Brand new, and a project idea

[Teresa Gunderson]

Hi everyone! I just joined last night and I can tell I'll be spending a lot of time reading all the discussions and digging around on the site.

I've been working with fiber and dye and other things (polymer clay is chief on the list) for years, but I'm just a dabbler. Lately I've been bitten by the mixed-media art quilt bug, and I have some ideas. Eventually I want to do something that I can't find a name for - but basically you recreate a photograph in appliqué. The closest info on the web I've found to it is a book by Wendy Butler Berns, called "Photo Album Quilts".

Right now my first project in this vein is going to be a fabric book of a prayer I wrote for my son. I've been wanting to make it in a format that's more lasting and will take a little "rough love", so I decided to make it from denim. I'll be sure and post photos as I go.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone!

-teresa

[marion barnett]

Welcome! And good luck with the project, I hope it goes well for you.
marion

[Susan R. Sorrell]

Hmm..did you try a search on Amazon for something like photo quilts? I will keep my eyes open and let you know if I find something. ;)

[Teresa Gunderson]

Please do. The only thing I've really found (besides that one book) when I look for any combination or variation of "photo quilt" is using actual photos printed on to fabric. Nice, and possibly something I want to do, but not what I'm looking for now.

Not that my "google fu" is very strong, though. ;-)

Thanks!

[Textile Traveler]

Hi Teresa. I've seen this technique (or various techniques for doing this, I should say) in several different books, but they seem to be theme-related. So, for example, there's information about duplicating a landscape photo in a landscape-quilting book, duplicating a portrait in a portrait-quilting book, etc. Esterita Austin has an interesting way of using freezer paper and tracing patterns onto it; you can copy your photo, draw the major lines darker, then trace onto freezer paper. She then cuts each individual piece from the freezer paper and uses it as a template to cut out the corresponding fabric piece. You might google her and see if you can find something online. I think Bonnie McCaffery has a vidcast where she interviews EA, who, if I remember correctly, talks about and/or demonstrates this technique. Check here: http://bonniemccaffery.com/vidcast.html

[marion barnett]

Come to think of it, didn't Bonnie herself do a book on faces? I may be wrong, but it's worth checking it out.
marion

[Meg Fowler]

Teresa,

I'm brand new to this site, too, but your question is about something I'm working on right now. Michele's reply is 'almost' the technique I'm using. (Wish I had read the book on using the freezer paper! Great idea!) I just decided on my main lights, mediums and darks ... traced these patterns on another piece of tracing paper, cut them out and fused them down. I'm doing a real funky fabric book of "Tadpole's Amazing Adventures," (don't ask!) and I've used this method to build a portrait of Elvis! It's actually turning out pretty good for someone who has NO experience with this sort of thing. I'll send a photo if you'd like. Meg

[Teresa Gunderson]

Please share photos! I'm sure everyone would love to see them, not just me.

[Meg Fowler]

Teresa, I'll post him when I get him finished. I haven't had time to work on him since I wrote yesterday. I tend to do everything in spurts ...

[France Garrido]

I have a friend who creates books out of fabric and ironically is working on a prayer book for or inspired by her daughter. She is using a photo transfer technique and then is embellishing it. also she uses the computer to overlay images and patterns. Its quite effective.

[Terri Stegmiller]

Welcome Teresa! Watch for this book: http://tinyurl.com/bwxe74, it looks like it's scheduled to be out in early June 2009. It may be just what you are looking for.

Terri

[Teresa Gunderson]

Oh, perfect! I have it on my wish list, I think it's exactly what I need.

Thank you, Terri!!

[Hopscotch]

Welcome teresa

I can't wait to see the finished piece, sounds great!