It’s still kind of amazing to me how a relatively small and uncomplicated project can demonstrate the entire fabric collage technique. The same steps that I and my students use to create portraits of all sorts of people and creatures are used here, in February’s Fantastical Fabric Collage Fish Follow-Along. Pretty powerful for a humble fish!
Last Thursday evening I introduced my 2025 Fish Follow Along project to attendees. I demonstrated how to start with a pattern transferred onto a foundation fabric—then how to cut, place, pin and glue fabric pieces to begin a collage—in my case, of a beautifully blue and rounded goldfish, Goldie.
In the photos below, are the beginning and end images of last week’s class. In a steady stream-of-collage oriented thoughts, I kept the audience riveted as I created a fine mess with a bunch of blue pieces of fabric. A good demonstration of the “messy scary” stage, I would say.
My homework (and for those following along) from one week to the next, was to cover the foundation fabric with a “first draft” of the fish body and head—which I completed with the dubious help of my cat, Djinni. Tonight I’ll be delving into fabrics in search of fins and a tail for little blue Goldie.
During the four Thursdays in February, I’m leading you through the creation of this new fabric collage fish quilt. This is a live event, so Zoom with us (me and Tom) if you can, especially to take advantage of the live Q&A. If you can’t join us, the presentations will be recorded and emailed to you the next day, Friday. And if you sign up at any time before the end of February’s final class, you’ll receive all four recordings of the weekly presentations.
For those who want to create their own Fantastical Fabric Collage Fish, a supply list and a free fish pattern of your choice (though you can make your own design) is included when you sign up. More February Fish class info following below. Hope to see you there!
For fishy inspiration generated from last year’s fabulous Fish Class, today’s Throwback Thursday features the final gallery of student fish submitted in 2024 (see preview photos above)—more of the amazingly creative and colorful fabric collage beauties that were made by my wonderful students. Once again, thank you everyone for sharing!
Do you have a Fantastical Fish (or any other subject) to share in a future Finish Line post? Click on submission button below—and thank you!
Submit Quilt for "Finish Line"
And More Fish in the Sea: Fantastical Fabric Collage, Final February Results! Part 4
February 6, 13, 20, 27, 2025 — 7 pm, Eastern Time
Fantastical Fabric Collage Fish Zoom Follow-Along
REGISTER HERE
Price: $78
If you had trouble registering earlier, please know that the issue has been resolved.
Sign up any time this month and receive any recordings you may have missed
and attend remaining sessions live.
For more information click here
Fabric Collage Online Master Class—Updated
Now Available as a Monthly Subscription!
The Susan Carlson Fabric Collage Online Master Class Manual is a multi-media resource guide to the process of fabric collage. Using video, photos, text, and links to my blog posts for further relevant reading and information, I take you from beginning to end in creating your own fabric collage masterpiece, following my guidelines in a step-by-step format. Lifetime Access. Suitable for all levels, including beginners.
Read all about the process of creating the Master Class—explanation of its genesis—the whys and hows Tom and I made some of the decisions we did in this post: Online Master Class Now Available: Some Reflections.
Click here for more information about the Fabric Collage Master Class.
Monthly Subscription
Price: $15/month (plus a one-time $15 registration fee)
SUBSCRIBE NOW
Purchase
Price: $199
Lifetime Access
Suitable for all levels, including beginners
Interested in attending a 2025 Fabric Collage class with Susan? Both in-person and online classes are scheduled and open for registration. Click the link below for more information, including dates, fees, and descriptions.
2025 Live Online and In-Person Fabric Collage Classes
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Special Notice: One space has opened in the May 28-June 1, 2025 Woodland Ridge Retreat, Downsville, WI—please click on link above or call Chris at 715.664.8220, for more information!
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Further Susan Carlson Learning Resources include: Facial Features eWorkshop, website, Serendipity Quilts, patterns, blog (in general), YouTube videos, Sea Turtle eWorkshop, Fabric Collage Online Master Class, Patreon. , and our February Fantastical Fish and Summertime’s Fascinating Bugs and Butterfly Work-Alongs
NOW AVAILABLE!
Susan Carlson Fabric Collage: Fantastical Fish eWorkshop I
INCLUDES:
• All four recordings from the four-week class.
• Extended 10-minute edition of piecing time lapse (see below).
• Over six hours of video instruction.
• Annotated videos with “jump points” to help find the information you need.
• Materials list
• Links to helpful blog posts.
• Free fish pattern of your choice.
Susan Carlson Fabric Collage: Sea Turtle eWorkshop
Learn fabric collage through a start-to-finish project—from pattern and fabric selection through quilting and binding. Each step is clearly written, illustrated with photos, and further demonstrated with videos. Learn the technique with a Sea Turtle then launch into any fabric collage project you wish. Lifetime access and suitable for all levels, including beginners. Sea Turtle Pattern included
Read all about the Sea Turtle eWorkshop in this blog post: Fabric Collage Sea Turtle eWorkshop Launch.
Facial Features eWorkshop
Designed as a supplement to the Fabric Collage Online Master Class, or for those who have a good understanding of the basics of Fabric Collage. Lifetime Access. Intermediate or advanced levels suggested.
The Facial Features eWorkshop contains 8 videos and over 8 hours of in-depth instruction for creating each feature of a portrait in fabric. The videos are annotated with “Jump Points” allowing you to scan forward and backward to the information you need. Facial features PDF templates are included as reference and basic designs to work along with. Like the Fabric Collage Online Master Class, membership in this eWorkshop is for life.
Book: Serendipity Quilts—Cutting Loose Fabric Collage
Full color throughout. Five projects of increasing complexity, four patterns to enlarge are included.
These books will be signed by Susan and can be inscribed to a particular person.