This weekend is the unofficial end of summer in Maine. Labor Day weekend. The kids back in school. Days get noticeably shorter.
Also, it’s the time in past years when I have nurtured and set free hordes of monarch butterflies. Sadly, the decline of monarch butterflies in our area has been precipitous. Where there used to be dozens fluttering amid the milkweed and goldenrod, this year I saw just enough monarchs to count on one hand.
Rather than dwell on such morose facts, my spirit has been lightened by the beautiful artwork submitted by you, my readers. It’s a post full of fantastic fabric collage butterflies—such as “Mariposa” (detail photo, above), by Sara Crocker. Thank you to those artists for sharing their creations. May they brighten your hearts as well.
I want to make a special mention of the mother and son team of Judy and Ray Schryver who made their own awesome versions of the same pattern drawn up by Ray. They worked together but separately, across the country from each other.
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.
Submit Quilt for "Finish Line"
Click on any of the smaller photos below to view them larger and to scroll through that photo gallery.
Further Susan Carlson Learning Resources include: Serendipity Quilts, Facial Features eWorkshop, website, patterns, blog (in general), blog “Teaching” category, YouTube videos, Spiral eWorkshop, Sea Turtle eWorkshop, Fabric Collage Online Master Class, and Patreon.
Sara Crocker
See more of Sara’s delightful collage work in these posts: June 2024 Live Online Fabric Collage Portrait Class—Part 2. and Finish Line: A Captivating Canine Collection.
From Sara Crocker of Boquete, Panama:
I learned fabric collage from the master… Susan Carlson! I started with in-person retreats in Harpswell, ME for 3 years in the early 2000s. After retiring to Panama, I continued to learn from her online classes, e-workshops, blog posts, and “Fly-on-the-wall” presentations. I have both of her books and refer to them often, particularly Serendipity Quilts.
This quilt was made to raise money for a local, indigenous elementary school in Boquete, Panama, which some friends and I have supported for over 6 years. I have become obsessed for several years with “hiding” items in the collage process, and I seem to be increasing the number with each quilt.
This quilt has 173 hidden animals and other items in 55 different categories, from alligators, to cars, to hair dryers, to seahorses, to watermelons – all carefully cut from novelty fabrics. I have made several butterfly collage quilts based on Susan’s patterns and find them to be perfect shapes with which to “play” with color, values, patterns, and textures.
Remember, click on any of the smaller photos to view them larger!
Jean White
See more of Jean’s beautiful work in this post, November 2024 Live Online Fabric Collage Class—Part 1.
From Jean White of Kingston, Ontario, Canada:
I started by trying it on my own with the free butterfly collage pattern I selected when I purchased Susan’s Master Class manual. The idea I had was to try the techniques with a view to taking an in-person class and being somewhat informed before taking the course.
I struggled with some of the concepts – my pieces were too small and they didn’t blend very well from one fabric to the other. So, the butterfly was not complete by the time I took the in-person course in Menomonie [at Woodland Ridge Retreat]. I took it along with me and Susan graciously gave me some ideas for completion. The mistakes I made helped a lot when doing my class project.
The quilt utilized primarily batiks as well as tulle and organza, along with wool for the antennae. Artists will probably fault the composition for being centered on the collage. However, I wanted to show that Ms. Flutterby had completed her metamorphosis from the grasslands where she was born and was fluttering off to the adventure of her life. Therefore she is higher on the background and rising out of the grasses. With Susan’s help I was able to add more material and cover up many of the learning mistakes made when I first started the collage.
Ray Schryver
Ray and his mom, Judy have worked together on other captivating collage quilts, including ones seen in this post: October 2023 Live Online Fabric Collage Class Part 2—Tom’s Devils.
From Ray Schryver of Sunnyvale, CA:
Started out using Susan’s books many years ago. Taking the online class where I started this quilt made a huge difference in my collage abilities. Have been reading the blog posts and the Patreon supported Tuesday sessions. This Agrias butterfly is a favorite from visiting the rainforests of South America. My mom and I did the same pattern in the online class – A Tale of 2 Butterflies as I like to call it. It was a great experience! Our quilts look similar yet very different which is part of the fun.
Judy Schryver
See more of Judy’s fantastical collage work in these posts: And More Fish in the Sea: Fantastical Fabric Collage and Fascinating Bugs and Butterflies: Student Fabric Collage Quilts 2.
From Judy Schryver of Lockport, NY:
It is an AGRIAS butterfly native to South America enlarged. It is sitting on a banana leaf feeding on nectar, a pattern which my son, Ray, designed. We got together in the spring and finished. The fabric I found in California didn’t work for his. We found a green for his, which had enough for both backs. I faced the quilt. It hangs in my studio, and was such a fun project to do together, and get all of Susan’s help!
Jenell Wright
See more of Jenell’s exuberant work in this post: Finish Line: Online Submissions 8.
From Jenell Wright of Asheville NC:
I learned fabric collage by reading Serendipity Quilts, taking some online classes, and from Susan’s Collage Master Class Manual. I made this quilt during the pandemic and used only fabric I had on hand- it was a dreary winter and this quilt brightened up my world! Madam Butterly still inspires me everyday to be bold and colorful and see the beauty that’s all around.
These are all beautiful butterflies. I particularly like the photos of Janell’s Madame Butterfly because they show how her quilting really enhances the sections in the wings.