Kool Kaleidoscope -- Ask Questions Here

[Helen W.]

[QUOTE=SueGee;n886755]Cosmos284, here is the photo of my "new ruler" with a 30 deg line.
[/QUOTE]

SueGee, Excellent work around for not having the 30 degree line. Could not live without painters tape. HelenW

[Helen W.]

[QUOTE=SueGee;n886768]Is anyone else having this problem sewing their wedges together (see photo)? When it was placed on the mat ready to sew, everything lined up perfectly, but when sewn, well you can see what happened. And yes, I did double check my cutting and sewing. So what went wrong?
[/QUOTE]

SueGee, I assume you watched Ricky's 3rd lesson. I was just starting to watch it and saw where he explains that a lot people have a problem
that sounds like yours. If it is sharply pointed, one piece has to be almost a half inch higher to start sewing when laid right sides together.
You should be concerned about being 1/4 inch from sew line not aligning top to top , see minute 8:10 in Rickys 3rd class video to see what I am talking about.
HelenW

[Joan H.]

Where is the photo? This may be my problem and I still haven't figured it out. Stalled. Will post my picture later, hopefully tonight,

[SueGee]

Well Helen W., I have no idea what went wrong, but I decided to take it apart part way. I have enough fabric that I made a new strata for template 3, cut some out and sewed them back together. Now everything fits! Yet when I place the old and new together, they are the same size, shape. Go figure. Now all my wedges are sewn and I'm trying to decide on fabric for the weggie and butt. Taking a much needed break now, need to get ready for dinner with my neighbors. Won't be able to sew again til Sat afternoon. Oh Well!

[Megan P.]

Getting ready to pull fabric for a kaleidoscope quilt. I had to finish the quilt I was working on first. I was glad to discover the entire set of directions are included in the Quilt Luminarium syllabus that was included in our event in Anchorage, Alaska, a couple of years ago. That, paired with the videos makes for a great class. Yet another reason for people to take your Luminarium.......as if they needed more reasons. The syllabus alone gets referred to often in my studio. Thanks, Ricky, for everything you do for us.

[Ricky T.]

Thanks Megan! - And I do have a Quilt Luminarium coming up again September 2-4 - virtual. Videos are forever to the VIPs. [url]www.letsquilttogether.com[/url]

[Cindy C.]

In lesson 3, Ricky put a dot at the point of the wedge. It appeared that he put that on the right side of the wedge. Is that correct or should it be on the wrong side, since we are sewing right sides together?

[Ricky T.]

whatever works for you best. face to face or not.

[MargieC]

The only freezer paper I could find is “plastic coated”. I’m not planning to press this freezer paper on my Kool Kaleidoscope fabric, but when I need to press it on fabric for other projects is the plastic coated okay or do I need to continue searching for waxed coated freezer paper?

[Ricky T.]

I would just cut a small piece and give it a try on scrap fabric. If it works - yay

[Barbara B.]

I don’t know of any waxed coated freezer paper. The plastic coated works fine.

[barns]

I posted a question a couple of days ago but didn't get a reply. I was wondering if it is okay to cut the wedge sections separately. I am nervous about all the seams butting up exactly just by feel when cutting two strata at a time. It seems like they would still be identical if I line up the drawn lines on the seam lines
each time.

[Ricky T.]

Personally I give everyone permission to try whatever they wish. That is freedom. But 1000s of quilters have made this by just layering and feeling the butted seams. You don't need to butt the entire strata - do it one cut at a time - do one, the align for the next - cut the next - align for the next. They will be EXACT with each other. Good luck with whatever you try. Also, I live for the word TIME - and anything I can do with excellence that doesn't require extra TIME is how I roll. Sending my best.

[Mimicat]

The center of my kool Kaleidoscope doesn’t lay flat. How can I fix that?

[Ricky T.]

It's hard to say without seeing it in person. There are several possibilities that caused it. The wedge could have been 1˚ off - or the seams not 100% accurate. Most likely, you can ease it and quilt it and it will be fine. If you find you can press in a pleat without causing too much issue, the do that and sew on the pressed pleated line - that's extreme, but possible.

[Charlene L.]

I don’t have a question but I felt compelled to post and say that as I am cutting my last template piece for the kaleidoscope quilt, I am listening to Ricky Tims listening party of his album release called “Alone with my Thoughts.” I am streaming it but I am so hooked on the music I am purchasing it today. Thank you Ricky for sharing your talent as a musician and fiber artist with all of us.

[Ricky T.]

Thanks so much Charlene! If anyone else is interested, the music is at my own website ([url]www.rickytims.com[/url]) but also on most online music outlets - iTunes - Amazon etc. for instant download.

[Cyndi J.]

Charlene I too listen to Ricky's music when I quilt. His newest cd is my favorite and I love the other music. Fun to quilt during the holidays and listen to the Christmas music!

[Dorothy P.]

I loved this class but did not understand the folding technique to get your strata to go the way you wanted. I tried printing a picture of the strata but still couldn't figure out how to fold and place. Will you explain this more please? I'd love to make a second one but want this technique down first. Thanks

[Ricky T.]

as shown... place the paper template up in place on the design wall and fold it as you wish the angle to go - your choice - no right or wrong. Then use that fold as a guide when you place it on the strata for cutting. The fold needs to be parallel, but not ON a stitching line of the strata. Simple as that.

[Janet M.]

My Kaleidoscope centre has not turned out to be a star!! Is this OK? Or have I done something wrong?

[Lori]

Nothing wrong at all! Some turn out as stars, some with other shapes. It all depends on how you cut your strata and all of them are beautiful!

[Cindy C.]

Does anyone know of a good tutorial on making a mitered border? I have never done one and I don't want to goof it up. I think it might be a bit tricky getting the placement just right.

[Barbara B.]

I have a Tutorial on how to add a mitered border on my Blog

[kperez]

Barbara, I presume the border that was in the lesson...the one that uses a paper pattern and is cut from additional strata and templates...would be treated like mitered border. meaning it is added using a Y seam?

[Cyndi J.]

First time posting a question so hope this is the right area. I am to the point of adding my wedgies and butts and the first quadrant isn't square. I used my templates and carefully checked all my angles before cutting to make sure they were correct but they seem off to me. Thought I would ask the question before moving on to the other quadrants. Trusting the process and hoping that this is something I can square up later?

[Barbara B.]

If the templates were cut correctly, the most likely issue is seam allowances. Did you check the sewn wedges with the full size template left over from the 18” square? The seam allowances all around should be 1/4”. Check that you sewed the big wedges exactly 1/4” as you joined them together.

[Cyndi J.]

I'll try that. I didn't check all the wedges but will check them all. Thanks! I did sew them together from the point up so as not to stretch them. I've learned the hard way about bias seams! Will keep you posted. Thanks again!

[SANDY T.]

I want to cut the last border on the bias as it’s a plaid should I use Ricky’s stable for appliqué on the back? It’s going to stretch!!