Turn A Travel Photo Into An Applique Pattern

Preserve memories in a wall hanging or quilt!

Also see: Applique Patterns

Page 1: supplies
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Designer: Christina Sherrod

A very good friend and I took a trip to Sedona together several years ago. We both lived in Arizona at the time. It was a wonderful trip. She later moved to Kansas, and I missed her. I wanted to capture the memories of our trip, so I created a Sedona Landscape wall hanging. Actually, I created two - one for each of us. I visited her in Kansas recently and saw the wall hanging in her living room. She sees it every day. I still love to look at mine as well - it brings back fun memories.

In this tutorial, I will show you how I turned my photo in to a pattern, and I will show you how to create "layers" of rock - typical of the Desert Southwest.

Applique Pressing Sheet & Iron On Adhesive (fusible web)
For this project, I used an applique pressing sheet. This is a special type of sheet used for creating detailed appliques. The pattern is placed on a working surface. The pressing sheet is placed on top of the pattern, which can be seen through the sheet. Applique pieces are placed on the pressing sheet. When pieces are bonded with fusible web (iron on adhesive), they will stick to one another, but not to this sheet (they slightly stick - just enough to stay in place). When the applique is finished it is easily peeled off the sheet and is ready to iron onto your background fabric.

I will take you through the steps with this project. If you would like more instruction, go to: Floral Applique Pressing Sheet Tutorial.

To learn how to turn a coloring book page into an applique pattern, go to: Lizard Applique.

Free Motion Embroidery
This project uses free motion embroidery. If you are not familiar with this, refer to my free lesson: Free Motion Embroidery.

This project also uses Machine Embroidery Stabilizer. This material provides a stabilizing backing for creating even stitches when performing free motion machine embroidery. Visit my Amazon store page to purchase stabilizer, fusible web, fusible fleece, insul-bright, heat resistant cloth, quilting pins, and other items I use in my projects.

Shop For Supplies

My finished Sedona Landscape is 10.5" high x 12.5" in length.

Fabric
Backing fabric (for back of project - cut a piece 11" x 13") 
Four pieces of rock fabric, each in a different print, each measuring 6" x 9" 
Ground: One 1.5" x 8.5" piece of fabric 
Sky: One 5.5" x 8.5" piece of fabric 
Shrubs: Four scraps of green fabric to fit pattern pieces 6, 7, 8 and 9 
Inner Border: (green in our sample) Enough fabric for two strips measuring 8.5" x 1" and two strips measuring 6.5" x 1" 
Outer Border: (gold in our sample) Enough fabric for two strips measuring 6.5" x 2.5" and two strips measuring 12.5" x 2.5" 
Tree Branch: Scrap of fabric for tree branch

Recommended: PRE-WASH ALL FABRIC. Do NOT use fabric softener. Washing will remove any sizing, which will allow for a stronger bond. NOTE: I did NOT pre-wash my fabric. My wall hanging will not be washed often and I found the bond was strong.  

Other Items 
Fusible Web* - I used Heat N Bond Lite
Applique Pressing Sheet
Fusible Fleece (or batting of your choice - cut to 11" x 13")

* Fusible web is a heat activated adhesive. It can be purchased by the yard (like fabric). I used about 10" from my roll of fusible web for this project.

Pattern
Our patterns download as jpg files. Enlarge or shrink per your needs.

Overall Layout 
Pattern Pieces page 1 
Pattern Pieces page 2

Download and print the overall layout to use as a guide. Download and print both pages of pattern pieces. Cut out the pattern pieces.

Optional: 
Stabilizer: Scraps of stabilizer for machine embroidery 
Binding: Strip of fabric measuring 1.5" x approximately 50" (it is the brown border around my wall hanging) 
Hanging Sleeve: If making a hanging sleeve, you will need a piece of fabric measuring 3" x 10".

Sewing Supplies

thread
sewing scissors
quilting pins
large sewing ruler
fabric marking pencils
seam ripper
rotary cutter and mat (optional but nice)

If you look at my pattern, you will see that it is made up of lines only. To create my pattern, I opened my photograph on my computer (jpg file). I placed a piece of white paper over my monitor and traced all major lines of the photograph. The photo of my computer monitor tracing is of a different Sedona photo than the one I ended up using. I'm posting it to show the technique.

Another method would be to print the photo (from your computer onto paper). Use a marker to draw lines over all major lines of the photo. Then place a piece of white paper over the photo and trace over the previously drawn lines. You now have a pattern, created from a photo.

Related Project

Painted Rocks Cactus Garden

Decorate your patio or interior with colorful "no-care cactus". The cactus and ladybug are actually painted rocks!

Cactus & Ladybug Rock Garden

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