Would you recommend any particular magazines? How should I try to go about contacting them?

Goodness. What a masterpiece! I can't wait to see your second quilt. A wonderful accomplishment.

Impressed, mount it and hang for viewing in a very large room. Great project!

The most realistic portrait quilt I have ever seen. First quilt? Beautiful

There is a HUGE quilt museum at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Please contact them for assistance. If they don't know what to do they may be able to refer you to some really special framers/artists who can help you. It is worthy of the BEST stabilization.

Here is a link to a "Craftsy" class with that technique. Perhaps you could contact the instructor for some advice. They are usually great about that. Unbelievable work you did...kudos to you!!
http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/12/...quilt-pattern/

I just have to jump in here and tell you that I think your quilt is fabulous! You are quite an artist. Amazing that this is your first! I don't know what to tell you about finishing your quilt, but I will advise you to keep on quilting! You are a natural born quilter!

Perhaps you can use a stabilizer that you press on to the back of the quilt. I'd go to my local fabric shop and see what they have. You are right, batting and backing would make your quilt (which is amazing) a whole lot heavier.

This is one of the most amazing pieces of quilted art I have ever seen! You are truly an artist to start with and your fabric medium is very well done. Definitely seek the advice of a quilt museum such as the one at the University of Nebraska. Consider contacting Linda Taylor, a well known longarm quilter and instructor for advise. Your work of art deserves the best advise to enhance it and protect its integrity. Whatever type of quilting you are advised to do will enhance the project rather than compete with the artistry. Please be sure to let us all know what you decide to do.

What an incredible feat. Not only is the quilting amazing, the computer work is as well. The way you fine tuned the images - wow. It must have taken an immense amount of time and effort just to scan in all the fabrics. As for Mr. Huddleston, I think if you sent him a fan letter or something to his manager, you'll get to meet him. After all, it's the kind of publicity that can't help but be positive for him. (It also puts your quilt out there; maybe we could see you on Early Morning America as a human interest story.) Have you decided what you want to do next? It will be fun seeing where you go from here. Wintherthur Museum in Delaware is another possible source of information for finishing/hanging the quilt. They have a lot of conservators who deal daily with that type of issue. Following the links people have proved may also help a lot. I wasn't aware of how many people are making these quilts; I doubt that many of them reach the artistic and workmanship level of yours. Welcome to the group; it will be interesting to watch your development as a quilter; you are really talented. Thank you for sharing it with us. Joyce in DE

WOW! Fantastic likeness!

Kristy at http://stlouisfolkvictorian.blogspot...ck-part-1.html has done two large pixel quilts of Benedict Cumberbatch and Dr. Who (what is about the British that inspires these projects? LOL). Try contacting her about how she finished her projects.

OMG girl - talk about starting with a difficult piece. I haven't seen him in any films, but your quilt makes him look very handsome indeed. Fantastic work.

I agree that you should let him know -- if you haven't already -- how you have created his image in a quilt (send photos). He will be amazed! and appreciative! If you are this great a fan, he would probably love to know it.

WOW, WOW, WOW!!! I hope you plan on entering it in several quilt shows, quilters will want to see this one. I have seen a few pixel quilts but this one takes the prize it is so well done and I would love to hear how you selected your fabrics. A friend of mine does what she calls under quilting where you layer your quilt but fold back the top and sew the under seams down so the seams become the quilting. Not sure I am being very clear. But I would do that for the face so no quilting would show on the top but it would be totally stable then. You could maybe do something else for the hair and shirt and background but as I think about it I would probably under quilt the whole thing. Since the impact is your color selections and the small squares. Their would be nothing else then to detract from the eye but the back would then have a whole other impact of straight lines.

My thoughts exactly. I would 'stitch in the ditch' with a medium grey thread or a clear smoke color thread. Check out youtube videos to see how this is done. If you 'stitch in the ditch' (SID) both directions, and use iron on interfacing on the back of the piecework, you will get about as much stability as possible. You are amazing. You should do a tutorial on your method.

This is amazing!!!! You definitely need to stabilize it. I think I would have an experienced long-arm quilter do it and maybe with an invisible thread on top so it doesn't detract from the quilt.

I agree, contact the Univ. of Nebraska for some advice. This quilt is a lifetime masterpiece. I can't imagine what you'll be able to accomplish in future quilts! Thanks so much for sharing and joining this board!

MULTIPLE POCKETS !! If you are going to hang this wonderful masterpiece - i would suggest multiple pockets or "loop/holders" at various intervals down the quilt....much like you might see on the way a Roman shade is done - so that you could distribute the weight evenly. STUNNING work.

Your work is amazing! Congratulations on a job well done.

