Fabric Collage Finish Line #84

I’ve been hearing from more and more readers who have been inspired by the quilts they see here in my Fabric Collage Finish Line series. Both Simone Jérôme (“Hibiscus” above) and Kate Sykes (“Delightful Daisy”) below mention being inspired by student work.

The Fabric Collage Finish Line serves two purposes (at least): providing a place for students to display their work AND providing inspiration to those watching from the sidelines. We can learn a lot from being exposed to what’s possible or from just watching what someone else is doing.

For example, learning from watching me work through my own fabric collage pieces is the idea behind my new Fly on the Wall online series. In October’s series featuring “Winfrieda” the lace polar bear, I strove to provide meaningful progress each week to then share with viewers on Thursday evenings. If you have an hour or so you can spare each week—either live with Q&A on Thursdays at 7:00 pm Eastern time, or as recordings to view at your convenience—consider registering for one or both of the upcoming (December through January) Fly on the Wall series. You may learn something new from me that inspires your next fabric collage quilt.

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Register for Fly on the Wall: Susan Carlson Studio Watch 2022-2023

Registration is now open for the next two Fly on the Wall: Susan Carlson Studio Watch series. Join me in my studio as I work on the first and second drafts of my polar bear collage, followed in January by a new and fanciful portrait, of my mom.

Here’s what some of our participants said about the first series:

It’s a delight to listen in as Susan “thinks aloud” as she works on Winfrieda! The slideshow at the beginning is a great way for her to explain her progress since the previous session. She and Tom have developed a great rhythm of reading and responding to our questions and comments as she works. I especially appreciate the chance to go back and listen again (and again) to each session. Thank you! —Kathe Simons

 

I enjoyed this first season. I really appreciated the experience of watching and listening to your process as you chose your lace pieces. I also liked that you tried to get to every question put to you. These answers help us with our own creations. I have a large project coming up, your grid technique is a good option for me. Thank you for sharing with us! —Barbara Blackmon-Gussak

 

Susan is an amazing instructor and I looked forward to every Thursday evening to see what new tidbit I would learn. Also I have to give you credit for all your work and making sure we got all the recording to view again. —Marcia Kraus

 

For quilters and collage makers, Susan’s Fly on the Wall is a true gift to self. Susan’s self is authentic and it shines through her lesson and slide show. The highlight is watching her struggle as she tries laces to build her piece. In a perverse sort of way, hearing her confirm something of hers is a “fail” is encouraging! —Mary McKay

• December: Winfrieda the Lace Polar Bear #2

December 1, 8, 15, 22, 2022
$78
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

All those who sign up for this December Fly on the Wall series #2 will be given access to an hour-long video combining the four opening slideshow presentations from the October Winfrieda series #1 (see beginning and end slideshow compilation photos above). This will allow those who may have missed the first series to easily catch up to where the second series will begin.

• January: Sunshine Oma
January 5, 12, 19, 26, 2023
$98
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Join me in my studio as I return to “regular fabrics” for creating a collage portrait of my lovely mama (a.k.a. Oma) as a radiant sun face—to have ready for her 90th birthday at the end of January.

For those who wish to try their hand at a sunface portrait, in addition to the slideshows, demos, Q&A’s, and full recordings of the four presentations, registrants will also receive all of the following:

• A free PDF of my Sun Portrait pattern.

• Free access to the Thursday Night in My Studio Live! recorded presentation (see preview below) that explains how to adapt my Sun Face pattern to a photo of a particular person.

• And a $20 discount for a one-on-one coaching session scheduled for January or February 2023—in case you’re interested in specialized help with your own work-along creation.

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Fabric Collage Finish Line #84

If you’d like to submit your own finished fabric collage quilt to display in a Finish Line post, please click on button below, and thanks! With a special thanks to Kate, Simone, and Cher for sharing their artwork in this post.

Submit Quilt for "Finish Line"

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Kate Sykes

Kate Sykes of South Australia has been following my blog for a while and had been wanting to make something using my fabric collage method. In Kate’s comment below, she questions the process she used as “correct.” I think that if you’re inspired to try something new and stretch your creative muscles, anything goes. What’s important is to keep playing—with your fabrics (great find for the wrinkles), with colors (using “non-elephant” colors to create an elephant that looks realistic regardless), and with the process (wherever it may take you). Don’t miss the way Kate has quilted Daisy’s background, adding lovely depth and interest to a perfect whole-cloth background.

From Kate:

I had the photo, but no clue how to continue. I looked through my stash and found the background fabric and the wrinkle fabric. Looking again at Susan’s blog, I found Darlene Determan’s elephant, and this helped me decide on what colours to use. The process I used probably wasn’t the “correct” one, but I managed to get it done. I quilted it on my long arm, which made the process a lot easier.

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Simone Jérôme

Simone Jérôme from Belgium gives us this beautiful bloom from her home. I love that Simone went beyond her usual assortment of fabric choices and added printed fabrics to her collage palette. These have given shadows and depth to the flower petals, and lots of variation and visual texture to the collaged background. Very striking, Simone—thanks for finding me though my blog (and my book) and giving this fabric collage process a try—I hope it serves you well in more collages to come.

From Simone:

I discovered Susan’s technique of collage on the Net during the confinement. As I am eighty this year, I do not like long travels and with the difference in time, online classes are difficult for me. So I decided to buy her Serendipity quilts book and have a try by myself. The result is this little quilt from a photograph of a hibiscus flower I took in my living-room.

 

I am a long time quilter. I practice first as a hobby and as my principal activity since I retired twenty years ago. I often use landscapes and nature in general as a source of inspiration. But any idea which comes spontaneously to me, may transform itself in a quilt. I use many techniques in my quilts but I had much pleasure with Susan’s method. I have not a big stash of fabrics. I used preferably batiks and hand-dyed fabrics but I am surprised that patterned fabrics can give some accents to the design. Thank you for giving generously information about the technique in your blog. I read it thoroughly and I admire the many works made by your students.

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Cher Olsson

Cher Olsson of Surrey, BC, Canada began this amazing quilt in my January 2022 Live Online Class with Kona (see photos below). In that online class, Cher was part of a Zoom breakout room of four students who named their room, “Crazy Fur Sure.” Well, Cher’s idea of this larger-than-life grouping of a friend’s fur-babies (based on various photos), was crazy, for sure. But what a labor of love this quilt has turned into.

The long and narrow composition of this piece is great—conveying the couch with very few pieces of fabric yet making it clear where these “siblings” are without overwhelming them. And of course the expressiveness of each pair of eyes is where we are drawn to. They peer right into our souls. I love that Bronson (middle subject), was impressed with his own likeness (see photo at end). I agree Bronson, your collaged feet are quite impressive! Congratulations Cher, for getting this quilt finished in time for a group photo that included (the original) Zoe the cat, what a wonderful accomplishment, and gift.

From Cher:

I started out to make the quilt for a friends 50th birthday. Her three fur babies, from left to right Kona, Bronson and Zoe. When Zoe got sick I decided I wanted her to have it quicker. I worked on it every day and was able to gift it to her a few days before Zoe passed away. It was a big hit and was hung on the wall within minutes of getting it. We were able to get a photo of the three of them sitting below the quilt. A few hours later she sent me the photo of Bronson checking himself out.