How to Find the Perfect Scissors for Free-Cutting

One of the hallmarks of a well constructed fused art quilt is the quality of your edges. In fusing, edges of fabric shapes need not be covered with stitching by machine or by hand. This means that when you create art with fused applique, your edges may be seen.

(It's sort of like that old adage of wearing clean underwear- you always want to appear at your best no matter the circumstances.)

One place I store my scissors and rotary cutters. (I really must clean off this table.)

To achieve really clean cut edges on your design elements, use really sharp tools. Sharp, comfortable scissors are so important to the fuser. Dull scissors fray the edges of fabric shapes and fatigue your hands.

My favorite pair of scissors right now is the 5" knifeblade scissors by Kai. Why you ask?

• Because they maintain their sharp cutting edge for a long time.
• They are sharp from the base of the blade to the tip.
• The blade length is just right for cutting small dots and other free-cut shapes in one clean cut.
• And most importantly, the handle fits comfortably around my gigantic thumb

Just a quick note to mention that Leaf of Faith from Gayle of Michigan is our winner of yesterday's Name That Quilt Contest. Congratulations Gayle. I'll send you a lovely gift soon.

Name This Quilt and Win a Friend for Life

Housing Department #25

OK I admit it. I'm out of names for my little quilts. Usually I will start a series and just list them as 1, 2, 3, etc.
Housing Department quilts are a good example of a series of quilts that numbered in the high 20's.

Betty's Bloomers #16

Then there was the Betty's Bloomers series named for one of my sisters. (The "bloomers" part is a joke about underwear but no one else seemed to get it......even Betty.)

But for this series of leaf quilts I'm stumped. Can you help? I'll give a prize to whom ever comes up with a title I can live with. Only 1 rule: it can't be over 3 words long. Thanks!

And our winner is.......Gayle of Michigan for Leaf of Faith. Thanks Gayle!

9 Art Quilters You Should Know

Trish, Frieda, and Emily, fan dancers

Chicago is a real hotbed for art quilters. Recently 9 of us gathered at my house for lunch, laughter, and a celebration of the Annual Girls of May party. (Emily Parson, Ann Lullie, Frieda Anderson, and myself share the lovely month of May for our birthdays.)

Barb Vlack presented us all with fans fused with various designs

With the exception of Emily (who sensibly has young children and a thriving hand dyed yarn business) we are all traveling quilt teachers.

Judy reacting to a hilarious story

Each has their specialties and hilarious stories about teaching on the road, exhibiting work, and making art.

Anne Lullie telling her hilarious story

So it was really hard to get a word in edgewise!

Ann Fahl enjoying the telling of the hilarious story

But it was delightful to be with them even if I couldn't follow every conversation because they were all taking at once!

Jane Sassaman finally getting a word in edgewise

If you'd like to talk to one of the notorious 9 from the Chicago area and think you can get a word in edgewise here's where to find them:
Judy Coates Perez teaches painting on fabric
Trish Williams teaches art quilts
Frieda Anderson teaches machine quilting, fused art quilts, and design
Ann Fahl teaches machine quilting and design
Jane Sassaman teaches quilt design and creates fabric designs
Anne Lullie teaches fused art quilts and design
Barb Vlack teaches Electric Quilt
Emily Parson is owner of Sofie's Toes, hand dyed yarns
And me, Laura Wasilowski teaching fused art quilts, design, and most importantly, the lyrics to the Chicago School of Fusing Fight Song

Gardening Tip #4: Attract Local Fauna to Your Garden

Winter in Illinois has not been kind to my collection of garden birdhouses. They usually decorate the back fence or are artfully scattered around the garden. Sadly, the dilapidated structures are in need of repair or in many cases, replacement.

Yes! I love shopping for new birdhouses!

With any luck I'll find some birdhouses that look like this. Something bright and festive and sure to attract interesting birds with a flare for design.

It's so important to keep your garden spruced up for visiting creatures like the local raccoon family or odd skunk or two. And a sure way to keep them coming back is to decorate the garden with something colorful like the decorative birdhouse.

Gardening Tip #3: Beware the Creeping Greenery

Here you see my innocent watering can sitting calmly by a healthy stand of ferns. What you don't know is that soon the ferns will surround the poor little watering can and hide it from me for the rest of the summer.

Here you see an innocent watering can with a few sneaky morning glories slowly creeping up on it. Soon the nasty morning glories will kidnap the watering can and hide it from me for the rest of the summer.

I lose more watering cans this way.

So this is my warning to you: gardening is dangerous work, beware the creeping greenery. And be thankful you aren't a watering can.

Gardening Tip #2: How to Foil a Rabbit

Having trouble with the local lettuce thieves in your garden? I have found that rabbits are a huge pest. But here's a solution that doesn't involve firearms and makes you feel really smart too.

Plant the lettuces in pots. Then put the pots on a table. Then hire a rabbit seeking dog to guard the table. Cause, trust me, those rascally rabbits will find a way to get that lettuce.

Red Wheelbarrow

In the ideal gardening world your garden would look like this. A sweet red wheelbarrow glides through the neat rows. The sun shines. Birds sing overhead. And all the rabbits are chowing down at the neighbors house.

