Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Stardate 2015:314
Kaleidoscopes are Cool!


I love Paula Nadelstern’s kaleidoscopes, but since I’m not quite at that level, I resort to the smaller venue.  A simple pattern from BH&G American Patchwork & Quilting magazine gave me the inspiration I needed to create a simple quilt of kaleidoscopes by fussy cutting fabric.  This is really fun to do – as I’ve notice many other quilter’s blog posts showing similar compositions. 

Here’s my rendition.  What's really challenging is selecting the right center to go with the five points of the block.  Some I got dead-on, where you can hardly tell the center is a different piece of fabric.  Others, I wasn't so good at, but they still turned out nicely.



I pieced these by hand (I do a lot of that while watching hockey in the evenings – GO AVs!), and I just about have them ready to set together.  Now, my work will focus on trying to get the placing of all the various colors distributed nicely in the quilt.



Do you have favorites of quilt pieces you make?  I do, and I feel like it’s my nature to put those in the center of the quilt.  I read somewhere, a while ago, that we should put our favorite blocks on the edge of the quilt since quilts often times are folded and draped over chairs and such.  The theory being, when the quilt is folded, your favorite blocks are in full view where you can enjoy them.  Definitely an interesting theory.  We’ll see how it plays out as I determine the placement of the blocks. 

11 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks, Jennie.
      I'm having a lot of fun making the individual blocks. It's intoxicating at times.

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  2. Wow - this is gorgeous. You are going to have a stunning piece when it is finished. I would love to make something like this but it's likely I would do a few and then it would sit on the shelf for many years!!

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    1. Thanks! I've been working on these off and on for about a year now. Finally have enough pieces to set together a quilt top. Don't give up; even the turtle eventually wins the race. : )

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  3. Oops pressed publish too soon. I like your background fabric. It gives these stunners room to breathe. Are you glue basting? I assume it's EPP?

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  4. Thanks! I was hoping the background wouldn't make things too busy; appreciate your thoughts. Just plain ol' hand piecing these, no EPP in sight. : ) I just cut the pieces, match the edges and start stitching.

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  5. These are neat little blocks you're working on. I am banished from the tv room with a needle after losing one in the couch. Ooopsies. Interesting theory on block placement, I suppose it depends how I'd anticipate the quilt getting used.

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  6. congratulations on starting your blog! I hope you have a lot of fun with it,.. I love your kaleidoscope blocks

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  7. It is very pretty, and I love the way you are setting in with the triangles. And kudos for doing it all by hand - wow.

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