Laura Wasilowski–Guest Blogger!

Meet Laura Wasilowski! She brings a smile to my face every time I see her or one of her joyful quilts.  She and they literally light up a room.  And now she can light up your computer screen with her Craftsy class. 

Hand-Stitched Collage Quilts

Laura shares whimsical designs for three small, single-block quilts that you can create along with her. You'll add fusible web to your fabrics and learn how to protect your tools and work surfaces. Cutting out free-form appliqué shapes and composing your artwork are a breeze - your creativity and improvisation are encouraged! Then it's time to add details and texture with a wealth of hand-embroidery stitches, from lazy daisies to French knots. Laura will show how to make more than a dozen stitches, and help you finish your quilt with batting, a colorful border and options for hanging. Bonus: Laura's e-book "Fanciful Stitches, Colorful Quilts" (a $14.99 value) is included free!

And Laura even has kits to go with her Craftsy class if you wish.  You can find them here.

How did you become an art quilter?
I learned to sew as a girl in 4-H. When I went away to college, I was placed in a costume department through my work-study program. That was where I learned to dye fabrics. When I moved to the Chicago area, I was introduced to quiltmaking by a neighbor, Janet Dye. The first exhibit I ever saw was of Amish quilts—the colors and patterns were overwhelming and amazing.

Through a network of quilt friends, I met my friend, Melody Johnson. Together, we started Artfabrik, where we specialized in making hand-dyed fabrics and threads for quilters. Soon I realized I could take all that yardage I was dyeing for other people and create this thing called fused art quilts. Now my work is a blend of 2 art forms, surface design, and quiltmaking.

Why do you choose to fuse?
I became a fuser, because I wanted to create quilts that told stories about my family, friends, and the landscapes that I see. Fusing makes the process of creating complex, pictorial collage quilts fast, easy, and fun. It is the most direct route from that idea in your head to the implementation of the idea into fabric. Fusing is an improvisational art form that shows the makers hand.

CLICK ON THE CRAFTYS CLASS TITLE CARD ABOVE TO GO RIGHT TO LAURA’S CLASS! 

Enjoy!,