Gardening Tip #1: Conversing with Squirrels

Every year we plant geraniums in our blue pots on the front porch. Sure there's some argument over color choice and where to place the pots. But our biggest problem is the squirrels. Squirrels think freshly planted flower pots are prime real estate for underground storage.

I'd like to talk to a squirrel and find out just what he's thinking.

Geraniums from Gus

Fortunately, I have a quilt with geraniums that can be viewed year round. (Hah! Take that you dumb squirrel!)

Geraniums from Gus is part of an alphabet series that I started long ago and is based upon my annual Mother's Day gift from my children, garden flowers.

How to Tuesday: Back to Fusing Basics

Making pattern with a bunch of fused fabrics.

If you ever take a class from me, the first thing we do (after complaining about traffic) is to review some basic information about fusing. Most of you have worked with fusible web, but here's a quick refresher to help you fuse like a pro.

• Wash the fabric to remove starches or sizing that will interfere with the bonding process.
• Don’t use fabrics with a permanent press or other finish. These finishes will interfere with the bonding process.
• Use a hot (cotton setting) iron that has no water in it. Even if the steam function is off, water in the iron will make the glue take longer to set up.
• Make sure the iron is up to temperature. If it’s an automatic shut-off iron, bring it up to the cotton setting again. (This drives me nuts!)
• Place the fabric down and the paper on top (glue side to fabric). The iron should be touching the paper not the fabric. This way you get better heat transfer.
• Iron to the edge and corners of the fabric and beyond. You must touch every inch of the paper with the hot iron.
• Glide the iron across the surface of the paper, don’t place it. If you place it you will miss areas and the glue won’t transfer.
• Iron for 5-7 seconds across the fabric to the edge and beyond.
• If the fused  fabric ripples, it isn’t a problem. The fabric will ease out after the paper is removed.
• Always let the fabric cool before removing the paper. Depending on the humidity in the air, this could take from 5 minutes to 30 minutes.

Intrepid students going to the edge and beyond.

Wondering what the most difficult rule to follow is? It's the ironing to the edge and beyond. That's why we practice this in class with a little interpretive dance.

Why You Should Live Here

When I retire I shall live in this lovely Artist Village. Imagine the block parties!
Last year my friend Kathy York asked several artists to participate in creating a 3D village of fabric homes. Each artist was to make it in their own style. Apparently this is my style:

Hat House

One of the criteria for making the house for the Artist Village was that it had to fold flat for shipping. Not only does Hat House fold flat, it is reversible! (Giving new meaning to a reversible mortgage.)

Here you see the interior of the house which has cats left over from some other forgotten project. When this side is out, it's a Cat House.

Hat House is made up of 2 pieces of Timtex covered with fused fabrics. The Timtex shapes sort of roll to form conical shapes and are held into shape with Velcro strips. It's a miracle of engineering discovered while fooling around with scraps of Timtex and an extra cup of coffee.

May also be used as a hat. How Fetching!

Here are the other artists and the dates their work appeared on their blogs. Check them out!

Susan Else (website)                       May 2

Frances Holiday Alford                   May 3

Pamela Allen (website)                    May 4

Frieda Anderson                             May 5

Lisa Call                                         May 6

Jane Davila                                     May 9

Naomi Adams                                May 10

Jamie Fingal                                   May 11

Barb Forrister                                May 12

Vickie Hallmark                             May 13

Connie Hudson                              May 16

Leslie Jenison                                 May 17

Sherri McCauley                            May 18

Judy Perez                                     May 19

Melanie Testa                                May 20

Kathy York                                   May 24

Guest Artist: Musical Quilt

Guitar Town by Beverly (photo by Sheri O'Neal)

Our guest artist this week is Beverly, who attend my workshop last August in Berea, Ky. Using some of the techniques she learn in class and a few improvised ideas of her own, Beverly made a quilt for Re-Tune Nashville, a project benefiting musicians and their families who were affected by the devastating May 2010 flood. Each artist was given an instrument that had been ruined by flood waters and asked to create art from the wreckage.

Beverly received the back of an acoustic guitar, and created this wonderful quilt, Guitar Town. It brought $250 in the silent auction! Congratulations Beverly!

Singing with the Zaragoza Quilters

View of the Basilica del Pilar from the Ebro River

My final destination in Spain was the historic city of Zaragoza located between Madrid and Barcelona. As a favorite stomping ground for the Roman Empire, the Berbers and Arabs, and the Aragonese, Zaragoza is a well tended city with way too much to see. Whether its the Roman ruins or the Aljaferia Palace, this sweet little city packs in a lot of history.

Asun, my lovely hostess.

Zaragoza is also the home of my friend, Asun, who invited me to teach her group of enthusiastic and friendly quilters. Asun represents Spain in the European Quilt Association, acted as my translator, and makes beautiful quilts. She also has an infectious giggle.

Asun's mother and expert stitcher.

The fearless chicas made delightful little casitas in the Tiny Homes class and flower quilts in the Stitch after Fusing class.

The talented Zaragoza quilters.

