The "New" Oliver Fabric Portrait

I skipped out on working out at the YMCA last night to work on this new fabric portrait. The Oliver needed an update. I don't have too many regrets so far!

At this point, he is not even fused yet, nor stitched. Still need to add the sparkle to his eyes. I was surprised that it only took about 90 minutes to cut out the layers. I was afraid it would take much longer ... Then again, remember this piece is only 8-1/2 x 11 inches. Who knows when I'll get it stitched? I was so excited with the way it came out so far, that I wanted to share. ;-)



Here it is in my sewing studio, which I have to walk by several times a day.
Pretty amazing from a distance, isn't it? It really looks like my kid coming out of the fabric!
That's the really neat thing about working on fabric portraits is that there is a point where they really start to come alive ...


This is the pattern I started with, edges outlined in red as directed by Maria Elkins (She does some amazing work!) in the Quilting Arts instructions for Beginning Portraits.

Tip : When she says cut all the fabrics the same 8-1/2x11 inches, do it! It makes placement of the layers so much easier! Everything lines up properly.


This is the picture I started with, minus the marker on his face.
Finding a suitable picture, and playing with the photo-editing software was probably the hardest part of this whole project. I used the free Paint.net program. Someday I'll break down and purchase PhotoShop Elements, but not yet ... That's the part that intimidated me the most. So a few weeks ago, I just decided to spend a Saturday morning playing with some of our photos. Some pictures worked out better than others ... It was worth the time to play and practice.