Fabulous Flower Photo Quilts

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Your lovely flower photograph becomes a fiber masterpiece as Melinda Bula guides you through the process of choosing the best photograph, making a pattern, and choosing a color palette. Select fabrics that work best with your image, then fuse, make petals, and assemble the complete flower. From foreground to background, Melinda gives practical tips and encouragement along the way. She even demonstrates her Renegade Thread Play, showing how to best quilt the project. Melinda’s goal is to show how to think like an artist and sums it up best by saying, “Perfection and creativity do not go together, so go out there and be creative!”

Course Curriculum

Fabulous Flower Photo Quilts by Melinda Bula - 2hr

Lesson 1. Welcome and Class Overview 0 Hours 5 Minutes00:05

Lesson 2. Thinking Like An Artist 0 Hours 10 Minutes00:10

Lesson 3. Choosing a Photo 0 Hours 7 Minutes00:07

Lesson 4. Making a Pattern and Choosing Your Palette 0 Hours 24 Minutes00:24

Lesson 5. Fusing, Making Petals & Flower Assembly 0 Hours 32 Minutes00:32

Lesson 6. Foundation Method & Adding a Background 0 Hours 21 Minutes00:21

Lesson 7. Renegade Thread Play 0 Hours 22 Minutes00:22

LIST PDF

Fabric:

Flower: ½ yd. or fat quarters
You will need as many colors of fabric as you see in the inspirational picture. Look at the petals, the center of the flowers, and the shadows in the petals and leaves. Look at the darkest color in your picture all the way down to the lightest color; the more fabric to choose from, the better. Also, keep in mind that you will need value in your fabric colors: lights, mediums, and darks. Fabrics can have patterns or designs on them but need to read more like a solid than a pattern.
Background: 1-2 yd. each of assorted background fabrics
How much needed is determined by the size of the flower. (Remember, you will have to fit the finished quilt under your sewing machine, so don’t start too big.) Refer to the picture to determine background colors to use.

Thread:

Sulky 30 wt. or 40 wt. rayon

Sewing Machine Supplies:

Needles: straight pins and topstitch or jeans needles, 80/12
Sewing machine feet: closed-toe, echo, or presser foot for free-motion quilting
Extra bobbins

Other Supplies:

Inspirational flower picture or photograph. Make two copies: (1) 8" x 10" on photo paper with great color and (1) 8" x 10" on regular white copy paper
8" x 10" tracing paper
Sharp pencils
Sharpie® fine point marker
Clear tape
6 yd. x 18" Steam-A-Seam 2 (no substitutes)
Ruler: 6" x 24"
Cutting mat
Rotary cutter
Scissors for paper
Scissors for fabric
Curved-tipped snips
Freezer paper
Teflon® pressing sheet or parchment paper
Iron
Ironing Surface
Quilting gloves or Lickety Grip
All Purpose Sewer’s Aid
Melinda Bula's Color Finder
Electric Quilt® 8 quilt design software (EQ8)

If I am not very confident about making good fabric color choices, will this be too hard for me?

Not at all! In fact, Melinda goes into a lot of detail about how to choose great fabric colors.
Will I use a pattern of her flower or a photograph of my own?

This class will teach you how to take your own flower photograph and develop it into a spectacular quilt.
What if I have questions?

We recommend that you watch the class in its entirety and become familiar with any downloadable materials. At that point, if something is unclear, go to the tab that allows you to ask a question and Melinda will get back with you.
When can I start the class?

We know you are excited to get started. After you have purchased the class, you can enjoy it anywhere and anytime you have the Internet. The class belongs to you, so watch it as many times as you like!

Instructor Gallery

Student Gallery

Aurelle Locke – July 9, 2020:

Melinda is one of the best teachers. She is well prepared, explains things thoroughly and has a warm personality. I have her Renegade Stitching class also and it is just as good. Three cheers for Melinda!
Robert Jaminet – February 14, 2020:

I loved the class, Melinda is a great teacher. She covers every so well yet keeps everything very interesting, especially when she was going over color and values. Great teacher. The class was wonderful, I learned a lot.
Laurie McLaughlin – January 4, 2020:

This was a great class! Melinda shares all her tips and techniques and I’m happy about that. Watching her stitch IS educational, unlike any n some classes, and not boring. She demystifies the process completely. I only wish the editor had included more close ups of her work. That’s when it’s most breathtaking. Her methods can be applied to any subject matter. Wonderful class!…
Eileen Ellis – August 26, 2019:

What a fun, informative class. I learned so much and really think I could do this. I have a pretty short attention span but I watched the entire course in one session. Plus Melinda is pretty amusing in a subtle way. This class felt like one-on-one instruction. I am an experienced sewer and quilter but Art Quilts intimidate me. I will watch it again and look forward to trying this technique.…
Stephanie Risinger – May 26, 2019:

A wonderful class. I highly recommend it. I learned so much about color and value. Melinda had lots of tips and tricks I will use in all of my quilting. I have been wanting to do a flower quilt from a picture for a long time...now I'm not afraid to get started.
Hilary Stencil – March 15, 2019:

