How Do I Make Applique Out of Photo?
 

I have a photo of my sister's paddle wheel boat that I want to applique and make into a quilt. I am going to get the photo enlarged to poster size. Do I get them to reverse the format? Next I am going to trace the photo on something (I don't know what to use) and iron (?) it to the back of my fabric. Then I am going to cut it out and applique the fabric onto a large quilt block. Have any of you done anything like that before? Does that sound like the right process? What materials do I use? I would really appreciate any help you could give me. This will be fun once I figure out what to do!

Some printing programs allow you to print a poster size, you could print on the fabric sheets if you have an ink jet printer. I'd try it on regular paper first since the fabric paper is so expensive now. In my avatar I did two ships on
the photo fabric sheets. Yes you can applique photos, you put the fusible on the back side of photo just like regular applique. If you do the fusible on a poster size tho it will make your photo stiff...there is a way to do just the edges so it stays soft but I can't remember how thats done..maybe someone else will help with that or you can search. good luck with your project

If you are using the photo as a guide, you can enlarge the picture yourself. Make a copy of the photo and draw an even grid on the photo - 1" works well for me. Then decide how large you want the final piece to be. Let's say you want it 5x as big: Draw a new grid with 5" squares. Then draw the lines from the photo (using the grid as a reference) to the new grid. From there you can figure out the colors and fabrics you want to use and also how you want to make your pattern pieces. Which type of applique are you planning to use? If iron-on, then you have to remember to reverse the pattern pieces. If needle-turn, then you can create the pattern pieces right side up on the dull side of freezer paper.

It sounds like you plan to use freezer paper, the waxy side will stick to the applique as you work with it, and peels off with no residue left behind. If you want to use the iron on method you can cut the shape from the wonder under or other adhesive fabric you choose(remember to reverse the pattern). Cut this out loosely around the shape and iron to the wrong side of the fabric, then cut it out on the lines. Peel, arrange on background fabric and iron in place, then you should sew around the shape, encasing the edges so they don't ravel, using a zig zag or applique stich of your choice. hope this helps!! Remember to post pictures when you are done.

If you know anyone who has adobe photoshop on their computer, you can put your picture in and change it into a watercolor type drawing, which would give it much clearer lines and make it easier to use in an applique design.

Thanks for your comments. I'll post my finished quilt ... whenever that is!

http://www.cosman.nl/software_en.html
(to make a quilt from a photo, a GREAT free software for quilting, drafting templates, paper piecing etc.