If you’ve not heard of the Bloggers’ Quilt Festival, it’s a bi-annual showcase of quilting bloggers’ best work. I’m going to bore you all to death by entering my very first show quilt that you’ve seen a million times in various stages of completion- unless you’re new here, in which case this post is for you.
Penny and Fletcher was my first ever applique quilt and my first ever art quilt, and I made it in the early summer, finishing up in the middle of July. I got drawn in by the idea of making a photo into a quilt and could think of no better subjects than my dogs. Penny passed away a couple of years ago, this photo was taken in her last few weeks.
The quilt was made by ironing freezer paper pieces of my big blown up picture onto fabrics, snipping them, gluesticking the raw edges under and appliqueing them together onto the background fabric. I loved the gluing process as it meant patchwork without the sewing machine. This side of things took me a month or so, I then left the quilting part for a couple of weeks while I finished a quilt for my sister.
The quilting was done by machine and I wanted it to replicate the knap of the fur, the bobbled on their noses and the lines in the mattress so I did a bit of thread sketching. OK a lot of thread sketching, it took me a couple of weeks of dedicated work to get it finished. I even hid “Penny & Fletcher” in the swirls at the top in the white area. I touched up the shadows and dark details with some fabric paint and set it. Then it was ready!
It now hangs on the wall above our bed.
Quilting: Machine quilted in thread painting style by myself
As an aside, the blog move giveaway I promised earlier in the week will be held tomorrow after I’ve been to the shop to buy you some goodies….
28 Comments
I saw this in person at the Quilt Festival this year. It’s amazing, such a great piece of work
Your work is inspiring. Greyhounds are such gentle creatures and your colours and quilting reflect this.
This is a work of art for sure! Your hard work and dedication is amazing. Fantastic entry into the festival.
Having seen this quilt I know it is even more stunning in person. Fabulous!!!
This caught my eye right away. This is amazing!
A wonderful story to go with a beautiful quilt! You did a fabulous job translating the photo to quilt form. Thanks so much for sharing!
Oh, wow! Great job on turning that photo into such a great quilt.
amazing work!
What a talented quilter you are. It is stunning. They have the same dreamy look as my whippet. Lottie
I adore this quilt! Only problem is…Archie wants one of him!
Oh my! You have done a fantastic job. Wow!!!
What a great quilt! It really captures your sweet pups.
Love this quilt!!! I also have a great love of my dogs and can appreciate the need to create a quilt using them as my focus. I haven’t done it yet as they are very camera shy. I think that they think I am going to shoot them. I am trying!!!
So glad you entered this one! I just love it.
Love this! I love the photo and the quilt you’ve made from it is outstanding!
Wow!!!!!! I can’t believe how fantastic this looks. You did a wonderful job with your quilt…
Amazing! You are very talented!
Just stumbled onto this from Pinterest. ABSOLUTELY LOVE this tribute to your dogs. Amazing in my opinion!
I also have done this with my two doxies and 2 cats. It’s quite a challenge to replicate the coloring but so satisfying when it’s done. Great job. I like this very much.
I really love this – hope it wins!
AWWW – what a great pictorial quilt – an amazing recreation of the photo. Very well done, I bet you could make these by commission.
Come see my entries #23 antique zigzag and #46 repro tulip batik
One word: AMAZING!!!!!!!
Wow! Saw those sweet eyes as I was scrolling through the quilt festival entries and had to get a better look! Amazing!
Your pictorial quilt is beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
Your quilt is so beautiful, unique and well made! Thank you for sharing how you made it. Photo of your dogs is fantastic! x Teje
Your greyhound quilt is amazing. You captured your dog’s eyes. They are so soulful.
This quilt is gorgeous! That is amazing for your first applique quilt! Truly beautiful
What a beautiful quilt…and tribute to your sweet greyhounds! You’ve got my vote