Reverse Applique in reverse order

Yes, so you all know that I wrote a book (which you can buy here) but that's not what we will be discussing today! Today, we intend to discuss the technique that makes the book so special and the power of it all. The power, available at your fingertips to convert any of your pictures into a quilt.

 I discovered reverse applique in 2012 and shortly after, I tried  my first portrait quilt with Dada Ajoba. It took me 3 months to finish Dada Ajoba's quilt. It was a wonderful quilt, but I wasn't sure I would make another one if it took another 3 months. I needed a technique that was faster. It was then that I thought about using the reverse applique technique to make portraits.

 I made iQuilt for my brother in November 2013. He is a great apple fan and a Steve Jobs Portrait quilt  seemed so apt as a gift. He was overjoyed to see it and I was on cloud nine :) I had discovered a technique that was 'mine' and was easy and fast. 

It felt awesome and I quickly started a quilt along with my Facebook friends  from around the world in Jan 2013. I taught...they learnt and soon we had lovely ladies making their own portrait quilts from around the world.All lovely happy quilter faces...it motivated me to do more !

  I love the way a picture transfers itself to a quilt and yet, its not a  transfer in the conventional way ...one creates it on blank canvas(a white sheet) and goes about adding layers and cutting out the negative parts to reveal the real image...wow! what a feeling! what a discovery! It almost feels like magic...One removes each layer and discovers a new aspect to the image. Finally, the real image of the person emerges and you are caught offguard :) a discovery in wonderland I must say!!

Soon I had the urge to make more Portrait quilts using this method and encouraging more people to try the technique, so along came the idea of the book and I approached Alex Veroneli from Aurifil Threads. And the amazing Italian, agreed. So off I went with my book writing, trying to baste  Alex Veonelli in the layers of a quilt!! The book published mid year and by end of the year I was taking classes at the India Bernina Centre to teach newer people how to venture into the world of Portrait quilts.

If you make a Portrait quilt using this method, do link back here I will be so happy to see how and what you do with the technique. Also, if you need any advise please feel free to drop me a line.