Train quilt Archives

Continuing on from the last post……

After I got the photo pattern ready, I put together a full size pattern. This was done by printing out the photo using the poster function so that it printed onto 4 pieces of paper (2 by 2). I then used a fine point Sharpie to draw around the shapes. The ink leaked thru the paper so that the lines were also visible on the back. I re-traced these lines, giving me a reverse image pattern.

This 2 by 2 pattern was taken to the copier and copied again using the poster function set at 3 by 3 pages. This brought it to the final size …approximately 50 inches square.

Here is the final “reverse image” pattern…….

I decided to start out by working on the train background…..seat, floor, etc. I figured that those were the easiest parts to do and I could put off the harder (realistic people) parts till later.

I visited my local quilt shop (Dragonfly Quilt Shop) to pick up a few fabrics. The first that I found was a Kaffe Fassett

As I mentioned in a previous post, I felt that it was a bit too bright so I over-dyed it with black to tone it down a bit.

As I worked on the seat, I realized that the bottom edge needed to be darker than the rest of the seat, so I over-dyed another piece….this time making it MUCH darker.

I also had a bright idea to place a seam in the fabric in the place where the seat would meet the seat-back.

I then began working on the base of the seat and the floor, but after piecing the first set of fabrics, I realized that the colors were wrong. I had forgotten that this part of the picture had come from a different photo and probably wouldn’t be in cream tones, but rather in silvers and grays. So, after an unsuccessful try at over-dying the entire section, I ended up starting over with different fabrics.

The next step was to put together the window. I decided to use one of the over-dyed fabrics as the window….I may add some quilting to it to show a bit more motion.

All of this section was appliqued, using the Hand-applique by machine technique.

The word “Underground” was printed onto fabric and then appliqued onto the window. All of the window ledges were appliqued in place as well.

I have used a brown for the door on the far right, but am thinking that I will change it to a silver tone before the project is finished.

I have not done much work on the upper section because I am not completely happy with my fabric choice, nor with the printed Underground map. It just doesn’t fit right there….looks too small, so I may have to do some manipulations to it in Photoshop and try printing it out again.

So this is where I will stop the story again……next step is the boy on the left!!

I haven’t been posting much about my newest project because I haven’t been completely certain that I would be able to finish it. I’m still not certain about that, but thought I would go ahead and show you what I am doing and see if you have suggestions……

In 2007 we spent 2 months in Oxford, England. During that time we spent a number of days in London and I spent many hours taking the Underground to various attractions that I wanted to see. While on the train, I enjoyed watching the mixture of people that would come and go from the bench seat opposite to me…..the view would change at each stop.

Like most quilters, I kept composing quilts in my head featuring these different people. The only problem with this idea was that I cant draw at all and the thought of trying to draw people was even more discouraging. Here is the sketch that I did while on the train….

Then, I bought the book, “Photo-Inspired Art Quilts” by Leni Levenson Wiener . One of the ideas that she mentioned was to use Photoshop to create your picture and then use the newly created picture as a pattern for your quilt. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I found a free online Photoshop course and have been enjoying it over the past 7 weeks. One of the first lessons was how to make selections in a photo and then how to move the selection into another photo…..EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO DO!!!!

I got onto the internet and did a search for photos of London trains…this is the first photo that I found and it was the perfect backdrop to the picture that was in my mind……

I then found two other photos that showed the top of the train and the bottom of the train bench. With some manipulation, the picture turned into this…..

I then started looking for pictures of people on trains but found the problem was that you couldn’t see the entire body so I changed the search to people sitting on benches. As I searched hundreds of photos, I picked the ones that would best fit into the photo

I pulled all of the people’s photos into Photoshop, cut them out of their picture and placed them into the bench picture, adjusting them so that they looked as if they were sitting on the bench. As I worked, I was amazed with how much change could be made by pulling parts from different photos and adding them to this one.

This is the final photo that I am using as my pattern…..

I am trying to remember exactly how many different photos were used in this shot….

1 – the bench itself, 2 – the top of the train, 3 – the bottom of the bench and floor, 4 – the scene in the window, 5 – the “Underground” sign, 6 – the boy on left, 7 – the bottom of his legs (original photo was cut off at the knees), 8 – his shoes, 9 – the woman, 10 – her sleeves (she was in a tank top and the others were dressed warmer), 11 – the girl, 12 – the man on the right, 13 – the yellow poles, 14 – the pole holders

SO, the pattern is ready…..made up from parts of 14 different photos.

…..more to come…..

Tag: Train quilt

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