Taking Photos of Quilts

Turn off your flash for great quilt detail photos.

The quilt show season is in full swing, and quilters everywhere will be sharing "oohs" and "aahs" as they ogle each of the quilts hanging proudly in the shows. We are inevitably struck with the beauty and originality of each work, and try to capture the essence of those which inspire us most with photographs.

Here are some tips to getting the most from your digital camera. You've discovered the first hint in the last sentence...get a digital camera! You'll find many inexpensive types on the market today; look for a model that allows you to turn off the flash, has a "macro" feature to get close up photos, and has at least 3 megapixels of memory. Digital cameras give you instant feedback; you are able to tell right away whether your photo illustrates what you want it to.

If you find the quilt's complete layout and design pleasing, stand back away from the quilt, and frame it inside your view screen. Depending on the venue's lighting, you may want to try a photo with flash first, and then turn the flash off. However, if you are more interested in the quilting stitches and design, you'll want to take close-up photos.

For these shots, you want to use the room's typical ceiling and side lights to your advantage. The shadows this lighting direction creates will define the quilting stitches and make them very dynamic in your photos. Turn your flash off. Move in to your close up area and try one photo, using your camera's zoom lens and automatic focus feature. If that photo is not crisp, use the macro feature of your camera. This special feature allows your camera to focus more clearly with very close objects.

Finally, consider taking photos of the quilts you DON'T like as well as those you do. Make notes about what you thought did and didn't work in each of the quilts, including color combinations, design layouts, and quilt density. Be sure to transfer your photos to your computer, or visit your nearest photo center if you need help getting them off your memory device. Store your photos in special folders on your computer labeled according to your categories to find them easily for your future design work.

Happy Quilt Show shooting.

Quilt Labels

Without a label on your quilt, generations to come will be unable to trace your quilt's history.

Quilt labels not only help establish a quilt's historical importance, they can also help deter theft and even provide identity in case of theft.

Quilt labeling has become such an art form itself that we may revisit it more than once in our tip section. At the very least, you should attach a muslin label to your quilt that includes this information:

Quilt Piecer's Name
Quilter's Name
Date the Quilt Was Completed
Pattern (give credit to any pattern designer)
Inspiration
Title of Quilt

For a simple label, spray-starch a muslin square and then iron freezer paper to the back of the muslin for stability. If you like, use a thin-point marker and ruler to draw straight lines on the paper side of the freezer paper. These lines will show through the muslin and provide writing guides. Use a permanent, non-bleeding marker to write your information on the label (Pigma pens are one brand available in quilt shops). Heat-set the ink with a dry iron. Remove the freezer paper, turn under the label's raw edges, and applique the label in place on the quilt back.

To deter theft, apply the label to the quilt backing before you quilt the project. This extra stitching makes it difficult to remove the label without also destroying the quilting.