Turn Fabric into Works of Art
Believe it or not, all of us can be textile artists—one step at a time—with Tammie Bowser’s stitched art techniques. You may not have considered yourself an artist, but with Tammie’s help and demonstration, that notion will change! Tammie is an award-winning, international quilter, and my recent guest on Sewing With Nancy—How to Sew Art part one.
Often the first reaction to Tammie’s stitched art is, “That looks too difficult to make—I could never do that!” In the How to Sew Art TV show, book, and DVD, Tammie shares how starting with a great photo, choosing 9–12 fabrics, and then following her steps, you too can make fabric art projects that you’ll be proud to show.
In Sewing With Nancy–How to Sew Art part one, you’ll learn:
- Tips for choosing a great photo
- How to make a pattern from the Stitch A Sketch Art Quilt Software or Quilted Photo Deluxe 2.0 Art Quilt Software, and how to download a free trial at Tammie’s web site, howtosewart.com.
- How to print and tile the pattern pieces
- How to create a fusible foundation for an art quilt with parchment paper, Wonder-Web Fusible and 505 Spray and Fix Adhesive
- How to choose 9–12 batik fabrics
In How to Sew Art Part One, Tammie also shares her techniques for preparing the pattern for cutting fabrics.
Thank you to my guest Tammie Bowser for sharing How to Sew Art with fabric and photos. Tune in next week for part two—when fabrics are cut, positioned, and quilted into art.
Watch How to Sew Art (Part One and Part Two) on Sewing With Nancy online.
Bye for now,
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Elaine Quinn
I so want to do this using my husband’s photo..I started a couple years ago and got discouraged and quit…I am now inspired again!
BevM
Oh, a hard choice.. I would choose my grandmother, who was an excellent quilter…all hand stitched without a sewing machine.
Jeff P
It is just amazing that the fabrics used can create a perfect picture – unbelievable! I would think that you would have to use all plain or marbled fabrics.
Jeff P
Forgot to add – I would try my son’s dog first, before a human. It would seem like it would be easier.
Brenda Theisen
I would love to do a picture of my grandmother as a little girl.
Cindy
I have been considering this book and software for over a year now but was concerned that it would be too complicated/technical. However, Part 1 has simplified things to where I no longer have that concern. Also loved the value tool.
C Strickland
The town I live in has a hill top view of the lake and the city in the far background along with rolling hills. I have always wanted to make that into a quilt art.
Cindy
Oops – forgot to add that I would use a high school grad pic of my niece and her now fiance who will marry in Oct.
Susan Spiers
I have a beautiful picture I took of a magnolia-it would make a great art work project!
Carol Netzler
I saw Tammie’s presentation last year and am so intrigued by her technique. I would love to try this. Her art is so beautiful!
Mary Green
Hubby has an absolutely favorite photo of GG 1 that I would love to make into an art quilt for him.
Carol Netzler
Forgot to add– I would use a photo of my mom.
Tammy Kazmierczak
I loved the interview you did with Tammie Bowser. I was just thinking about her technique last week and would love to win her book. I am sure my mother-in-law would love a quilted wall hanging of her husband who passed away last year.
Polly Odom
I am interested in animal portraiture. This seems like a great way to make animal pictures into quilts.
CAROL L
I love the way Tammie has made this technique easier with such amazing results! I would love to surprise my mother with a gift of her favorite portrait of the grand children!
Robin
I saw the show you did with Tammie and you both made it look easy to use this technique! I’m trying to work up the courage to try it myself! There are so many photos I could use for inspiration including my grandson, my daughter and son, my grandmother, and so many landscape photos I have taken over the years. I guess I’d better get started now!
Virginia
I have an almost 5 year old great grandson that is so very photogenic that I would love to try this method to bring out his beautiful smile and gorgeous red hair in fabric.
Josephine E
I am so inspired by art quilts and have seen quilts that made me cry believing they were nothing short of divine intervention. My husband, a former marine, has a black Chiweenee, his service dog and with this book I would try to make a likeness of his dog.
Chris Reeske
I have many pictures from our travels so it’ll be hard to pick just one, so I’ll make many. I may start with one of the pyramids in Cairo.
