Kool Kaleidoscope -- Ask Questions Here

[Helen W.]

[[email protected];n887181]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!![/QUOTE]

nbquilter, I usually use a light weight non woven fusible interfacing for things like cutting large bias triangles
where fussy cutting makes it bias. I use Pellon 906. It is very light weight but stabilizes so no stretch. I fuse the interfacing to the
fabric slight larger than the cut and then make the cut on the bias. HelenW

[Helen W.]

[QUOTE=imquilting;n887160]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? [/QUOTE]

Cindi J, Can you take a picture of your not square quadrant. A lot a times it is easier to trouble shoot if you can see what it looks like. Barbara is probably right, it could be the seam allowances. But another thing Ricky really really cautioned about was not stretching
those bias seams. that make the wedge edges. That can get you off really quick. Please post a picture. HelenW

[Chantal H.]

Mine is not square either and all my angles are right. I am frustrated

[Julie E.]

I started this project and to me so far there is a lot of fabric waste. I've been cutting strips wof and I have a lot of the strata left over after I cut my templates.My question-- Is everyone else having the same issue?

[Jean L.]

I have a fair amount of leftover strata, so I'll going to see if I can use it in my borders. I don't have any illusions that they will all be alike. If it doesn't pan out, I'll probably use the leftovers in a crumb quilt/block.

[Cindy C.]

I am trying to decide what to do about batting and backing. Ricky or Barbara or anyone else who has thoughts...
1. I'm thinking a flat cotton batting.

2. Should the backing be one piece or is it OK to piece the backing?

[Barbara B.]

Cindy, I am using a thin cotton batt on this one, because that is what I have on hand in this size. I often use wool. My cotton batt of choice is Quilters Dream request weight 100% cotton. It comes in white or natural--the white is great for a quilt with lots of white background.
I piece batting AND backing all the time. Today I pieced the back for my Kool Kaleidoscope with two leftover fabrics I had in the "to be sold" bin. They were the perfect color of this quilt. It took a few seams to make the back the size needed, I am fine with that, particularly on a wallhanging where the back will rarely be seen.

[Ricky T.]

I personally would be using a thin 80/20 cotton poly - or 100% thin cotton (even warm an natural). I don't care for puffy quilts. Regarding the back - plain or fancy - that's your choice. If you want to take the time to put a happy surprise on the back - yes - but if you want to just get-er-done, then use a single fabric even if you need a seam.

[Helen W.]

[QUOTE=imquilting;n887160]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? [/QUOTE]

Cyndi J, I decided to try something different for my background around the kaleidoscope. I drew a circle in EQ8 with the 30 wedges. My kaleidoscope will finish 24, I made the background based on 26 inches. I plan to take a background fabric (big square)
Lay my circle with the wedges cut out. Leave my seam allowance to turned edge. Cut the circle out and do reverse applique to
make the background one piece. No idea if it will work. I might add another solid circle around the kaleidoscope and then applique on the rest of the panel. HelenW

[Cyndi J.]

Funny but I didn't read this before my post and the lightbulb went on to maybe try this! What is that saying about minds thinking alike? Good luck with yours.

[Cyndi J.]

So I think I know what is happening with this not being square...I just need to wrap my brain around how to fix it. The wedges are perfect and measure the same on all angles. It's the butt and wedgies that aren't right. When I look at the pattern for the butt they aren't the same lengths on the short edges. Guess I didn't remeasure and remeasure again to make sure they were equal. So...suggestion on the easiest way to correct this. I luckily have plenty of fabric. Was time to take a break for the day anyway.

[Helen W.]

Cyndi J, If you cut all your wedgies at once like Ricky suggested, your ruler might have shifted a little on the pointed ends. Since you said the pieced wedges are perfect. I would just draft another pattern. You could extend the pattern an extra half inch or inch longer
on the diagonal lines. Be sure to keep the seam that goes against the kaleidoscope the same so it matches up. When you attach
the new wedgies and butts you will need to rip a couple inches at the outside of each wedge if you have the circle already completed. The concept would be to make the corners go out farther than necessary, and then square up to 90 degree corners.
That would be one way to tackle it. HelenW

[Cyndi J.]

Helen that is exactly what I did this morning and I've got 3 quadrants done and it's going well. Not to decide what I want to do for the outside borders. Simple fix and glad I have extra fabric to do the butts and wedgies the was I wanted to. Thankis for the suggestsion.

[Denise M.]

How do I post a photo?

[Barbara B.]

[[email protected];n887255]How do I post a photo?
[/QUOTE]

Use the Search The Forum box for How to Upload Photos Step by Step for that info

[Jean L.]

I'm having the same problem as Cindy J. My center isn't square and I don't have enough leaway on the outside edges to square it up without cutting off points. Also, on going back to check my pattern, some of the wedges are off at the top. I was relunctant to trim them and I'm glad I didn't as the "off" isn't straight across. I think I need to cut new butts and wedgies and trim before I put the new ones one. Any other ideas or confirmation that I'm heading in the right direction would be appreciated.

