Monday, June 9, 2008

photo transfer images


Hi, Debbie wanted some info on photo quilts, so I will do my best to explain the way I do it. I upload my pictures into the computer, and in photo editor I tweek the photos to how I want them...brighter...darker.... black and white...remove red eye....my programe even has remove scratches and blemishes. In my mother in laws cushion, I did all the black and white photos in the sepia tone, it evened out all the photos because some were true black and white, some weren't. When I am happy with photos I load a sheet of photo transfer material in my inkjet printer. These sheets are fabric one side, paper the other, A4 size . Sometimes I print 4 photos on 1 sheet, sometimes 3 0r 6 smaller ones. On the printer make sure setting is best quality, and watch your images print. Some sheets require drying time, then a rinse in cold water to insure colour fastness, then lay flat to dry. They don't take long to dry, I have even ironed them to speed up the drying. The photo fabric sheets come in a 5 pack, sell for about $25.-$35. per pack and they have very easy to follow instructions on the pack [ a couple of aussie ladies sell them on ebay, and they are usualy cheaper than the craft shops] Sometimes I haven't followed a pattern to make them up, just joined squares together, sometimes it's easy to modify a pattern, replace squares with the same size in a photo block even if you have to border photo to get the size you are after. Hope this helps, and I hope you give it a go, but I warn you, as soon as people see photos in a quilt or cushion everyone wants one!! Here is a work in progress,[ NOT A GREAT PHOTO, DIDN'T HAVE GLASSES ON] a lady I work with wanted a cushion with her daughters wedding photos on it. She wanted a BIG cushion, and it will finish at the europe pillow size. I was having trouble with the wedding colours, bright pink,teal blue,black and white, then played with the moda daydreams panel and yardage and I liked the effect.I am going to quilt it today, then put the back of the pillow on, a lovely dusty pink. Ps ,Just remembered, I have never quilted over the photos, the material is a bit heavy, and the needles leave big holes. So I just do in the ditch around the edges. happy sewing.............

2 comments:

Vickie said...

WELCOME BACK to bloglqand great to see you ative again...Oh my what a wonderful job you have done on that cushion-the person who requested it is surely going to be gobsmacked,
cheers Vickie

Sarah said...

LOVELY!! And thanks for all that info.
x sarah