Monday, May 14, 2007

Taking pictures of quilts and Mother's Day Happiness


Taking a picture of a quilt can be quite a challenge. Either the quilt is so big you can't get it all in and focused properly or you have to shoot it at an angle. I think I've solved this dilemma, at least for myself, by bringing my quilts outside and photographing them in nature or on my front porch. You can see the difference the shade makes verses the full sun
and mottled shade.

This is an Arced Double Wedding Ring quilt that I made for my daughter Chelsea when she was very young. The front is pieced with a whole cloth back. I say whole cloth when I don't piece the back with different fabrics to use up the stash. Shame on me there is no label on the back, and you know how I feel about labels-they must be there for the future, so this will move to the top of my handwork pile by the TV and I will put one on it. The sad thing is I think I made it around 1992. I remember taking several classes at that time and I imagine that's about the time frame. But, you know at least it will have a date and designate whose it is. Perhaps, in the future my girls decide they both want one of my quilts, there will be no doubt to whom it was given.

I started following the design of the print on the fabri
c for the quilting, which is a perfectly viable option for quilting, but, I just don't like that quilting design for this quilt. I think I'll redo it and will have to come up with another design for the center of the rings. I love this quilt and it's soft colors. Notice the all over soft harmony of color. The curved binding is one of the most difficult things to do in quilting. This is a twin size quilt, made for her bed at the time. Some quilts really do make our hearts smile.

Next is another quilt I made for Chelsea, I try to switch back and forth between my daughters, it just so happens I've picked up two for photographing for my blog that are Chelsea's. I'll try to get 2 for Jennifer next time. Anyway, this is made with my favorite block, Ohio Star. The offsetting squares are Kaffe Fassett bright clear fabrics. These are set against the dustier/duller Japanese fabrics, which give an illusion of the bright squares floating on the quilt. I like the use of color and quilting to add another dimension to an overall quilt design. This is a full/queen size quilt made for her bed later in life.

The back is stash busting supreme,


using huge chunks of fabric sewn together.
You can see my free motion quilting
on the back and

there is a label.


So much for the quilting part of the this post.

I had such a great Mother's Day yesterday. We went to Marengo Cave, in Indiana, which is about 45 minutes from Crestwood, Kentucky, where we live. For about $30.00, we were able to go spelunking (cave exploring),

have a picnic and also go on a float trip on the Blue River with Cave
Country Canoes. Great fun. I hope everyone got to have a great special Mother's Day. If you live anywhere near that area, I highly recommend visiting. There was also a pretty good restaurant, the Blue River Cafe, although, I think they were slammed with people and understaffed for Mother's Day, so service was pretty slow. But, it was right next to the canoe rental and we worked up an appetite canoing.

Happy Quilting!

10 comments:

Leigh said...

Your double wedding ring is beautiful. The soft colors are lovely.
Sounds like you had a wonderful mothers day.
What pretty girls you have. :)

CONNIE W said...

I am enjoying your photos and your pretty quilts. :-)

Marlublu said...

I really enjoyed reading your blog.You have some pretty daughters.You'll never catch me in a cave that's for sure.LOL! I really liked your wedding ring quilt and the Kaffee fabric quilt.You know it's his fabric right away and I like what you did with the backing.That's how I'm making my quilt backs from now on.

Tracey @ozcountryquiltingmum said...

Lucky girls, thanks for sharing. I have the double wedding ring on the "one day" list, it keeps getting longer, I should stop surfing the net! Tracey

Teodo said...

Ciao, I'm happy to know you and your quilts.
I'm amazed by your works..there are so many and are so beautiful! This double wedding is BELLISSIMO (wonderful in Italian).

Your daughters are very nice. I've a daughter and a son.

Step by step I hope to know better you and your blog!
Thanks.

ciao ciao

Anne Ida said...

Boy you have been busy with the camera :o) Amd it looks like you have been having a lovely time!

I LOVE your double wedding ring quilt! It looks so soft and elegant!

Take care! And happy quilting!

Valerie said...

Thank you for commenting on my blog! I don't think the Mother In Law will be jealous because (sshhh!) I'm trying to get another like it done in time for her birthday in two weeks! She's got her own lil' collection of my quilts at her house, so I think she knows she's pretty special to me too! :)

Oh, and boy do you have a good blog, full of pictures, just the way I like it!

I also am so in love with Double Wedding Ring's - yours is just beautiful.

Bea said...

I love "Double Wedding Rings". I´ve sewed one for my best friends wedding, but no one for me. But next time - well ... sometimes!!! smile! Yours is wonderful!

Tone Yvonne said...

It's fun when you find a way to photograph your quilts, that makes them stand out. Taking pictures in natural light is always a good option, espesially when it's from north.

Sewing outside is quite relaxing :o) I did have a wonderful day, sewing in the sun. Thanks for stopping by :o)

Enjoy

Unknown said...

My wife of 57 years is an excellent quilter and occasionly in preparation for a showing, she asks that I take photos for presentation. I am an aspiring phtograper with reasonably good skills, but I find it diffacult to do a decent job on quilts. If you hang them, they invarably show less than square photos, even though the actual quilt is perfectly square. I would appreciate any advice given on the subject.

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