The first step in my Fabric Collage Master Class, and the first step in any of my classes, is to choose a subject and create a pattern. Sometimes this step is one of the most challenging decisions my students face. An easy way around this dilemma, especially if you’re looking for some ideas to practice with, is to choose one of my patterns, designed for fabric collage use.
In today’s Finish Line Throwback Thursday, all the quilts presented are based on one of my patterns. For example, a group from North Carolina used my Lionfish Pattern to create a single group project quilt, detail above. The single (greatly enlarged) pattern was cut into eight pieces and dispersed to each artist to create their own interpretation of the pattern segment, not knowing what finished image it would make. What a fun way to work with others and feed our creativity—with a grand unveiling at the end.
Click on any of the smaller images below, to see them larger and to scroll through the Throwback Thursday Finish Line Gallery. Click on the following Throwback Thursday link to the The Finish Line: Collage Quilt Designs Available From My Website, for their stories and inspiration.
Do you have a finished fabric collage quilt (and story?) you’d like to share in a future Finish Line post? Click on submission button below. Thank you.
Submit Quilt for "Finish Line"
My Sun Portrait pattern will be the subject of my upcoming Fly on the Wall: Susan Carlson Studio Watch (registration below), during which I will create a Moon Portrait, omitting the sun’s rays to interpret the pattern as a full moon. This live at 7 pm Eastern Time, Zoom series will begin on July 17. For four Thursdays, I’ll share my weekly progress then work live, describing my process as I go, and answering your questions. For those that cannot attend live, each session is recorded and a link is emailed to all registrants the next day. See the registration details below. For more information, visit “Fly on the Wall: Susan Carlson Fabric Collage Studio Watch—Bella Luna.”
The Finish Line: Collage Quilt Designs Available From My Website
Fly on the Wall: Susan Carlson Studio Watch—Bella Luna
Join me this summer, via Zoom, for four Thursdays in July and August as I work on a new project in my studio—a beautiful full moon. Look over my shoulder as my Bella Luna progresses from drawing to fabric selection to cutting and gluing to background.
Fly on the Wall: Susan Carlson Studio Watch—Bella Luna
July 17 & 24, August 7 & 14, 2025—7:00 p.m. Eastern Time (no class on July 31)
Each session will last roughly 1-1/2 hours.
All sessions will be recorded for viewing later, if you cannot attend live.
Price: $78
USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER
The moon examples you see above, are edited and color-adjusted using the image of my existing sun portrait collage. These are ideas as to what a moon portrait could look like. A full moon example for this Fly On The Wall does not, well, exist yet—however on Thursday, July 17, 2025, it will get started.
Though this isn’t officially a “class,” feel free to join me in collaging your own celestial portrait—sun or moon—if you feel so inspired. A link for a free Sun Portrait pattern (collaged example above), which will also be used as the full moon portrait design, will be emailed upon registration for the series.
USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER for Fly on the Wall: Susan Carlson Studio Watch—Bella Luna
Fabric Collage Online Master Class—Updated
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.
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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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.