 I am so grateful to Asun for introducing me to this wonderful group of quilters. They impressed me with their abilities at hand embroidery and their willingness to sing and dance to the Chicago School of Fusing Fight Song.

This is not easy. It really endeared them to me.

Where to Get Your Flamenco Costume in Madrid

Madrid during the day. At 3 AM  it's busier.

 Our next stop in Spain is the bustling city of Madrid. The beautiful architecture is overwhelming as is the choice of museums, shops, and nightlife. I don't recall ever being in bed before 1:00 am.

Relaxing with 3 ladies of Spain

And yet I managed to make it to my second set of Tools of the Trade classes. Students arrived from all over Spain and attended the workshop in the spacious classroom of Bordelay's headquarters. Here you see me with my friends Inma, Rosario, and Catalina exhausted from too much fusing and too much Madrid.

18th century kitchen from Valencia, National Museum of Decorative Arts

A free day exploring the city yielded a visit to the National Museum of Decorative Arts where I found my dream kitchen. Then we hit the textile district somewhere between Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor. At last I was in my element!

 There were dozens of little shops dedicated to ribbon, trim, buttons, lace, and of course fabric. The shops were crowded with dedicated sewers and a few tourists walking around in disbelief.

Flamenco dresses in just your size

Nearby were shops for you to find that perfect flamenco costume. (Not sure where the Spanks shop was located.) And around the corner from that, the premier shop for purchasing your husband's matador outfit. Ole!

Please return tomorrow to meet my friend Asun and to tour of the lovely city of Zaragoza.

Come Meet the Friendly Spanish Quilters

I have so many fond memories of my recent trip to Spain to share with you. Thanks to Rosario Casanovas for hosting my 2 day class at her shop near the lovely little town of St. Feliu de Boada, Girona.  Here is the picturesque, Can Barrull where we stayed. What a wonderful place to begin a tour of Spain!

Can Barrull in St. Feliu de Boada

The Spanish quilters are so friendly and talented! For 2 days, they fused and stitched quilts from the Tools of the Trade series of sewing implements. Some made individual quilts and some combined different tools to make larger quilts.

Talented Spanish quilters at Rosario's shop

It's true I couldn't follow all the conversations. But the themes remain the same no matter where you are from: family, fabric, and funny things too delicate to mention here.

Alex hard at work in the classroom above the shop.

From her involvement with the Spanish Patchwork Society, to quilt teacher, to owner of R.C. Patchwork, Rosario Casanovas is known world wide. She's the best networker I've ever met!

And Rosario is a delightful person. I am so grateful to her for this lovely trip to Girona. Please stay tuned tomorrow for more photos of my visit to the quilt makers of Madrid and Zaragoza. Ole!

How to Tuesday: Let Us Now Join Together These Two Fabrics

When you take a class from me, you leave your sewing machine at home. Why, you ask, don't I have to lug my sewing machine to class?

One simple reason.

In fusing you don't join 2 fabrics by sewing them together. You just overlap one fabric onto another by about 1/4" and iron or fuse them together. You are marrying 2 fabrics to make 1.

The overlap process requires that you place the dark value fabric onto the light value fabric. If you place the light value onto the dark fabric a shadow will show. Another thing to keep in mind when you  marry your 2 fabrics is that you'll need to add an additional 1/4" to one of the edges of the fabric in the overlap. As in any marriage, there is give and take.

What Do Pickle Juice and Cafe au Lait Have in Common?

Like any good dyer, I spend a lot of time thinking up names for my dye formulas. This is not an easy job! For instance, the latest colorways (above) are called Pickle Juice and Cafe au Lait.

It took me a year to come up with these names.

Both fabric and thread in these new colorways are now available at Artfabrik. I like to think that the acid greens of Pickle Juice will make you pucker up and warm browns of Cafe au Lait will get you jazzed. Not sure what happens when you combine them. But be careful!

Guest Artist: Gardener's Cottage Innovations

Gardener's Cottage by Karen

Isn't this wonderful! Karen made her own version of the Gardener's Cottage, a project from my new book Fanciful Stitches. The use of the brick print fabric for the garden wall and walkway is genius. And check out the binding, a cording with little leaves sticking out!

Thank you Karen for sharing your beautiful work with us. If anyone else has completed a project from the book, please send me a photo so you can be a guest artist too!

How to Make a Blue Chip Chair Day 6

At last, day 6 arrives and the How to Make a Blue Chip Chair quilt top is complete! Time for stitching.

But first place the quilt top onto batting and a backing fabric cut to size. Now this is important: Steam set the quilt top for 10 seconds all across the surface using a dry pressing cloth. This will set the glue.

Once the quilt sandwich is in place, drop the feeddogs on your sewing machine, attach a free-motion foot and begin stitching the quilt sandwich. Start in the center of the quilt and work your way out.

Use your favorite threads and your favorite patterns. Mine happens to be the MEMEME pattern (cause it's all about me). Bind the quilt in any fashion you like. This quilt below has a faced binding.

Thank you for joining me in the How to Make a Blue Chip Chair marathon! May your edges be free yet stuck for ages!