Quilt from a photo

[HalfSquare]

I have a photo of my palomino horse, and would like to do a realistic wall quilt of the photo. What advice can anyone give about starting this? I am assuming I need to use an appliqué approach. I have already made a value study of it using Photoshop.

petecolor.jpg

pete grayscaleposteredge copy.jpg

Do I need to enlarge the value study, and simplify the values (combine a few) and trace the shapes?
Thanks.

[Mimis-quilts]

Re: Quilt from a photo

Absolutely no idea! I am always in awe of the "picture quilts"...good luck figuring it out. Just because I love photography and I have an eye for a good photo...I think I would try to get a better head shot of your horse without the body of the horse in the shot. Just a thought. Have fun with it!

[PeggyM]

Re: Quilt from a photo

I have no idea either, but your horse is beautiful.

[pcbatiks]

Re: Quilt from a photo

Hi Bonnie.....that will make a pretty wall quilt! I think I would use the applique approach. Enlarge the value study to the size you want & probably trace the shapes........or you could trace & then enlarge.

If you can get your hands on the magazine American Quilter September 2013 issue...........there is an article about portrait quilts that might be helpful. The article works with a photo of a girl but the process would be the same. They work with a value study like you are planning to do. Here is the link to that magazine on amazon. Hope this helps.

American Quilter (September 2013): Michele Duffy: Amazon.com: Books

[mary3100]

Re: Quilt from a photo

I think there is a Craftsy class on pixels that might help. Nice horse!

[bhaggerty]

Re: Quilt from a photo

Appliqué would likely be easier. There is a gal by the name of Cynthia England who does this exact thing by paper piecing. She has won best of show at the Houston International Quilt Festival not once BUT TWICE! She has a great book on it and she has some free tutorials on her website. Google her name and I am sure it will pop up.

[Madeforyouinma11]

Re: Quilt from a photo

I found this the other day and thought it was really cool. I think it would help you. If you use this, let us know how it works.
Victoria and Albert Museum - Patchwork: Pattern Maker

[starlover]

Re: Quilt from a photo

Appliqué would likely be easier. There is a gal by the name of Cynthia England who does this exact thing by paper piecing. She has won best of show at the Houston International Quilt Festival not once BUT TWICE! She has a great book on it and she has some free tutorials on her website. Google her name and I am sure it will pop up.

I bought one of her kits, and it was impossible. You have the paper on the right side of the fabric to match the pieces, which meant I couldn't see where the paper stops for the stitching line. Plus the pieces are so very tiny that any seams that aren't perfect mess up the whole design. The rest of the pieces won't match up correctly. It's obviously easy for Cynthia, so naturally others would be just fine with it too...but I wasn't one of them. It's become a ufo that I doubt I'll ever try again.

[markay]

Re: Quilt from a photo

I found this the other day and thought it was really cool. I think it would help you. If you use this, let us know how it works.
Victoria and Albert Museum - Patchwork: Pattern Maker

I used this when I found it over a year ago .. I'm sad to report that I only have about 7 or 8 rows done out of , umm... 30 some I think ? It's all 2" squares. Oh my. You choose how detailed you want it and it adjusts the size squares for you .. mine came out to be little 2" squares. Oh my. Oh wait , I already said that I WILL finish it one day though.. a promise to my husband and myself!!

[HalfSquare]

Re: Quilt from a photo

Thanks everyone! I have decided to enlarge the value study and trace off the shapes, and do an iron on appliqué…then stitch the edges by machine. Hope it works. I like the artistic angle of the horse…and will make sure the head is more detailed and brighter than the rest of the body so that the perspective works. Thanks!!!