3 no 7
This looks like a great strategy to learn. I would start with a photo of my daughter that I took in NYC with Central park as the background
Sharie
I would love to try this technique on a really old picture of my Mama taken when she was a teenager. She passed away several years ago at age of 98 , two weeks shy of 99 years old. Thanks for chance to win !
Vicky
I can’ imagine if you don’t have some type of drawing skills this could work! I can’t draw a stick horse and make it look like one! I can draw designs for interior projects but a picture I can not imagine. I have a special technique for putting colors of fabric together. Other designers come to me for color ideas. I would love to do a black and white photo of my mom at 18 years old. She was so beautiful!
Cassandra J Allen
I have seen some beautiful art quilts but like others just passed them by because I thought that was something I could never master. After watching Tammie Bowser on your show I have a whole different outlook. I want to do this! The first photo that came to mind is one of my 24 yr old granddaughter. It is a close-up. Kind of reminds me of the Glamour Shots photos. She is very exotic looking and I think I could do it justice using Tammie’s techniques and then give it to my daughter for Christmas. Tammie and you are inspiring so many people. Thank you!!!
Jan N.
I’d use a photo of a beach scene I took in Mexico a couple of years ago. It’s a favorite photo of mine.
Rhonda in KY
I have a fall photo of my backyard that I think would make a great quilt. Batiks would work wonderfully for all those beautiful fall colors.
Leslie Oliver
I would make an artwork quilt of my friend’s daughter who died last year. She was so young, only 26 years old and I think of her often and I miss her dearly. I know her parents would love to have a beautiful artwork memory quilt of her.
Cindy K
Would love to win this book to make a quilt from a photo of my grandkids. Saw the show with Tammie and really enjoyed it.
jeanne bruenderman
Very interesting. I would use a recent pic of my 2 amazing daughters and myself. I raised them as a single parent ..they were 5 and 10 years old when I divorced. They have given me 7 grandchildren who light up my life.
Colleen Bell
Tammy’s work is absolutely gorgeous and she does have a “thing” for it! I will be ordering this book and DVD, but I noticed on Amazon that she also has two other books that are similar. Are all 3 different or is this book a compilation of both of those?
Nancy Zieman
Colleen,
Please check with Tammy’s office: http://quiltedphoto.com/ I don’t know all the similarities/differences in the books. THey’ll be able to guide you. Thanks for watching.
Marty
I purchased set from you last year and will be making grand-daughter quilt this fall. Love the technique!
Emily Williams
I just went to the eye doctor where they took images of my retina and was astonished by the beautiful colors and lines. Reds, oranges, yellows, shadows … gorgeous. How amazing to transform that into fabric art! Then quilt and stitch in the blood vessels, etc. Okay, maybe an acquired taste (yes, I have a science background) but my quilt-loving optometrist and I would be thrilled if I learned to “sew art.” Thank you for the inspiration!
Anne Z.
I would love to use this technique to create art quilts of my family, as well as photos from my travels. Thanks for the continued inspiration!!!!
Mary Eastep
I have wanted to make an art quilt of the las picture taken of my son. He went to be with the Lord in 2013 at the age of 28.
When he was a toddler he would be at my knee while I was sewing. He learned the numbers 1-36 playing with my yardstick. The trips to the fabric store he had to endure; unless, it was for something to be made for him!
Lynne Hoyt
I would use this technique to honor my 96 year old aunt for her daughter.
Linda
I just purchased Tammie’s software and am excited to try this technique. I’ve been playing with it a bit and it’s very user-friendly! I have so may pictures I’d like to do that I don’t know where to start!
Meriul
I would love to make quilted portraits of our grandchildren! Thank you for your inspiration!
Brenda Aigner
I would do a portrait of my mother in law for her 90th birthday this fall.
Helen Meaux
Looks like fun. I’d love to learn this!
Dee
After recovering from breast cancer and now a quadruple bypass , I would use a picture of my husband and I riding our horses on the trail. Its been awhile since we have been able to do that. Thanks !
Gloria Meacham
The Photo I would like to turn into a quilt is one from our trip to Alaska. It is an eagle sitting on the top of a pine tree with show capped mountains in the background.
Kathy Marko
After watching this show, I bought the Stitch A Sketch software – but in over 2 years I have yet been able to get the software to load on my laptop. Very frustrating. It uses Java and I even made sure Java was loading and working on my browser, but the software will not load.