I would make a second copy in grey scale and get out a black pen and ruler. I would extend the barn lines to the picture edges so you would be making your own paper piece pattern. I'm sure some of the others can give you a better idea of how to do this. Hey, paper-piecers, quilter needs your help!

She has drawn part of the lines I spoke of, now just follow them to the picture edge, and decide which would need to be stitched first.

Try this- http://nanayane.wordpress.com/2010/0...tern-creation/

Oh gosh, Applique, I wish I had not posted my virgin attempt! Oh well, quilt police are very kind on this Board and everyone has to start at some point....my point is low, low, low.........lol Thanks

First print the photo on a piece of graph paper instead of copy paper. Rule the paper into nine pieces, cut them out. and copy each one separately another 300%, and if it is not big enough, do it again.
When it is the size you want, tape all the pieces together into one big sheet,. This is your guide - don't cut it up.
Trace off each different color area, separately, and remember to ADD seam allowances, use that tracing as a pattern, pin it onto a piece of fabric, and cut it out. Embellish with thread painting details if you want. or later.
Sew two pieces together, then add more around them.
As you progress, lay the work you have done on or near the guide, you might want to embellish some more across the sewn together pieces.

I've bookmarked it too!

For your first attempt it looks fantastic!! Keep in mind I've been doing this for 30+ years. I never saw real art quilts until about 1976 and no instructions just there they were. So it has taken me forever to get here. As you learn techniques and the basics you will build confidence and skill and explore and learn new techniques. It is a wonderful fun adventure. Like all quilting it gets better with practice and patience. If more people were like you and jumped in to try it for fun, more would get hooked and find out how much fun it is. You do not need to know how to draw in this age of electronic aids, just trace away. So I commend you for your first big step into the world of pictorial quilts. You are getting your feet under you and will be running like crazy in no time. Enjoy the new experience and lead the way. I look forward to seeing your future work!

Well now, I am in a dilemnna....perhaps I should not be paper piecing but machine appliquing. My fingers are arthritic and I can see by the instructional details aforementioned that I might have some problems ahead of me. To me the actual sewing of fabrics right sides together might be hard to understand which section comes next; and the pieces would surely get tiny with the light and darkness of perspectives.

So, for now I will be continuing on machine applique and utilize the sticky stuff underneath. I assume if I have a large piece of fabric (say barn side) that I cut the back out of the sky foundation piece I started with.

Thank you, jpthequilter--your idea of creating a grid and cutting into a nine-patch progress was brilliant. This is just like a brand new puzzle we all got as kids..just a section at a time.

And Applique, your notes are really encouraging me to dig in and not worry about what my first attempts look like.

Thank you LCatlege who directed me to an UK site with a free trial of automatic pixels to form half-square triangles. I think I will try that too. http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/quilts/patchwork

What GENEROUS thoughts and hints from all. Thank you so much!

Thank you for your kind words! All I did was show you a way to keep the perspective and proportional relationships of the original photo, and reproduce them accurately in the
final wall quilt. jp the quilter

Footnote to the UK site. I had problems loading it and then when I got ready to submit my information and photo, it wanted me to sign a release to my picture that the site could use it in any magazine or periodical at their will and that they now owned the photo. I respectfully declined and deleted my work. But it did seem like a super easy way to make half-square triangles into a face, flower or animal.

Something must be up with the Board this afternoon. It has been taking me up to a minute to change page or thread. Guess I will head for the sewing room and call it a night.