I absolutely LOVED this class, and Melinda's way of teaching! I'm looking forward to trying this type of quilt.
Charlotte Mattingly – December 10, 2018:

Melinda is delightful. I highly recommend this course, I have learned so much. Her tips will really help me.
Pat Duemler – November 27, 2018:

Melinda, Thank you so much for breaking down the process of actually seeing color shifts in a photo. I make a lot of puzzles and always marvel at the way colors meet/transition. I am really encouraged to try my own color assignments in this project even if I felt like I never really had the artist's eye.
Dorothy Bishop – October 18, 2018:

I loved this class. Enjoyed getting new perspectives on design and how to apply them. Thank-you Linda
Cynthia Spurlin – July 27, 2017:

I loved this class! I love the flower art quilts but was always afraid they would be too difficult to make. This class has given me the confidence to give it a try. I have some beautiful zinnias in my yard that I've been taking pictures og and I know just the one I want to try. I'm excited to round up my supplies and get started!
Carlene Gadberry – April 28, 2017:

I loved Melinda class so much I purchased both classes, we can never get enough knowledge when it comes to technique, thanks fo sharing your expertise and knowledge.
Patricia Vohr – February 27, 2017:

Great class!!!
Melinda gives instructions in an organized and detailed way. I am an experienced sewer but a new quilter trying to find my niche. This class was very helpful and I am about to embark on my 1st flower quilt. I have also purchased Melinda's next course.
Thank you,
Pat Vohr
Shirley Sellers – November 19, 2016:

Loved the class. The tips were especially helpful to use on any art quilt project. Thank you!
Deborah Bodnar – November 8, 2016:

I am so happy to find this class! I used Melinda's technique to make the dog I put in the Student Gallery. This work in progress is like a dream coming true! Thank you, Melinda!
Sally Heal – August 14, 2016:

Fantastic class!! Thank you so much. Has totally opened up my imagination. Have started my first flower which is a deep red rose and am thoroughly enjoying myself. Really, really looking forward to the other class coming in the Autumn.. Renegade thread play with Melinda.
Again fantastic class, don't hesitate to jump in and join up.
Sally from uk
Silvia Sarinana – June 29, 2016:

I absolutely loved this class. Melinda gives very clear explanations and immediately makes you feel at ease. The way she explains color and how she chooses her fabrics is amazing. I learned so much, that I hope she teaches another class. I bought two of her patterns and loved working with them. Now I will have the opportunity to create my own flowers,
Teresa M Fitzgerald – May 29, 2016:

This was a wonderful class. The color part alone was worth the price. Melinda is a natural teacher and she makes you feel like you can be successful with this technique. I would love for her to do another class on the thread painting. I'm sure that the thread work is the icing on the cake.
Janet Ulan – April 28, 2016:

Melinda made this so much Fun!!! I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect in this class but found the early part of right left thinking and the ability to transcend our dominate one for creativity to be especially profound. My aunt always said she could 'feel' color as a shiver or goosebumps in her body while I just looked and 'thought'. So very many useful tips on choosing fabrics...I would love to s…

ee her give an entire class on her 'color' method. There was just so much to love in the class...creating depth, using a color finder (first time I have heard of this), being relaxed and having fun with the process. Would definitely take any class Melinda decided to teach...thread painting could be a whole class unto itself. Absolutely recommend this class for anyone interested in realistic art quilts. This is the most fun online class I have ever taken. 🙂 I'd give it more stars if I could!

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Vickie Mazurek – March 26, 2016:

iquilt is such a great thing for people like myself who don't really get to travel to go take Melinda's class. Her teaching style is freeing and stress free ! Love this class !
Jessie Vialpando – November 14, 2015:

what an awesome class,Melinda takes you step by step on choosing your fabrics, and have your flowers pop. even a beginner can do this class, please have Melinda do more classes on her amazing techniques .
Sharon Lily Selvey-willar – November 12, 2015:

What a fabulous class, I love all things fabric and in particular art quilting. I thought I had learnt everything but Melinda, with her very easy manner and infectious laughter, was able to disabuse me of this. I have learned many new tips and tricks. Please, please can you get Melinda to do another class, perhaps one with more in depth thread work, I just love her teaching manner and will be s…

ad to complete the class.... AAAAAAAAAAAA++++++++++++++++

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Karen Stenback – November 6, 2015:

What a Wonderful class!!! Now I am ready to begin!!! She is so clear in her instructions and demonstrations...I really feel like I can do this!
Debra Linker – November 5, 2015:

This was a fun, informative, inspiring class. Melinda's relaxed style encourages me to explore and expand my skills without getting bogged down by perfectionism. Her instruction is smooth, easy to follow, not once did I have the "what is she talking about?!" experience. I would highly recommend this class to anyone that wants to move further in to photo-realism work! There is a time lapse part of …

the class where you watch several days of work being done in a couple of minutes - - very fun! And Melinda's "wiggly line" tip is worth the cost of the class all by itself!!

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