From Photograph to Fabric

Yesterday I went to Dataflow (on Fuller Road) and gave them some old and some not-so-old photos to transfer onto fabric.  In my first crazy quilt block (which I will show you as soon as I can),  I used some "pearl" beads that I found in my mother's work box, and I thought I'd like to include a photograph of her in this quilt.  That was just the beginning.  If I was going to use an image of my mother, why not one of my grandmother, too?  After all, it is her crazy quilt blocks that I sewed together years ago and that quilt now hangs over my fireplace.  Why not my sister and other family members?  So last night I went searching for photographs and found maybe ten that I thought would do.  Then I hunted in my stash and found the appropriate fabric (photo transfer fabric is great, but any quilter's quality cotton fabric with a tight weave will do), and off I went. 

I spent some talking with Paulette who is their photo-transfer expert, and oh my, do I have ideas now!  Paulette told me about copying a soldier's medals, jewelry, and even paintings.  The more she talked, the more my little old brain went clicking down the track and off onto sidings leading - well, off into lands I've never traveled before. 

Also, since Dataflow is a copying business, they  will resize photos if necessary.  I have a photo taken (circa 1928) of my mother's college sorority.  My mother is in the photo, but her image is half an inch at best.  Paulette enlarged the photo so I can now actually recognize my mother without having to squint!  There's also a 1950's photo of my older sister.  It was dark to begin with and age hasn't improved it any.  Paulette pulled it out and said she could lighten it as well as a couple of others that are a bit dark.  On the other hand, an 8 x 10 portrait of our daughter will be reduced in size. 

I can hardly wait to see what the finished work will look like!  And so another obsession is born.