Making a Photo Transfer Quilt (well actually 3 of them)

Photo transfer quilts can make really great gifts. When I was trying to find a pattern to make one for my husband for Father's day I wanted to find something more unusual than just lining up some photos in a straight line and sewing sashing around them. When I saw the pattern for a Trip Around the World incorporating photos I knew that was the pattern I was looking for.

My daughter helped pick out photos of her and her dad. I used Photoshop to edit them and printed them out with my ink jet printer on fabric called Printed Treasures. My daughter helped to arrange the blocks and made the label for the back of the quilt. She called the quilt "Daddy and Me." My husband was really surprised and pleased with the quilt and said that it was the best gift he ever received.

I made my MIL a similar quilt, but used reds and tans instead of blues and yellows. Unfortunately I did not take a photo of her quilt and since I made it, all the photos have faded a lot. We have not been able to figure out why this has happened since it does not really get much sun exposure. All I can figure is that it has something to do with the fact that she lives near the ocean and the constant humidity and salt air has reacted with the ink jet inks. To top it off the photos faded in a matter of months! The other 2 photo transfer quilts have not faded at all. I did contact the company, but they had no explanation. They sent me some free fabric to replace the photos, but that was not really helpful. It is very disappointing since these quilts are a lot of work. My MIL still has it hanging, but it looks terrible and bothers me every time I see it. I will have to make her some other quilt to hang in its place....nothing with photo transfers though.

I made the same kind of quilt for my Dad for his 80th birthday. It was really hard picking photos for his quilt since there were so many to choose from. Here is a photo of my Dad receiving his quilt.



We also got my Dad a gag gift for his birthday. It was a velvet painting of a pink dog. For years he used to joke that he was going to buy us a velvet painting because he knew we hated them. I had to go onto ebay to find one. I bought it from a lady that I think was insulted when I told her I was buying it for a gag gift because she thought it was great art. I think quilts are great art, but velvet paintings....don't think so!




Chris