How to Sew Art Part Two
Today we continue with part two of the Sewing With Nancy mini series, How to Sew Art. Starting with a photo, choosing fabrics, and then following steps to turn a common digital image into spectacular wall art. Tammie Bowser, a quilt innovator, will show us how to transform ordinary fabric into fine art.
In my January 29 blog post, I shared an overview of How to Sew Art part one, including choosing a photo, downloading the software, printing the pattern, creating a fusible web sandwich, and selecting fabrics.
- Either of these two software programs will turn your photo into a pattern. Choose from the Stitch A Sketch Art Quilt Software or Quilted Photo Deluxe 2.0 Art Quilt Software.
In How to Sew Art part two, the magic happens!
- Learn techniques for cutting the pattern pieces.
- See how to cut and add the fabric pieces.
- Watch Tammie demonstrate the stitching/quilting process.
- See how to add texture with Cotona thread and Angelina fibers.
In How to Sew Art part two, you’ll also see an inspirational gallery of Tammie’s quilts!
At Tammie’s website, howtosewart.com. you’ll find details on downloading a free software trial. The software turns an image into an art quilt pattern and includes the Gerber Daisy image below!
Nancy’s Notions has assembled a How to Sew Art Starter Set that includes the book, DVD, Color Value Isolation Tool, 505 Spray and Fix Adhesive, and Wonder-Web Fusible.
Watch How to Sew Art (Part One and Part Two) on Sewing With Nancy online.
Bye for now,
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Linda E in AZ
I would make a landscape quilt from one of my favorite outdoor photos taken on our various camping trips.
thanks for the information and opportunity!!
Melanie
I’d make a portrait of my mother from her college yearbook photo.
Joanne P.
I would like to make a portrait quilt of each of my 3 kids for a birthday or Christmas gift. Have some landscape things in mind too.
Donna Klug
I have been interested in exploring fiber art. This form is really exciting! I am a big fan of Nancy Zieman. Her programs encourage sewists to explore new ideas and to learn and profect new skills! Thank you Nancy!
Betty Woerner
I have made quilts for each of my grandchildren and now the oldest is getting married. I would like to make a quilt with her wedding picture on it along with their date.
Diana G
I would probably start with landscape (as it looks the easiest to do) then move onto people, animals etc..
Thanks for the opportunity to win !!
Leslie
I’ve always wanted to do flowers, so I would start there and then follow my imagination:)
Peggy Underhill
I am English living in the beautiful southwestern US but i so miss the English countryside sometimes. I would make a landscape featuring the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire which inspired Edward Elgar’s music, and formed the backdrop to my childhood.
Donna N
I am a recent Florida resident so I would love to try an image of the beautiful sunsets with palm trees.
Susan
I want to make one of a photo I took of my husband walking away from me, he passed away two years ago and I think this would make a super wall-hanging. We were just fooling around one day taking pictures of each other walking away and walking toward each other.
Starla
A lighthouse on the Oregon coast.
Karen Cassidy
My grandchildren! Added 3 new babies this year to give us 6. Have some great photos of them. This looks like so much fun! Thanks!
Coni
I would work on a photo of my Uncle in his garden many years ago. It would be a treasured remembrance of him and his fondness of his garden. Although I am sure I need to practice, practice before accomplishing that. Thanks so much for this opportunity.
Cheryl Fabiano
I have been wanting to make a quilt of the house I lived in for several years as a child which is the house in which my mother grew up and also adjoins the house of “the boy next door” who is my father.
Pat
I would do a wall hanging size art quilt of my German Shepard. She was 13 years old when she passed away and we continue to miss her. She always sat by me while I worked on sewing projects. I believe an art quilt of her would be a wonderful tribute to her unconditional love.
Bev M
I have been planning to make a wall hanging of scenes from our farm, using photo transfers. However, an art quilt would be even better. I am an avid reader, and have also read many quilting novels.
Robin Cleveland
I absolutely love this technique! I am definitely going to do this! I think my first project will be from a photo of some flowers I have in my garden, then I plan to do a quilt of my grandson as a gift for his parents. I love that there are few rules and that the process can be spontaneously creative!
Sue Vincent
This is such a beautiful and creative art form. I have been sewing since my mother taught me as a little girl. I think a beautiful quilt of her dancing with my father at my wedding would be a wonderful tribute and would work well with the urn for her ashes which I made with that image on it. She and my father were reunited when she passed 7 years ago and I imagine them waltzing in heaven.
Shar
Tammie does make it look easy. I have never tried this before so I would probably start with a wall hanging picturing a winter scene. Can you tell I have been taking pictures of the blizzard we had over the weekend. The snow was beautiful on the trees and luckily I was able to stay inside, safe and warm.
MaryEllen
Beautiful work. I would choose from several photos of blue iris’ that grow in my backyard for the art quilt. It’s my favorite flower and the art quilt would a delightful reminder of spring time in the dead of winter.
Sandy H
I am very excited by Tammy’s technique! I plan to make a quilt using a photo I took of my husband back in the 70’s. He is sitting profile featuring his curly hair and holding a pipe to his mouth. We’ve been married 48 years now and it has always been a favorite picture.
Terry H from MN
Nancy,
I’ve just recently discovered your programs and they infuse me with passion to sew. I love mixed media sewing & crafting projects. I can envision a quilt with the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness with encouraging words or pictures of her kids- for my son’s mother-in-law Patty who was just diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer. She said she is “always cold”, so I would like to do something to share my love with her. Thank you for that opportunity. Terry
Dot Read
I would make my first “sew art” project a rendition of my Hymmie, Bo Diddley, affectionately called “Didder Bug”. He is a real valentine.
