Teaching
My Color Collage Quilt Technique
At the moment, I teach five different classes, three full-day ones and two half-day ones. These classes are being held at major national and international shows or at quilds and shops all over the USA. Very often these classes are combined with a lecture about color and trends 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!
Freestyle/Organic color collage class
This class is about the technique I wrote in my book. 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 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, but this kit will also not enough to do an entire quilt. You will always need more time at home to finish what we started 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!
International Quilt Festival is one of the few places asking students to evaluate the class. Some written remarks from students in Houston 2025:
* The class was out of my comfort zone but I LOVED the class and the experience of something new. Off I go....
* She was fantastic
* Carly was a phenomenal teacher! Cheerful, humorous and so willing to share her expertise. Thank you!
* Excellent class. Thank you!
* More classes from Ms. Mul
* Loved this class! Great fun.
* Carly was clear and systematic in her teaching. Very encouraging manner, circulated continuously and provided very helpful feedback.
* She has developed a very understandable approach & taught it clearly. Also very supportive.
* Great instructor + individual feedback. Helpful she had the bags of colors for us to go through as needed.
* Thank you for the time spent with class. You explained things beautifully in a way I could understand. I appreciated the tips on quilting too! Thank you!
I will teach this class at Patchwork & Quiltdagen in The Netherlands in February 2026. Two times!
I will teach this class in February 2026 at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton VA (again).
From April 19-24 2026, I will teach at Empty Spools Seminars in Asilomar, CA. The contract for 2027 has already been signed and I will come back to Empty Spools, March 5-10, 2027 (session 2)!
I will teach this class at MQA in Gettysburg, PA on June 6 and 7, 2026. It will be a two-day class!
"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 Patchwork & Quiltdagen in The Netherlands in February 2026.
I will teach this class again at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, VA in Hampton VA, February 26 - March 1, 2026.
I will teach this class at MQA on June 5 2026 in Gettysburg, PA.
Rooted in Color
This new workshop will take all day (at least) and is another way of improvisational collage. There is a design concept, but students are free in the way they cut.
The 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 students will start making a much smaller version of my quilt and work on creating between 1-3 vertical color lines. They can finish the wall hanging (about 15" wide and 27" tall) or expand it at home. In class we don't finish the project, but 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.
Scissors
In this half day workshop (3-4 hours), students are making a pair of scissors in collage technique. It is a great intro class into collage and color as students learn how to cut and place fabrics in the two of their choice.
In class we usually get one side of the scissors done. The student can finish it later at home. Students can bring their own fabrics, but a kit in the colors of a student's choice can be ordered as well. This kit will have enough fabrics for the scissors. The student later needs to find a background.
"Thank you so much for a great class! As a former teacher, it was fun to watch you teach, encourage and gently guide students into taking risks with their work." -Linda, September 2023
"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. IIt 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 will teach this class at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, VA in Hampton VA, February 28, 2026.
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. 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.
I have been remiss is writing to tell you how much I enjoyed spending the day in your wonderful studio. The class was beyond awesome! Thank you for the opportunity to live in your color world for the day .
-Kim, August 2023
"Thank you so much for a great day of collage quilting. Your knowledge, creativity, and generosity gave us such a positive experience. I would take this class again in a heartbeat. " -Marsha, August 2023
"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
Lectures
I give talks to quilt guilds about the latest trends in color and design in the quilting world, with many samples in photos and products.
A lecture is 1-1.5 hour with room for questions and conversations. A guild can contact me if they like to book a date for a lecture. A lecture can be combined with a workshop.
I gave this lecture also on September 11, 2025 at the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza in Oaks, PA.