Quilting Images
A beautiful new way to combine photography, printing and quiltmaking
Classes & Lectures
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The topics listed below can be taught in a number of formats ranging from one hour lectures to several day courses and can be tailored to the needs and interests of your group.
Digital Photography, Printing and Quiltmaking
A workshop for those who want to learn the newest techniques for printing photos and other images onto fabric. We’ll begin with pictures of your favorite things – flowers, people, landscapes, animals, sunsets - images that you might want to incorporate into a quilt or fiber art project. Learn the role that scanners, digital cameras, photo software and printers play in the process of creating fabric. Explore the key concepts of image editing software (Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop Elements) to enhance your photos and prepare them for printing on fabric. Use the latest products to make your fabric images soft, colorful, washable, and lightfast. This is a no-sewing workshop for those who want to make unique and personal fabric pieces to incorporate into their quilts. Supply List
Lecture: Designing Great Quilts Using Your Fabric Photos
‘Photo quilts’ often use a bulletin board setting – fabric photos set in a regular pattern on the surface of the quilt. But, there are so many other ways to incorporate your own images into your quilted pieces. We’ll start with a quick review of the mechanics of printing from your computer onto fabric. Then, we’ll focus on a variety of ways to include your fabric photo in your quilt design. Mary Ellen’s trunk show provides an inspiring and innovative look into the art of blending photos with fabric.
Blending Photos with Fabric to Make Lily Pond Quilt
The secrets of this tranquil water lily pond quilt are in the block shapes and setting and the integration of actual water lily photos into the piece. Learn how to print photos onto fabric (we’ll use my lily pond photos in class but the process will work for your own photos later on). Learn the role that scanners, digital cameras, photo software and printers play to get crisp, richly colored images on fabric. Use the latest products to make your fabric images soft, washable, and lightfast. After preparing and printing onto fabric, we’ll begin making a wallhanging using your choice of several techniques for Drunkard’s Path block construction
“Larger-than-Life” Photo Printing
Learn how to print an image on fabric, using an ordinary inkjet printer, so that the finished piece is larger than life. You can make a single photo into your own whole cloth piece using Mary Ellen’s innovative techniques. The secrets of producing crisp, richly colored, soft and washable fabric photographs will be shared in this workshop.
Choose your favorite flower from my collection of exquisite flower photographs. Your class project fabric photo will be approximately 16 x 20 before borders. Once your larger than life flower has been printed, we’ll begin putting it all together, blending your large flower image into borders carefully chosen to blend and extend the mood of your piece.
Photo Inspired Landscape Quilts
Learn the latest techniques for printing photos onto fabric using one from my collection of landscapes or one of your own. Learn the role that scanners, digital cameras, photo software and printers play to get crisp, richly colored images on fabric. Use the latest products to make your fabric images soft, washable, and lightfast. Learn how to extend your quilt outward from your landscape photo using an easy, new technique. Blend your fabrics with your photo in such a way that viewers will wonder just where your photo ends and the fabric begins. We’ll finish with a discussion of wonderful embellishment techniques and quilting possibilities.
Students do not need to bring any computer equipment for this class!
Students do not need to bring any computer equipment for this class!
Students do not need to bring any computer equipment for this class!
Students do not need to bring any computer equipment for this class!
Make your own poster sized quilt. Combine the latest techniques for printing photos onto fabric with a new technique for adding large, graphic text shapes to your quilt top. Choose an image from my collection or bring one of your own to print. Create your own wording and then use my new method for making a bold, seamless fabric word or phrase. This can be a sewing or no-sewing workshop. Students can begin sewing a poster quilt in class or take home the ingredients for making one or a series of unique poster quilts.
Photo + Words + Fabric = Poster Quilt
Students do not need to bring any computer equipment for this class!
Click to see a sample of photographs that we can use in class.
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