How To Photograph Your Quilt

I was so excited to finish my first quilt (made with cheater fabric). I took it outside, tossed it over the fence and took some photos. The photos were fine, but something was "missing". The photo above was supposed to be my "finish" photo which was supposed to show the entire quilt, the colors and size of the quilt...this just didn't communicate all I wanted to convey and I didn't know what was wrong.

I decided to do a little research on "how to photograph a quilt". I picked up some good info online. Here's what I gleaned that helped for the second shoot:
-direct sun distorts the photo with bleached colors and shadows, take photos on an overcast day or in an area with indirect light
-take the photo head on, not to the side or too high or too low
-find a way to hang the quilt flat, showing the entire piece (without your children's or husband's fingers and feet in the photo-ha!)

So I was thinking how to hang my quilt. I decided that I had a nice weathered fence that would make a nice background. Gray goes with everything! Either that or I could use the siding on the house (soft yellow). I finally decided on push pins and binder clips because they were so easy...it worked!

I hung the quilt on the clips and set up the tripod. After taking several photos, I used PicMonkey to adjust the overall light quality (using their auto adjust) and did some cropping. Here's what I got:

WOW! So much better! This is what I was looking for! I love how the background fence disappears and doesn't compete with the quilt. I love that the push pins and binder clips can be used again, I put them in a special spot for next time.

Helpful links on photographing quilts:
http://shecanquilt.blogspot.com/2013/04/photo-tips-for-quilt-photographers-2013.html
http://www.hollyknott.com/stq/
http://www.quiltmaker.com/articles/photo_tips_for_your_quilts_
http://www.suedennis.com/Quilt%20Photography%20Images/Digital%20Quilt%20Photo%20Story.pdf

Handmade Pillowcases Napkins and Crocheted Afghans

I've been trying to complete some unfinished projects. These include handmade pillowcases for my children and some napkins for a friend's birthday, along with some crocheted afghans.

I thought it would be fun to make the kids pillowcases for various holidays. I started with a Christmas gift of a Christmas pillowcase. I made Valentine pillowcases and my son a birthday pillowcase. Then I bought the fabric for Easter pillowcases, a birthday pillowcase for my daughter along with Halloween and Christmas sale yardage. I had given them the fabric as gifts with the intention of speedily whipping up the pillowcases...but I never got to it.

Enter my "staycation". I spent some time finishing up these projects and I'm happy to say they are finally finished!

Pillowcase:
Standard Case is 27" and the flaps can be cut 2" and 9"
King is 36" (one yard) and the flaps can be cut 3" and 10"

Handmade Pillowcase Videos:
http://youtu.be/MrYWCma9wgM
http://youtu.be/TAomYjHzUQk

Napkins:
I order 1 1/4 yards of fabric. When I unfold it, it will measure about 44"x48" and I cut this piece in quarters. I don't really care if all my napkins are square or even the exact same size, so it works for me! Getting that napkin as close to 20" square is my goal...if they are too small, they'll be really lightweight and won't stay on the eater's lap!

Handmade Napkin Video/Links:
http://youtu.be/4Nl_L1c-PX4
http://www.theblissfullycontentlife.org/2012/01/make-your-own-everyday-cloth-napkins.html

Afghans:
I wanted a 3' wide by 6' long afghan for each of my friend's children. The plastic hook I used was N size (10.00mm) and I made a chain of about 57 loops. Then I double crocheted across the chain, making about 55 posts. I made 8 rows which used one skein of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick. I used 8 skeins for the body and one skein for the border. I did a double crochet border. On my turning post, I only did a chain of two instead of three. I taught myself to crochet using YouTube videos.

Barbie's Quilt

My friend's birthday is in July and she LOOOOOVES America! While at Joann's, this star cheater fabric jumped out at me...and I quickly decided I could do what I've never done before...make a quilt sandwich and bind it!

Making a quilt has always seemed mysterious to me. It seemed difficult to baste the quilt sandwich, then how to attach my walking foot and use it and how in the world to do the binding was just too much for me! That's why I've been sticking to piecing quilt tops...I GET that.

I've set aside quilting for awhile as I've been focusing on tidying my house...and then we decided to move. Now that we are more settled, I found myself at a local Joann store in June, shopping for my daughter's birthday (she received her very own glue gun)! That's when I saw this sale fabric and decided to give making a quilt a great big try.

Enter this cheater fabric...somehow this took the mystery out of quilt making for me! It was on sale, the panel I purchased was only $6. It gave me permission to stitch all over the top of it and not worry if I made a mistake! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND doing a cheater quilt as a starter project!

The other reason I liked this fabric was it was easy to SQUARE it up because of the linear pattern and this also gave me confidence. I could visualize it since it was just a top and bottom with batting in-between. This ended up being too big and bulky for my liking as far as the free motion quilting part of it, I would like to stick to 44"x44" maximum from now on for quick projects, which makes a sweet baby quilt or lap quilt. I'll have to see how free motion versus straight stitch with the walking foot compares. I actually did this straight stitching with the free motion darning attachment!!!

QUILT BIO:
Quilt Name: Barbie's Quilt
Front Fabric: Joann $4/yard (sale!)
Backing Fabric: Joann $4/yard (sale!)
Binding: Red with matching red thread (Coats & Clark 100% Cotton)
Finished Dimensions: 44"x51" (It felt a lot bigger when I was making it!)
Batting: Warm & Natural 100% Cotton
Thread: Isocord White (Poly)
Stitching: straight lines w/ personalized block (using the darning attachment!!!)

This really inspired me. This makes a quick project that leaving all my weaknesses behind (cutting pieces, piecework, and squaring up the quilt) and it turned out really cute. I'm thinking about putting together quilt kits like this for beginners. I wonder if anyone would really want to buy something like that...