I along with my husband Tom’s help, produce the susancarlson.com blog posts weekly, with the help of our Patreon supporters. We have the goal of continuing free access to my fabric collage blog to everyone, anywhere in the world. I know you appreciate receiving these posts about fabric collage—even if you don’t read every word, I hope you at least scroll through the photos. 😉 We’re happy to provide these posts as this blog is the primary way we keep in touch with followers such as you.
Since we introduced Patreon as a method for readers to help support us in keeping this blog going from week to week, a core of Patrons has faithfully contributed each month to help offset the cost of producing the blog, which includes not only our time but the cost of hosting and other web services which make the website such an important fabric collage resource.
A very special thank you goes out to those who have helped us achieve our goals through contributions to Patreon for the past eight years—what a supportive community you have become to us and to each other as well.
You may have seen the little orange Patreon icon somewhere on the page of these blog posts. On your computer it will appear in the upper right of the page, on your mobile device it will appear at the bottom. Maybe it has crossed your mind: What’s that all about?
Extra Fabric Collage Support
On my Patreon.com page you’ll see that each tier of giving includes rewards, such as free patterns and screen savers, but the most popular of rewards has become my Monthly Patreon Show and Share Zoom Meeting. It’s the best way Tom and I have found that we can help others in their fabric collage journey, as they help us in our fabric collage endeavors.
At the $20 and $10 a month level, Patrons can receive feedback directly from me via Zoom on whatever fabric collage quilt they are working on or want share with our fabric collage Patreon community. Others attendees—at the $5 and up tiers—are there to absorb the information presented and submit their own comments and feedback. The entire meeting is recorded, archived, and made available to view at any time.
These interactive meetings to celebrate our mutual interest and love of fabric collage have proved to be a great way for me to give back to the Patrons who help to support me so generously.
This month on Tuesday, May 13 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time, I’m extending an open invitation to attend our May Show and Share along with our current Patreon subscribers. If not a current subscriber, you’re invited to attend as a guest—able to comment and ask questions through the “Chat” feature—no need for camera or microphone set-up. Use the link below to register for this free sampling of the Patreon Show and Share.
Patreon Show and Share Zoom Meeting—Free Live Access on Tuesday, May 13, 2025—recording will be available
REGISTER HERE
Pre-registration is required in order to receive the emailed Zoom meeting link and password
If you cannot attend live on May 13th, you will be emailed a link to view the recording
Why Patreon?
After about a year of creating weekly posts with helpful and relevant fabric collage content—including detailed “How-To” posts and other categories—with not just students who are able to take classes with me, but with anyone with internet access throughout the world (how cool is that?), Tom and I realized just how much time and expense was involved. We wanted to keep the blog going, but wondered about the sustainability.
In stepped Patreon.com, which allows followers of artists and other creators to make monthly or yearly donations to help keep the creative work flowing. It’s like becoming a Patron of the Arts. In my case, about 110 people currently contribute each month to support the time and expense it takes to produce this susancarlson.com blog.
The blog is free and will always remain free, but I’m asking you to consider what it means to you. Many subscribers to my blog describe sitting down with a cuppa every weekend to read our next post. If this is you, and you’re not already a Patron, please consider whether you are able to become one, and thank you. Any level of giving is appreciated. We have a suggested tier system from $20, $10, $5, $2, or even $1 per month.
Time and Expense of Producing Our Blog
Together, Tom and I spend approximately 15 hours a week producing a new Saturday post and the Throwback Thursday that revisits previously published posts—about 60 or so hours each month. We have a short meeting once a week, often on Monday, to discuss and set a schedule for upcoming posts. Tom usually takes a first run at setting up and writing the weekly posts, collecting and placing photos. Then I come along and add my input and “voice.” We both go through with final edits before any post goes out.
Some posts, most notably the “On the Road Teaching” posts which feature my teaching and travel gigs, are up to me to write, because after all I was there and Tom wasn’t. I sort through and edit photos of not just the in-progress student work, but shots of travel, sightseeing, and curios that catch my eye. It’s very fun to share these intense classes and amazing work produced, as well as bringing you along with some arm-chair traveling, but these posts often take a couple days for me to pull together.
The expense to maintain the website and produce the blog (without factoring in our time and not taking into account Zoom or video expenses) adds up to a few thousand dollars a year, which includes: web hosting—not only for the week’s posts but for the library of past posts that are available to scroll through and peruse at any time; extra online security so that your data is protected; a dedicated server to ensure that the site is quick and easy to access; and business-speed internet to upload all the photos these image-heavy posts require.
The support of our Patrons definitely makes a difference in offsetting the time and expense that Tom and I put into it. It’s a monthly pleasure to turn around and support the Patreon community with the Show and Share meetings.
Test Drive the Patreon Show and Share
Free Patreon Show and Share Meeting—Live on May 13, 2025
REGISTER HERE
Come see how we can help support you in fabric collage, as you help support us in the making of the Susan Carlson Fabric Collage Blog.
Signing Up to Patreon
I hope you’re reading this because you have come to expect good stuff about fabric collage to appear here, week after week, month after month, year after year. Your support will help us to keep that streak going.
Signing up to become a Patron is as easy as making any online purchase. Simply select the level of giving you would like (or choose your own amount), enter your information and you will be sent an email welcoming you to the Patreon site. If you sign up at the $5/month or more level you will have instant access to all previous videos.
Contributions through Patreon.com help support the weekly production of the susancarlson.com blog. Each week for over eight years we’ve produced new content and provided news of fabric collage learning opportunities. This information is free to all. Sign up for a blog subscription, and have it mailed weekly to your in-box.
Come join us!
Hello friends,
What a great idea to open the May Patreon so everyone is welcome to experience the sharing, support, inspiration and joyful creativity! I look forward to the insights and teaching plus the feeling of community that Tom and Susan foster. If you’re even a little bit curious, I hope to “see”
you there!
Thank you, Juliet! Always makes me feel good when I see you in the audience—you always have such great insights!
Patreon is a delightful time for sharing with other collagers. Susan and Tom have the process down pat. I look forward to those Tuesday afternoons every month and hope some more of you will join our Patreon family,
Thanks Grace! You’re a delight to meet up with (at least) every month, and you read my mind when I’m looking for the right words! 😉
Your Zoom registration for auditing tge May 13 class is refusing to allow me to enter my email. I trued several times but as soon as the email box is clicked a notification comes up saying it’s needed but no keyboard is provided. Blocked! Thought I’d want to know.
Sorry you are experiencing issue signing up. Unfortunately it sounds like a problem on your end. We currently have 60 folks signed up for the May meeting. I suggest you try on a different device, if you have one. Otherwise, restart your computer and try again. Hope this helps! —Tom (for Susan)