Barbara H
I have been trying to access the 7 day free access to the software to try out this great project, but I cannot find the link. The link in the article takes me to the website, but the link there for the trail does not work. Is there an updated link?
Pam
I love these tutorials! I would love to eventually make a portrait of my granddaughter. For my first quilt using this technique though, Id think I’d start with something simpler like a flower. Irises are my favorite. Thanks for the great giveaway!
Nancy Liebman
I recently retired and am excited to try this new art form of sewing. I bought a new bedspread and shams with flowers and it needs the addition of threads to make the flowers pop. I can’t wait to start!!!
Sally
Thank you, Nancy for all your great tutorials. I follow you on PBS and the web. I would definitely make a portrait of my husband. I hope you never retire!!!
LindaE in NJ
We currently live on the east coast and have pictures of our friend’s beautiful garden. This summer we are moving to Montana where the gardening is somewhat different. I would love to make an art quilt of Matt’s Garden.
Tere in Ohio
I would recreate a picture of my grandson. He recently had open heart surgery and came through with flying colors. He is such a gift. The pic I have just illustrates the wonderful little guy he is. It would be so cool to recreate it in an art quilt.
ann
I would do my parents who have both passed away and their dog katie.
Sharon Collins
I would do my Daddy in his Navy uniform with his baby brother. It would have special meaning to me, my sister, brother, & two cousins who share both sets of grandparents. Known to us a double cousins. I have long been enamored with portrait quilts after seeing Hollis’ s quilts from Africa. My mind is blank on her past name – Chaterlain?
Lorij
I would do a quilt with my son’s picture on it. He passed away in 2001 at 27 and I’d put some red roses in each corner, they were my mother’s favorite flower. Thanks for an opportunity to win.
Sheri T
I’d love to win the “How to Sew Art” DVD as I’ve always admired art quilts. I think for my first art quilt, I would chose a photograph from a trip to Japan I took of the old buildings on both sides of a narrow street in an old part of town that reminded me of an old Japanese woodblock print!
Teresa Heintz
Dear Nancy,
If I had the opportunity and knowledge to sew an art quilt, I would love to sew/paint a bright, beautiful field of different flowers as far as the eye could see, possibly with a young woman walking slowly or standing in the field examining a flower while deep in thought.
Thank you for your time and consideration Nancy. T. heintz
Danita Courtney
Would love to make the last moment I had with my mother as she laid her head on my chest falling asleep and me holding my arms around her like the protective “child”. Our rolls were reversed in the end. It will always be my favorite picture and I would love to see it done in an art quilt! Thank you for the opportunity to win the supplies AND for teaching us how to use them!
Kelly Sasman
I can’t paint but always wish I could but I can sew & quilt so I MUST try this! I’ve always wished I could get the photo of me as a baby on a tiny desk calander blown up. My grandma submitted it to a dairy company in the 50’s & it won. I was a pin up girl! I would love to make this baby photo of me.
Maeve
I have wanted to do a portrait of my beautiful grandson, Max. He was adopted from S. Korea nearly 8 years ago, and he has been the greatest blessing on our family. Max has autism and developmental delays, along with sensory issues. He is so full of energy, joy, and love – and he is so handsome! It would be such a joy if I could sew a portrait of him for my daughter and her husband, who have been the most extraordinary parents to Max.
Anne Schafroth
My first art quilt subject would be my puppies. They bring lots of joy (and dog hair) into my life.
Marty
My daughter’s dance photos!
Ell
Perhaps a quilt of my grandmother in a large, beautiful hat of the era when she was a young woman would make an interesting portrait quilt.
KL
My first piece would be a peachy pink sunset over the blue green pacific ocean with whales off in the distance, crashing waves and sea foam on the beach along with rocks and shells. All that with a blue sky and a few seagulls and the undulating sand with tufts of sea grass and driftwood. Used to live there and really miss it.
I’ve watch most of Nancy’s TV shows and videos, and have just recently started stocking my sewing room. I’m ready to retire and start having some ‘me’ time.
ines
I am putting memories-in my sewing-on my walls-I love waterfalls-I have RA–losing the use of my hands……so the 7 summers working in Yellowstone has given me some great waterfall pics-with needlepoint and sew-art – will enjoy my memory wall hangings
penni
I really enjoyed watching Tammie and believe I could do this… just turned 71. My first thought was to make one for my son of his 19 year old son who passed away a year and a half ago. I just love this technique and am quite computer literate for an old bird.
Been watching Nancy since she first started her shows on TV.
Judy P
My son is an architectural photographer. I would love to try one of his photos first. I love this technique and will buy the book if I don’t win it.
Lynne Hoyt
I moved to Santa Fe 2 months ago and am still overwhelmed with the beautiful clouds and mountains so I would start there before moving to portraits.
liege welsch
Isto é muito mais do que eu sonhei…
mas gostaria de fazer a foto de minha linda família !!!!
Karen
I would create a scene from our farm.
Karen
I would create a scene of our farm.
Eve
I would love to do my Dad. He is a remarkable man and it would mean so much to him. Thank you for a beautiful lesson. One of my favorites.
Shel
My first pictorial art quilt would be of my in-laws who have celebrated their 50th anniversary! I would have to follow that up with a quilt for my husband’s office of our cute Cairn Terrier (our little boy).
Thanks Nancy for a terrific blog!
sandy rader
My first art quilt would be an adorable picture of my grandson with his head on the windowsill looking out at a pumpkin on a table outside. It is so sweet. I would love to capture that for all times.