Hello Reader,

Welcome to the March newsletter. As I write this, it's sunny yet brisk outside, tulips are peeking out and there are drifts of pink petals lining the streets in Victoria. Yet, just when we are waking up from a long two years of pandemic, we're facing more instability. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Ukraine.

This month's artsy tip is all about how to save time as you work on your collage. Let me start by saying that pursuing art and making fabric collage takes time and it flies in the face of orderliness and organization. It goes something like this:

It's a ying and a yang: make art, make a mess, clean up the mess, start again. Maybe this sounds familiar?

The cycle I describe here is definitely not how I worked when I started making fabric collage portraits. I would simply close the door to my sewing room!

Since then, I've realized it's not being surrounded by a mound of fabrics that bothers me so much. What I do strongly object to is wasting time as I look for, well, just about everything I need to continue the project. Things like scissors and tweezers and that fabric that I know is in there, somewhere.

So, without further a-do, here is my number one time saving tip for working on a fabric collage:

Just like a painter or an embroiderer makes a palette of colours in their respective mediums, it works for fabric collage, too. With a palette, you can choose the fabric you need from a collection of fabric swatches rather than flipping through your fabric stash.

Give this a try with your next collage:

1. Address the fabric stash or the pile of fabric scraps ...you're coming in! Pull any and all fabrics that you think might remotely have a place in the collage.
2. Don't be too critical at this stage. Place those fabrics aside and put all the others back.
3. Cut a small swatch (or more if the fabric warrants it), from each of these fabrics, about 2" x 2" is fine.
4. Put the swatches aside, then re-fold the fabrics and place them where you can easily access them.
5. Sort the swatches by value using a 7 Step Value Finder. Try to have minimum of two fabrics for each value, or even more to give you a wider choice.
6. Place the value finder and the palette on the design wall as you work on the collage.

When you begin your collage, first decide which value you need for a particular pattern piece, then look through the swatches and choose the best fit.

Fetch that fabric from the nicely folded pile (though it won't stay that way for long 😉) to make your fabric template. The pile should only contain fabrics represented by your palette.

For example, here's how I set things up:

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I hope you give this a try and if you do, let me know how it works for you.

Pet Portrait Courses are Launched on Thinkific.

I am pleased to announce that two of my Pet Portraits courses are live at their new home*. Thinkific is a terrific online learning platform that I think you will find super easy to use. The courses have been refreshed and re-newed and are ready to welcome you! Check out this link to see what's on offer.

The third course in the series, Quilting & Finishing will join them toward the end of April.

If you purchased From Picture to Pattern or Fabric Collage, an account has been created for you and your course awaits you at https:annemathers.thinkific.com. You will need to set a password on your first visit.

* made necessary because the original platform is shutting down on April 30, 2022.

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Each month, I choose a different Fabric Collage topic so stay tuned for the next newsletter and do let me know if there's a topic you'd like to see in a future edition. You can check out previous newsletters for more Pet Portrait fabric collage tips.

Thanks for reading and, until next time, be well.

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