Choosing fabric for fabric collage is such an important topic that it took me two tries before I felt I had done the subject justice. I took my first crack at it in July 2016 then I did an update with video in March of 2017.
The stated goal of the post “Choosing Fabric for Fabric Collage” was to help my readers and students. I think the post does a pretty good job describing the fabrics I find most useful. The choices can be overwhelming, so readers appreciated some guidelines.
But “Choosing Fabric for Fabric Collage” was also a sneakily selfish post. When my students are better prepared for class it makes my job easier. If a student doesn’t bring the right fabrics it is a struggle for both of us, so this post is now assigned reading for my retreats. Students still bring, let’s call them, “challenging” fabrics to class, but it doesn’t happen as often, so I can concentrate more on helping my students with the technique of fabric collage rather than trying to overcome the lack of a useful fabric “palette.”
If I had to sum up in one word what kind of fabrics work best for fabric collage (at least the way I do it), that one word would be: PRINTS.
Big, bold, colorful prints or batik prints with lots of variation in value; flowing prints for curves, hair, feathers; flower prints for fur, cheeks, and eyes. Etcetera. Etcetera.
Read on for more.
Choosing fabric for fabric collage is dealt with in even more depth in the Susan Carlson Fabric Collage Online Master Class Manual.
Coming Saturday Morning
I’ll talk about using fabric collage to make flowers. As you’ll discover, flowers are not my favorite subjects. To me they can be a trifle tedious. Creating petal after petal is a bit repetitive. However, it can be done, and having the right fabric on hand will help, thus this week’s Throwback Thursday: “Choosing Fabric for Fabric Collage.”
Good homework! Always a struggle when flying.
Darlene
HI Darlene—long time no see! 😉 Your class will be posting next week! Yes, when you fly, it’s even harder to know what to bring, and fabric is heavy. General rule of thumb—whatever you need will be left at home. Never fails.
Susan, being a beginner in this is it possible you can post a beginner dumbed down version of something in order to have something to relate to in the very beginning..
Donna, look for my “On the Road” blog posts and check out the student slide shows to see in-progress photos of what other beginners have done!
Hi Susan Just completed my workshop with you at Handcrafters House in Perth Western Australia. I had a wonderful time and feel I have learn so much in your class. After the workshop ended I went straight home and continued gluing. I wanted to complete the piece. My family where very impressed what I had done. Thank you for sharing your techniques and expert advice.
PS I send you a photo when I’m finished Judy