Blue in the face.....

Last fall when our Quilt Guild challenges for the year were revealed one of them was an IDIOM CHALLENGE..... we chose an idiom out of a hat and had to make a quilt which reflected that idiom .  I was intrigued and chose my idiom.  I got "BLUE IN THE FACE".  I INSTANTLY knew what I was going to do but wasn't sure how I was going to do it exactly.  Much time will pass before I think about this again, I have until July to complete it after all, is what is going thru my head.....

At Quilt Market I met a beautiful woman named Tammie Bowser who has created a technique and computer program called Quilted Photo xpress 5.0.  www.QuiltedPhoto.com My Idiom came to mind as soon as I walked into her booth.  I HAD to do this technique for my idiom.  I recieved her book and the CD on June 3rd..... I have a month no problem....then I got the email from my aunt....the idiom challenge is due at the JUNE 11th meeting, not in JULY.  Well, that sort of moves things right along doesnt it.

I read the book cover to cover, checked out the program, chose my photo and my fabrics and I was off and running...... the technique is not hard, or complicated, it is sort of like paint by number and you can change anything you wish in the program before making your pattern.  I chose this photo of my younger son Lukas from summertime last year.

The program mapped out my pattern and then I just had to choose my fabrics.  I had chosen to use 9 fabrics and used my camera and the black and white photo setting to be sure I had the right value gradation.......

my 9 fabrics all set out, as well as my pattern reference page

From there it is paint by number.......LOTS of little squares, LOTS of cutting and ironing.  It was tedious, and repetitive, and kind of hard to visualize but I kept going........

just over halfway done

At this point it was still hard to visualize what I was looking at...... especially when you are close to it.

By this point, when you stepped away to take a picture you could see his face emerging.....

And then it was done.... when you were close to it it was still VERY tough to figure out what you were looking at but when I stood on the rolling  chair and looked thru the camera lens it was like WHOA..... that is awesome!!

Next I quilted it, nothing complicated or crazy, just texture.  I had to use my phone to keep track of what part of the photo I was working on cause it really is hard to determine when you are right on top of the quilt.

when I took it off the frame, and hung it on my shabby fence I was stunned!!  The quilt is best viewed from atleast 10 feet away to see the details and figure out the photo but it is SO very VERY cool!!

here is the close-up view but the threads really don't show up much, just provide texture.  I am in awe of this technique and the effect it creates and cannot wait to try it again!!

The best news yet....... this summer I will become a certified teacher for this technique and will be teaching it exclusively at O'Sussannah's Quilts in Watkins Glen in the fall, so you can learn it as well!!

my fence is a mess, but this quilt is AWESOME!!

One last peak, I can't resist!!