Teaching
My Color Collage Quilt Technique
At the moment, I teach four different classes, three full-day ones and one half-day one. These classes are being held at major national and international shows or at guilds and shops all over the USA. Very often these classes are combined with a lecture the day/evening before or after a class. Below you can find more information and all the public places where these classes are going to be held. Private guilds are not mentioned as they are not open to the general public. Sometimes, I will schedule Open Studio Days in my Studio for a few students. Such an Open Studio Day can also be requested.
If interested in having me come to your group/guild, please contact me!
I will be going to A Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge, TN from June 7-10, 2027. Specific classes will be announced later.
Freestyle/Organic color collage class
This class is about the technique I wrote in my book Freestyle Color Collage Quilting. It is an advanced class in color collage. No longer is there a pattern or design to follow. It's all about grouping and blending fabrics together so that the colors will create a design. Improvisational collage. It's almost like painting with fabric, very open and unrestricted.
The class is a full day class (at minimum) and requires a lot of scraps. It's not for someone who is just starting to quilt. Students are being asked to choose either a warm or a cool color way and bring at least 150 scraps (can be as little as 1” x 1”). This will not be enough to make the entire quilt, but it will be enough to learn the technique. People who don't want to go through their stash can order the optional kit of 150 fabrics. You will always need more time at home to finish what we started in class, using your own fabrics.
More detailed information will be provided when booking this class. The class can hold a maximum of 30 students as I want to give everyone personal attention. Sewing machines are not needed, but instructions about finishing options will be given. Contact me for more information!
Madeline Island School of the Arts! I will teach a five-day class at the Bar Harbor, Maine Campus, from September 28 - October 2, 2026. This five-day class will also include a zoom-sessions with all enlisted students a few weeks in advance. Students has the option to order a kit to help them with their class fabric needs.
I will teach this class on Friday 11-13-2026 at the International Quilt Festival in Houston TX.
Empty Spools Seminars in Asilomar CA, April 28 - May 3, 2027 (session 5). This will be a five-day class.
This five-day class will also include a zoom-session with all enlisted students a few weeks in advance. Students has the option to order a kit to help them with their class fabric needs.
"Agamy" Stripes Workshop
In this workshop students are doing a different kind of improvisational collage. Working with solid colors only, it is about creating a wall hanging with movement and dimension in the style of the sculptor Yaacov Agam. The class will take 4-6 hours and students will have made a good start of their project at the end, enough to finish independently. The workshop is all about making the design and super fun. A mix of collage and improv quilting. Suitable for every level, but students need to be able to cut .5” pieces of fabric precisely. The Mini Stripology ruler is handy. Students can bring their own solids (optional kit is available) but a kit for background and fusible is necessary for workshop. The optional kit will give you all the solids needed for a quilt.
I will teach this class at the International Quilt Festival in Houston TX on Thursday 11-12-2026.
I will teach this class also during the Rio Grande Valley Quilt Show At South Padre Island on 2-12-2027
Rooted in Color
This new collage class is not hard to do, but finding the right fabrics can be a challenge as this is what makes the quilt. This class is not for people who have no or a very limited stash. Students will get the instructions for what fabrics to bring to class and an optional starter kit in either warm of cool colors will also be available. Students will always need more fabrics later at home. It is a great class for a group, as students can share their fabrics and get more variety.
In a regular one-day class we don't finish the quilt but students will know how to continue at home. I will go over the quilting and binding possibilities.
A maximum of 30 students can be in the class, as I am trying to give each student personal attention.
The class is also perfect for a multi-day retreat as we can expand the width and play with more colors.
I will teach this class at International Quilt Festival in Houston TX on 11-11-2026.
"Broken or mended?" Class
In this half day workshop (3-4 hours), students are making a contemporary wall hanging with random, collaged/appliqued circles. Different ways to make these circles are being shown. It is an improvisational class
The class is developed for every level and one can make it as simple or complicated as wanted. The background can be a solid fabric, but it also can be collaged. One can look for high or low contrast. Quilting opens up the possibility for decorative stitching. The class is relaxing and fun for group gatherings, while at the same time may give someone an idea for future gift making.
The design works for any fabric that makes a unit, a cohesive grouping. It can be a collection (like my sample is the Marcia Derse Sketchbook collection), but it can also very well be a theme like Halloween, patriotic (other sample) or any novelty group. It can be in 5 favorite colors....it can be a grouping of any fabric that has the same character.
Instructions for fabric selection will be provided when the class is booked. A kit is available. I encourage students to contact me in advance to discuss fabric options.
I taught this new class for the first time at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, VA in Hampton VA, 2026. All students were beginners in working with fusible and a world of options was opened up!
I will teach this class at the Rio Grande Valley Quilt Show on South Padre Island February 13, 2027.
Open studio days
From time to time I offer classes in my studio! I schedule classes (only a few times per year), but if you have a group of 4 or 5 people, I can give a class of your choice just to that group in my studio (I call it a Friends Open Studio Day). Very fun!
You can also email me and get added to a waitlist. As soon as a class day is getting scheduled, those on the waitlist have first choice.
Open Studio will give you access to all my fabric. You can cut what you like for the class and take some extra home to keep on working on the project. You will always need more fabrics at home. The idea is not that you will get a complete kit on such a day, but more that you learn to see which kind of fabrics would work for the project we are doing. My style of collage quilts doesn't work well with the concept of "kit". None of my Open Studio Day Classes will work for people who have no stash later at home. During an Open Studio and other classes you will also not be able to make an entire quilt. We will do a small section, but you will be able to complete the quilt at home (with your own stash) as you have the knowledge.
"This is a wonderful experience and a fantastic day. Carly has developed a whole new avenue of creativity for all of us to enjoy!" Penny, June 2025
Lecture
For 2027 a new lecture is in the make. I will talk about "my journey in fabric". Boxes, online store, brick and mortar store, book and of course Quilts!.... ! As per 7-1-2027, this will be the only lecture and I will no longer give lectures about the trends in quilting.