This may sound tidious. The first thing I would do is go back and back stitch all the seams along the edges. The next thing I would do is spray the whole top with Best Press spray starch. Make sure you follow the directions. Then I would add a narrow border to tame the perimeter. I would go to your local quilt shops and check out the completed quilt samples to see if you like the work. Ask them for the name of the ones you like. Call them. Yes them. The long arm quilters typically charge 2-5 cents a square inch. Extra charge for detail because they would have to reload the quilt or additional handling. When the long arm quilter looks at your top he/she will answer all your concerns. Don't be shy to ask them if they have done portraits before as well as their turn around dates. Some quilters only do all over meandering. Some only use whatever is programed on their long arm computer. While others do free hand. Most will do a little of all two or three. Go with your gut instinct about what the quilter tells you. Yes, you will need to add a batting. It is one of its functions. The quilter will be able to recommend which type of batting. Try this first before you go outside of your area. It is very expensive to ship a quilt not to mention leaving your baby to the hands of unknown strangers. If you can't live without the quilt then don't enter it in a show. Your quilt is not a perishable. Even insuring when shipping doesn't replace the quilt. You would still have to make another one. Good luck finding those perfect fabrics again.

That is absolutely stunning. I can't believe it is your first quilt. You are truly gifted.

ditto to all previous remarks about your amazing first quilt!

I believe everything about your first quilt has already been said and I DITTO all of it. It is truly amazing to have the knowledge you have with your artistic talent and the use of the computer to pull it all together. Thanks for sharing and will keep watch for how you choose to 'finish' the quilt.

WOW!! Just WOW! I couldn't have said it any better Debra!! I have been quilting for over 25 years and I have never made anything this complicated except at Quilt Market. Saw a lovely quilt that was a cross stitch pattern that was done in small tiny 1" squares. It took the viewer's pick award. You went from a beginner quilter to an advance quilter. I want to do a pictorial of my favorite Westie but he never in his life could sit still for a photo !! VERY WELL DONE !!!

Absolutely fantastic!!!! Do you have a more detailed tutorial for this??

You need the software to do this project. This isnt a hard project, just tedious. Its kind of like painting by numbers. You scan in your photo then your fabrics then a printed chart of squares (several pages you then tape together) comes out telling you which fabric to put where. I was fortunate to take a class and the teacher had the software on her laptop and brought a printer. Software is kinda pricey IMHO. So I have only made one but it was easy. Mine was not a bed quilt but rather a wallhanging. The original poster sure knew how to pick the right fabrics!

SOOO amazing. The picture is as good as a photograph, amazing eye for color and shading. One question: while piecing the letter background, did you plan out some phrases our songs, your flash) or was all that random? I am just awestruck.

What is the name of the software (the one you find to be the best)???

Actually, the software I used was free. :)
I didn't know of this woman's Quilted Photo website, I kinda came up with the idea on my own. Now that I know she exists, I could ask her for help finishing.

The program I use is called AndreaMosaic, and it is a free download: http://www.andreaplanet.com/andreamosaic/

There is a tutorial and FAQ and forum for discussion. I will do a proper writeup later, but this is what I use.

The only program I use that requires money is Adobe Photoshop, however, you could use any free program that has similar functions of photoshop such as GIMP or PaintshopPro. I also believe that Adobe Creativesuite 2 is now available for free online. It's not as new but it gives you the function.

I am only 25 so I have been a broke college student while making this quilt. I know that sewing can be a huge expense and it can be very limiting for those on a budget.

If that is your first quilt, I wan to see your work 10 years in! That is one amazing quilt. Thanks for sharing! I am in awe!

First..WOW!!!
Second...if you have it longarmed, a good longarmer could emphasize areas like cheekbones, eyes, etc...if you want it just to stay as is, I would block it , then use an iron on stabilizer...if it is heavy (as you say), then use a heavy stabilizer...and then just bind it and hang it.
You have a great quilting future ahead of you!!!

Why didn't you start withsomething spectacularly difficult, like a nine patch? You have to get this piece quilted because it will pull loose from its own weight. Welcome to the board from N Texas. froggyintexas

Job well done! :thumbup:

I have no advice, just admiration. You go girl!

Wow.

Alison

Definitely it needs to be quilted to stabilize it and also enhance the wonderful work you've done. It is magnificent!! Generally quilting would use skin tone threads where suitable to create dimension to the face, in other area such as the hair suitable colors of threads could be used or perhaps a dark monofilament thread (one with low sheen). For the shirt the same method of quilting can be applied..serving to enhance but in no way diminish your work.
If this is your first quilt goodness only knows what your quilting future holds! Your are an artist with the patience of a saint. Thank you for sharing. Please consider showing this piece of art once it's been quilted. People will so enjoy seeing your labor of love.


I remember seeing a quilt of the Last Supper done by a gentleman..it was totally awesome, it also had an unbelievable numbers of tiny squares!!

I had mentioned earlier that I had seen this quilt years ago at MQX in New Hampshire. I did a Google search for The Lord's Last Supper quilt and here is the link to it..It was made by Donald E Locke

http://www.thesupper.net/

AMAZING! ....................................... I just had to show DH and he said,"First quilt, nothing like hitting a home run your first time up to bat" (we are a baseball family).

That is the most amazing thing I've ever seen! I'm speechless!

LauraLynn-Your pieced work is beautiful! I have done 3 pixel tops, so I speak from little experience. This is what I do and so far it has worked. I used French fusible knit stabilizer, I've found as wide as 60" wide on the internet so two pieces sewn side by side would work great. Once I stabilized with the fusible knit, I created a matting and frame effect around them. The matting and frame work I've done in scale according to the size of the different pieced works. Hope this works. Continue the great work!