Several years ago I started experimenting with turning photo’s into quilts. No, not photo transfer, although I’ve done that too, but making a quilt pattern from a photo I had taken. It’s been a fun journey that has really opened up what I feel I can do.
This month, at the guild I belong to, Lake Norman Quilters, in Mooresville, NC, I am giving the program on how I do this. My method is a hybrid of several different techniques that I’ve learned. It’s the process that works best for me. And I encourage everyone to read as much as you can, study with as many people as you can and then PICK AND CHOOSE what parts of whose techniques work for you.
My inspiration photo for this particular quilt is from JanD’s garden. She planted sunflower seeds this summer and had some interesting dark sunflowers come up. I had to write and ask if I could use one of her photo’s and Jan, gracious as ever, told me yes. (check out her blog on my blogroll under Serendipity Quilting).
This is the photo I chose from the ones Jan sent me.
And this is the quilt I am working on from that photo.
I’ve taken the liberty of changing the background with one of my painted fabrics, rather than recreating the outside of Jan’s house. And the colors in this are much lighter FOR NOW. I plan to do much more work on this before it’s complete in the embellishment stage, including using either watercolor or paints to add definition and details.
This quilt will also be hanging in the booth at the Carolina Longarm Association show in Clemmons, NC when I vend there in September. I’ll have hand-dyed fabrics and yarns, dyed clothing ready for embellishment, and painted fabrics for sale. As well as hand-made buttons and pendants from a local artist in the area. The Carolina Longarm Association is a regional group devoted to the education and improvement of longarm quilting.
If you’re near either location, stop in and say HELLO!!!!!!
It’s beautiful!!! You are so incredibly talented 🙂 And yes I would have replaced that ugly house with a beautiful sky, espeacially with one of your beautiful hand dyes!! I look forward to seeing what you do with this 😀
Judy, love your sunflower!!! Very cool!
Beautiful quilt. I love making quilts out of photos! Sometimes I even succeed in making something recognizable!
Corky is too modest – hers are wonderful as our yours. I’m hoping to get to a CLA meeting someday – and planning to come to the show. Would you like to come to Charleston, SC and do a class for our guild sometime?
Lookin great Judy!
I would love to know what exactly you do with the photo, and how you use it for a pattern. Hmmmmmm, I bet you and I have discussed this before? I use my own method too, which is a mix of other’s techniques.
I can hardly wait to see this finished. I bet you have some nifty quilting tricks in mind for it.
Gayle
Lookin good! Can’t wait to see it as it’s quilted and embellished…
another wonderful design in the works judy! love it.
Gorgeous!
Judy
I can only imagine what it will look like when finished.
Terrific! Be sure to post it when it is finished.
Very pretty quilt, I really enjoy sunflowers.
Judy-Love your quilt. I used to be in the Carolina Longarm group (a year or so ago) and I’d like to rejoin. Could you send me the link? I’d love to come up in September and see your fabric! Thanks-Vickie
Ooo! I live the sunflower! Very, very cool! Wanted to let you know I enjoy reading your blog and seeing your pictures. 😉
TerriW
That sunflower quilt is awesome! I love your colors-just like the photo.