Turn familiar quilting motifs into rich, cohesive background quilting

You already know some quilting designs, right?

The trick is in knowing how to combine the ones you already know into quilting that feels balanced, intentional, and beautifully unified.

In Classic Mash-up, you'll learn a design-planning process for combining familiar quilting motifs into rich background quilting that looks like it belongs together from the very first stitch to the last.  

Does this sound familiar?

You have plenty of (or at least some) quilting designs in your toolbox...

But when it's time to fill a larger space, analysis paralysis sets in.  

You wonder:

  • Where do I start planning?
  • Which designs work well together?
  • How many motifs should I use?
  • What do I quilt first?
  • How do I keep it from looking busy or chaotic?

The good news?  You don't need a hundred more quilting designs. You don't need a magical talent either.

You simply need an intentional way to put the things you already know together.  

Inside Classic Mash-up, you'll learn how to:

  • Give every quilting motif a purpose.
  • Choose a strong foundational motif to anchor your design.
  • Build contrast that creates interest without creating chaos.
  • Limit your motifs so the finished quilting feels rich instead of busy.
  • Lightly plan your quilting areas before you stitch.
  • Quilt in an order that creates natural layering and makes travel easier.
  • Use crosshatching as both a beautiful background element and an efficient travel path.  

You'll also:

  • Analyze examples of successful classic mashups.
  • Explore several crosshatch variations (because crosshatching is CLASSIC!)
  • Watch two different quilting compositions develop from blank space to finished plan while every design decision is explained along the way.

By the end of the workshop, you'll know how to combine familiar quilting motifs into rich, cohesive background quilting that looks intentional rather than random or chaotic.  

Here's something I hope you'll remember...

The best quilting isn't the result of knowing hundreds of motifs.  In fact, some of the most beautiful mashed-up quilting shows remarkable restraint. 

If you only know a handful of favorite motifs, you're in a wonderful place to begin.  

This workshop will show you how to get so much more from what you already know.  

You may be asking, I recently took your workshop 'Contemporary Mash-up,' is this a different workshop?

Yes! While the overall idea of combining quilting motifs is similar, this is intentionally a different workshop. In Classic Mashup, we'll be working with more traditional, widely used quilting motifs and exploring how to combine them into cohesive background quilting. We'll also spend time on several styles of crosshatching and how it can become both a beautiful design element and an efficient way to travel through your quilting. If you enjoyed Contemporary Mashup, I think you'll find Classic Mashup builds on the same design-thinking process while giving you a completely different set of examples, motifs, and compositions to use in your own quilting.

Save Your Seat

Join me for Classic Mash-up and leave with a practical design-planning process you can use on your very next quilt.

If you've ever looked at an open quilting space and wondered, "Now what?" this workshop is for you.

Reserve your spot today.

Workshop Details

  • Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2026

  • Time: 4 PM Pacific

  • Replay: Yes! Every registration includes automatic replay access so you can watch live or catch up whenever it works for you.

  • Who it's for: Longarm OR domestic machine quilters who want to create cohesive, intentional background quilting using familiar motifs.

Why Learn from Me?

Over the years, I've filled a vintage suitcase with quilt show ribbons. 

But more importantly, I've quilted for a wide variety of clients, each bringing unique quilts and unique design challenges.  Those quilts became my testing ground.  

I've experimented with combining lots of motifs and just a few.  

I've explored different ways to build contrast, create movement, simplify busy spaces, and make quilting feel cohesive instead of random.

Everything I'll teach in Classic Mash-up comes from practical experience solving these design decisions on real quilts, again and again.  

I'm excited to share the process that's made the biggest difference in my own quilting and in the quilting I create for others.  

Common Questions

  • Is this for longarm or domestic machine quilters?

    Both. The design principles you'll learn apply regardless of which machine you use.

  • I only know a few quilting motifs. Is this workshop for me?

    Absolutely. One of the biggest ideas you'll learn is that beautiful quilting comes from thoughtful design choices, not from collecting hundreds of motifs. Some of the strongest quilting uses surprisingly few designs.

  • Will there be a replay?

    Yes. Replay access is included automatically with your registration.

What students are saying:

  • Linda

    Every time I have machine quilted since I started following Susan, I am reminded of the many things I've learned from her about everything from loading the quilt to keeping it flat and straight to the thread color and quilting pattern selection. Sew grateful.

  • Doris

    I am learning so much with Susan’s excellent instruction. The course material, watching Susan stitch the designs, and her samples of how the design appears on quilts is so helpful. And all in the comfort of my own home!

  • Lori

    I am thoroughly enjoying your videos. They are high quality productions with very, very useful content. I always learn something while watching you and find inspiration to try something new.

FAQ

  • Can I watch this on my own time? Or only a specific time?

    It will only be held LIVE at the specified time, but the replay will automatically be available for every enrollee.

  • How do I access the workshop?

    Watch for your introduction email! (And carefully check your email address when you enroll🔎) That email will have login details for your student dashboard. That's where you'll find the LIVE course, and also the REPLAY as soon as it's released.

  • If I'm an ADVANCE member, is this workshop included in my membership?

    No, it's not. This is a brand new workshop.

  • Do I need to prep my quilting machine?

    No. This is primarily a DESIGN class. There will be photos and illustration, but we will not be quilting during the workshop.

  • Does this replace Free Motion Quilting Masterclass?

    No. Think of Classic Mashup as learning how to design the composition. Inside FQM you'll find many of the motifs which are featured in this workshop taught step by step, giving you an even larger design repertoire as you create your own mashups.