Borderland business exhibits its wares at world’s largest quilting show.
Posted: Friday, November 23, 2012
Quilts that incorporate photos, created by Val Sjoblom of International Falls, were exhibited Nov. 1-4 at the Houston Quilting Festival, the world’s largest quilting show.
Owner of On a Wing and a Prayer Printing, Sjoblom has been providing computer assisted long-arm quilting since 2006. Many of her customers have met “Elvis,” her Gammill long-arm machine.
“Elvis binds the quilt top, batting and backing together by creating a pattern on the quilt as it shakes, rattles and rolls,” explains Sjoblom.
Several quilts made with her enlarged photo fabric can be seen on display at the Border State Bank in International Falls.
The computer assisted long-arm quilting machine presented a whole new way of quilting when it first came out. Even then she saw its future value to the quilting community and purchased one. She has been helping quilters finish their quilts ever since.
Now Sjoblom’s vision has expanded to printing enlarged photos on fabric. Exhibitors and visitors at the Houston, Texas, festival were enthusiastic when they saw large personal photos incorporated in the quilts from On a Wing and a Prayer Printing, according to Sjoblom and other local people who attended the festival. Pam Hanson and Sue Anderson, of International Falls, accompanied Sjoblom to the Houston Quilt Festival.
Pictures of grandchildren, soldiers, pets, lake homes and more were printed on 100 percent cotton fabric.
“Quilters have had the ability to print letter size photos on stiff, expensive fabric paper but now they can have their enlarged photos printed on soft 100 percent cotton fabric,” said Sjoblom. Printed photo fabric can be used for any sewing project but works especially well for quilting as quilts often become family heirlooms.
Marit Lee Kucera of M’art Designs in International Falls encouraged Sjoblom to attend the Houston Quilting Festival after she saw her quilt at the International Falls Quilt Show this last spring.
Kucera, an active participant on the national quilting scene for more than two decades, reported that she was amazed with the size and clarity of Sjoblom’s fabric photo prints. Kucera expressed confidence that the quilting community would welcome the ability to add their enlarged photos to their own quilts.
The response Sjoblom’s photo print fabric was overwhelming at the Houston Quilting Festival, according to the quilters. Quilters from all over the world have expressed desire for Sjoblom to print their photos on fabric.
Caryl Bryer Fallert, internationally recognized for her award winning art quilts, told Sjoblom that she wanted to work with her. World renowned thread artist, Jamie Wallen, also indicated he wanted Sjoblom to print fabric for him.
Customers send their photos to Sjoblom on a memory stick or disk or through email. On a Wing and a Prayer Printing enhances and repairs the photos before printing them on fabric. Dates, graphics and wording can be added to make the photo print fabric even more individualized. Visit Sjoblom online at onawingandaprayer.com or call her at 285-9962.
The website listed above has now changed to fotosonfabric.com
Posted: Friday, November 23, 2012
Quilts that incorporate photos, created by Val Sjoblom of International Falls, were exhibited Nov. 1-4 at the Houston Quilting Festival, the world’s largest quilting show.
Owner of On a Wing and a Prayer Printing, Sjoblom has been providing computer assisted long-arm quilting since 2006. Many of her customers have met “Elvis,” her Gammill long-arm machine.
“Elvis binds the quilt top, batting and backing together by creating a pattern on the quilt as it shakes, rattles and rolls,” explains Sjoblom.
Several quilts made with her enlarged photo fabric can be seen on display at the Border State Bank in International Falls.
The computer assisted long-arm quilting machine presented a whole new way of quilting when it first came out. Even then she saw its future value to the quilting community and purchased one. She has been helping quilters finish their quilts ever since.
Now Sjoblom’s vision has expanded to printing enlarged photos on fabric. Exhibitors and visitors at the Houston, Texas, festival were enthusiastic when they saw large personal photos incorporated in the quilts from On a Wing and a Prayer Printing, according to Sjoblom and other local people who attended the festival. Pam Hanson and Sue Anderson, of International Falls, accompanied Sjoblom to the Houston Quilt Festival.
Pictures of grandchildren, soldiers, pets, lake homes and more were printed on 100 percent cotton fabric.
“Quilters have had the ability to print letter size photos on stiff, expensive fabric paper but now they can have their enlarged photos printed on soft 100 percent cotton fabric,” said Sjoblom. Printed photo fabric can be used for any sewing project but works especially well for quilting as quilts often become family heirlooms.
Marit Lee Kucera of M’art Designs in International Falls encouraged Sjoblom to attend the Houston Quilting Festival after she saw her quilt at the International Falls Quilt Show this last spring.
Kucera, an active participant on the national quilting scene for more than two decades, reported that she was amazed with the size and clarity of Sjoblom’s fabric photo prints. Kucera expressed confidence that the quilting community would welcome the ability to add their enlarged photos to their own quilts.
The response Sjoblom’s photo print fabric was overwhelming at the Houston Quilting Festival, according to the quilters. Quilters from all over the world have expressed desire for Sjoblom to print their photos on fabric.
Caryl Bryer Fallert, internationally recognized for her award winning art quilts, told Sjoblom that she wanted to work with her. World renowned thread artist, Jamie Wallen, also indicated he wanted Sjoblom to print fabric for him.
Customers send their photos to Sjoblom on a memory stick or disk or through email. On a Wing and a Prayer Printing enhances and repairs the photos before printing them on fabric. Dates, graphics and wording can be added to make the photo print fabric even more individualized. Visit Sjoblom online at onawingandaprayer.com or call her at 285-9962.
The website listed above has now changed to fotosonfabric.com