Where do you find your fabrics? That’s definitely on the frequently-asked-question list. My answer? All over the place—often in my travels since that’s when I take the time for side trips to fun places. Online as well, first stop Dye Candy Fabrics. I always find more than I’m looking for, and usually two days later my newest treasures arrive on our doorstep.
If I’m looking for something specific and “now”—there’s “local” options but they’ll be more of a drive from home now that JoAnn’s has closed its doors. But don’t underestimate the fabrics that can be found in thrift stores—hiding in the form of shirts, skirts, dresses, or curtains. My sister has an uncanny knack for finding those tid-bits—such as the sheer bodysuit with lovely applique-like flowers (soon to be cut up), displayed in photo above, detail below.
If you click on the photo, above left, you can see the variety of fabrics—another sheer lace, decorator fabrics, a piece of rayon fabric, and more than enough cottons—including printed batiks—for the initial fabric selection of my newest collage, Bella Luna
Join me one week from today, via Zoom, for the first of four Thursdays in July and August as I begin work on this new project—a personification of a beautiful full moon—live from my studio.
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, you can watch my Bella Luna progress from drawing to fabric selection to cutting and gluing to background—beginning on Thursday, July 17, 2025.
USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER
Bel Sole (below), is one example of a celestial portrait—the yet-to-be-collaged Bella Luna will be a full moon using the same pattern—available free to registrants.
This next Fly on the Wall: Studio Watch Series begins at 7 p.m. Eastern Time, Thursday, July 17. The following evenings will be July 24, August 7 and 14. Note the skipped week in the middle—no class on July 31. All sessions will be recorded for viewing later, if you cannot attend live.
USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER
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 which will also be used as the full moon portrait design (example below), will be emailed upon registration for the series.
Why Bella Luna?
I’ve already begun a sun portrait—an exuberant Bel Sole—as an example for a class I’ll be teaching in Italy this fall. I started thinking that a glowing moon—a Bella Luna—would be a nice addition to balance the celestial presence. And as a summer collage journey I can bring you along with me, it felt that a full moon portrait would be good subject matter. If you’re interested in where the lunar inspiration will take me, please sign up, tune in, sit back and relax, as you join me as a “fly on the wall” in my studio.
The Origin of Fly On The Wall: Studio Watch—and How It Works
Occasionally after I’ve done a live demo in a class, one of my fabric collage students will say “Wow, I wish I could be a fly on the wall in your studio and just watch you work!”
Since October 2022, we’ve made that opportunity possible. One evening a week in four-week series held at various times, I invite you into my studio—to be the proverbial fly on the wall—as I work on a fabric collage.
Below, are three previous Fly on the Wall: Studio Watch subjects and the progress that registrants were able to see up-close and personal.
All sessions are held via Zoom and each starts with a short slide show (around 15 minutes) in order to catch you up .
Each Zoom meeting will kick off with a short slide show presentation to bring you up-to-date on the progress I’ve made in the previous week.
Then with a camera peering over my shoulder—hence the “fly on the wall” theme—I work for 30-40 minutes or so, live. While I work, I talk about my thought process, the decisions I’m making, give pointers on cutting and gluing, and perhaps go off on fabric collage or subject-related tangents—all unscripted and often prompted by the live Q&A.
After the work period, I invite more questions from viewers before discussing goals for the week to come.
A recording of each week’s session is made available the next day to all registrants. This means that when you register for the Fly on the Wall, if you miss a meeting you can catch up before the next week. The recording is yours to view whenever you’d like, “forever.”
Having the Fly On The Wall as a teaching tool, has enabled me to share some of my many ideas with you in real time as I work through them, such as my new:
Fly on the Wall: Susan Carlson Studio Watch—Bella Luna
July 17 & 24, August 7 & 14, 2025—7:00 p.m. Eastern Time
USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER
All sessions will be recorded for viewing later, if you cannot attend live.