Thread Stories

Jennifer Day is an ASID interior designer, goldsmith, photographer, and art quilter. Using up to 300 different colors of thread in a single quilt, her technique has attracted interest from international galleries, museums, and publications. She lives in New Mexico. jdaydesign.com

Day's photo-realistic quilts have been displayed at national and international quilt shows, museums, and the UN in Geneva. Her technique, which uses machine-sewn thread painting on top of a photograph printed on canvas, yields extraordinary detail and surprising texture. The author takes quilters through the various steps of her process, from selecting, editing, and preparing a photograph to printing on fabric to techniques for stitching a variety of details, including eyes, hair, and skin. Unfortunately, there are a number of unanswered questions, since Day jumps from the basics of preparing to thread paint directly to working with intricate details. This may leave beginners floundering as they try to figure out where and how to begin. A gallery of work from Day's students complements the numerous samples of the author's own work. VERDICT Day's quilts are inspiring, but the complexity of her techniques may be overwhelming, especially to quilters new to these methods. This distinct book is best suited to people with some background in machine-based thread painting. Library Journal, July 23, 2015 Many of us have seen thread painting and have marvelled at the level of realism achieved. Now here is your chance to learn how to do it. All the basics are covered, such as the photo to choose, how to print and the threads to use. No special equipment is required, because the stitching is done on a regular sewing machine. The devil, they say, is in the detail, and Jennifer provides that detail to ensure the finished product is true to the original. The book has step-by-step help and guidance, so you don't have to be particularly experience to be able to achieve a great picture. Down Under Textiles, Issue 25

• Introduction: Quilts Are Stories Photographs That Tell a Story Elements of a Great Photo Editing the Photo Tools and Supplies Sewing Machine Free-Motion Presser Foot Printable Paper-Backed Fabric Canvas Batting Scissors and Thread Snips Ruler Backing and Binding Fabric Threads! Gutermann Thread Precencia Thread Isacord Embroidery Thread Silk Thread Variegated Thread Photographs and Cameras Environmental Portraits Cropping Digital Cameras and Image Size Copyright Pixels, Megapixels, Resolution, PPI, and DPI Using Photo-editing Software to Prepare Your Photos Make Your Photo the Best It Can Be Posterization More Posterization Examples Printing on Fabric Types of Fabric Sizes of Fabric Poster Printing Getting Started Making a Quilt Sandwich Blending is Key Stitching Direction The Eyes Have It The Iris The Whites Stitching the Eyes Highlights Eyelashes Blending Skin Tones Auditioning Threads Starting the Blending Process Elisha (Diverse Skin Tones) Judy (Older Skin) Texture Lips Eyes Carson (Youth) Hair Dark Hair Streaks of Light White and Gray Hair Blondes Hands Elderly Hands Young Hands Clothing Using Free-motion Quilting Completely Covering in Thread Applique Combination Pet Portraits Taking the Perfect Pet Portrait Eyes Mouth Fur Whiskers Birds Free-motion Quilting Choosing a Free-motion Design Correcting Mistakes Don't Bee Too Hard On Yourself Using Applique Cutting to Remove Bubbles Covering Over White Dots The Flip Side Portrait Artists Barbara McKie Jayne Bently Gaskins Laura Rocke... //fill in later Student work Additional Jennifer Day Quilts Resources About the Author