent is your paper or fabric foundations.  You can use any size or shape as long as it can be sewn together with other string blocks  or fabric pieces (like corner blocks – that will be another blog post) to make a square.  For this tutorial I am going to use an 8 ½ inch square of copy paper.  You can use any paper, even ones with printing on it (I usually recycle old exams from the classes I teach at a local college).  You just need to make sure that they can easily be torn.

Foundation paper

Since the paper is going to be torn away from the sewn fabric, you might want to make sure you use tiny stitches.  If you use bigger stitches, they will pull out when you pull off the paper and you don’t want that.

If you are using a fabric foundation, this will remain with the sewn strings.  No tearing involved.  You do want to make sure it is pre-washed cotton fabric.  Make sure the foundation fabric is light in color so the color or design of it doesn’t show through a light colored string.  Also make sure it is pre-washed so if you are using a colored fabric for the foundation, the dye won’t bleed into the strings when you launder the quilt.

I found that adding a seam allowance to the foundation is helpful.  I usually add a ½ inch.  But one suggestion I read is to make the foundation one inch bigger so after it is sewn you can cut it to the desired size.

Often when I use a foundation, I start in the middle and work my way to the edges.  And when using a square foundation, I like sewing the strings on the diagonal.  I just think it looks more interesting.

I always start the first piece wide enough to cover the corners of the square.  I think if a seam is sewn at the corner, it makes that corner weak and likely to pull apart as you sew it to other blocks. You want to lay this string face up on the foundation.

Fabric string on foundation paper

I also pin the first piece in place when I am working with a long string.  This way as your sewing, the string doesn’t move and get puckered.

Pins on string

The next step is to find the next string you want.  Try to make it a contrast in color and design from your first string.  Otherwise the two fabrics will blend together and look like one.

Second string added

Once you found the piece lay it face down on top of your first fabric.  Take it to the sewing machine and sew up the edge. I usually extend the fabric off the paper so if it does move a bit it won’t leave any of the foundation paper exposed.  You can pin it in place before sewing if you want.  (Hint: - I also found that it is easier to work with the fabric if the strings are ironed but that is not a hard and fast rule as you will iron them as you sew.)

                                   

Strings sewn

foundation paper side of seam

              

 Now is where you do want to iron to press the strings open and in place.   (Hint: Be careful if you are using paper with ink on it for example, newspaper, phone books or old exams.  Sometimes as you iron the ink will rub off on your iron and get the face of your iron dirty.)

I used two pieces which were close to the same width but you don’t have to do that, you can use even very narrow fabrics.  Depending on the size of the foundation, widths from 3” or less can be used.  (I might not use anything less than ¾” as the seam allowance will use all of the fabric up in the piecing.) And remember since this is being sewn on a foundation, you don’t have to worry about the grain of the fabric; the foundation will keep it from stretching. 

More strings added

This also means you can use whatever type of fabric you want: cotton, polyester, rayon, flannel, or knits. The foundation paper or fabric will keep it all in place.  Right now for this block I am using cottons or cotton polyester blends because that is what I have available in my stash.

Remember this is a scrappy quilt so you want lots of variety in color and prints.  This is also a quilt where you can color coordinate combining two colors like red and green for Christmas or three such as red, white and blue for a patriotic quilt.  Right now I am working on a quilt where each block is a different color scheme to give it a rainbow look.

Continue adding the strips until you have covered the entire foundation paper.  Trim any excess fabric to the edge of the foundation and just for an added bit of stability, I stay stitch around the edge of the block to stabilize it more.    

Finished block
                    

You now have a string quilt block. You can remove the paper now when there is  just the individual blocks or wait until you have the quilt altogether.  Make as many as you need to make the size quilt you want and arrange them in any way you want.  You can put them so the diagonals go in the same direction.  

Block diagonal going the same direction

Or arrange the diagonals so they make a diamond type pattern.  Or even arrange them so they make an X type pattern.   

Diamond layout

X style layout

                               

I sure hope you try the string quilt.  It’s a lot of fun and it can help you

get rid of that stash of fabric you might have.  

©  2017  Cheryl E. Fillion

The Bucket List – Plan it

So you have decided to do one item off your Bucket List.  Great, this is when the fun begins.

A great way to plan it is to imagine your ideal Bucket List item.  What do you need for your item to be perfect?  Where would it be? Who would be with you?  When would you do it? If it is appropriate, what would the food be?  Imagine every detail about your Bucket List item.

In another blog post I mentioned wanting to go to Door County, Wisconsin.  For it to be perfect for me; I wanted to rent a cottage by the water and in a town with a quilt shop I could visit.  At that time, this was the village of Sister Bay, Wisconsin.

Now when do you want to do your item?  People work better if they have a deadline.  Deadlines help with plans.  You need deadlines to make any arrangements, secure any reservations, etc.. Remember none of these plans are set in stone.  You can change anything and everything.  

The next step is to get support.  This was most important to me. Tell people about your Bucket List item.  They may be able to help with ideas, with contacts, with finances and most important, enthusiasm.  People want others to succeed and you will be surprised how excited they will be for your Bucket List.

For me my support group helped me with raising money for my trip.  At the time I was working at a quilt shop that did machine quilting.  Many people brought me quilts to do and asked that the money go to my trip. When I could, I honored their request.  Two friends in Wisconsin were my chauffeur and tour guide since they had both lived in Door County.  And many friends gave me ideas.  Since I was renting a cottage, I had to bring my own sheets.  The bed in the cottage was king size.  Since I only had a full size bed, friends lent me sheets to take.

No matter what your Bucket item is, you will probably need money for it.  So how much do you need?  Is travel and lodging involved?  Do you need lessons for your item?  Do you need ingredients or supplies?  Remember to think outside the box.  What else are you going to need? 

For me, I would be traveling during a time I usually taught a summer session at the college. So I not only needed money for travel, lodging, food, and souvenirs but I needed money to pay the bills since I was losing the teaching income while taking this trip.  Will that be a similar situation for you? 

What else do you need to complete your bucket item?  If you are going to skydive, do you need lessons?  If your item is running a marathon, how do you start your training?  If you want to try a new recipe, where do you get your ingredients?  Make sure you set this in motion.  The earlier you prepare for your item, the better your item will be.

All these things will help your bucket item become the perfect one you imagine.  And as you plan out your Bucket List adventure, you are actually making your item become a reality.  Part of the fun is in the planning.

Now get on with your Bucketing.

©2017 – Cheryl Fillion