[Helen W.]

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"887342","data-size":"medium"}[/ATTACH] [QUOTE=Cabinquilt;n887328]I'm having the same problem as Cindy J. My center isn't square and I don't have enough leaway on the outside edges to square it up without cutting off points. Also, on going back to check my pattern, some of the wedges are off at the top. I was relunctant to trim them and I'm glad I didn't as the "off" isn't straight across. I think I need to cut new butts and wedgies and trim before I put the new ones one. Any other ideas or confirmation that I'm heading in the right direction would be appreciated.
[/QUOTE]

Jean L, Such a beautiful kaleidoscope. It couldn't be prettier. The wedgies and butt are great colors too. Yes, it looks like you
ran into the same problem a Cyndi J. If you want to try to work thru what you already have, you might be able to do that with
the inner and outside border treatments. Does the quilt lay flat with the existing wedgies and butt? I see that they don't go out to a perfect 90
degree angle. You could do a wonky shaped inner border like Ricky Tims does on a lot of his wall hangings. Or you could draw a
wavy border that will over lap the edge of the wedgies and butts. Do it as an applique with a turned edge. I made my circle that
way. I used freezer paper cut out my circle, ironed it on fabric. Cut out the fabric with a 3/8 inch seam allowance for turning. I like
a little more than normal. Easier to handle. Made my circle. I used a little glue stick to turn the seam allowance. Iron to heat set,
Then use my stiletto to pop the glue free so I can take the freezer paper off before appliquéing. The third idea is to do like
Cyndi J, just draw another pattern, over extend the the diagonal lines on the wedgies and butts, so you can square up as needed.
I almost always over size to trim to perfection as Barbara Black always says. Good Luck. It is going to be outstanding. Just keep
going. Don't forget, even Barbara and a couple redo's on her Kaleidoscope. Helen W

[Jean L.]

Thanks for the input! My hands and brain don't do applique, athough I love other's work. I've started removing the butts/weggies and will trim up the wedges when all of them are off. The quilt doesn't lay perfectly flat. After it was all together I noticed some of the pieces were swiched around and had to unsew to get them right (and no, I didn't chain piece). Grrrr! As hard as I tried not to stretch the pieces as I restitched, I think that's what happened. All four quadrants were flat before I did that. It's not too bad, so I think it will quilt out just fine.

[Chantal H.]

I have a problem. My quadrants are not square and I don't know what to do. I tried to post a question and couldn't so I reply to you! Thank you.

[Donna H.]

Ok, I am so far behind. I’m ready to sew my completed wedges to make quadrants. I understand sewing from the outside, sew to the dot and back stitch.
Now, do I press those seams open or to one side? Do I wait until all four quadrants are sewn together?

[Donna H.]

I sewed one wedgie to one butt wedge to the center. I’m thinking the seams need to press open because the seams will be quite bulky if pressed to one side. Right?

I changed my mind with the second seam. I believe the seams should be pressed to the side. All of them in the same direction when done.

I have never sewn a block with so many seams coming together in the center and I don’t want a “tent”

[Barbara B.]

I pressed all the seams open, other than the original strata, and it was flat. I posted a photo of the back of mine under the Show Your Progress Here Topic.

[Janet A.]

My wedges were all “normal.” However, when I sewed the quadrants together, they were a bit lopsided. Then, when the four quadrants were sewn together, the top became really “baggy” in the center. Could this be remedied by using fusible batting and carefully pressing from the center out?

[Julie Z.]

I was wondering if the size of the strata should change if you alter the size of the initial block. I was thinking that I would draft my block at 12" instead of 18". Should I make my strata smaller? Julie Z.

[Helen W.]

[QUOTE=thimblefairy;n887405]I was wondering if the size of the strata should change if you alter the size of the initial block. I was thinking that I would draft my block at 12" instead of 18". Should I make my strata smaller? Julie Z. [/QUOTE]

Julie Z. I made a 12 inch version and used Ricky's recommendations for strata for 18 inch version. Lots of excess waste of strata.
I would draw your pattern first, cut the templates apart. Use a piece of lined paper to and lay a template, like #5 nose on it, and
lay it a several angles. to see how many inches tall it would need to be. Actually you could use your cutting mat lines to audition
how tall the strata would need to be for each of the templates. I did go with 5 templates. The kaleidoscope came out 24 inches in diamaeter. I even used fat quarter strips. I seamed them together in the middle and since the 12 inch pattern is smaller, there was
still plenty of space on the strata, not to include that seam in one of the 6 cuts. HelenW

[Helen W.]

[QUOTE=djaverytx;n887378]My wedges were all “normal.” However, when I sewed the quadrants together, they were a bit lopsided. Then, when the four quadrants were sewn together, the top became really “baggy” in the center. Could this be remedied by using fusible batting and carefully pressing from the center out?[/QUOTE]

Janet A, I would NOT try to remedy it with fusible batting and careful pressing. If there is excess fabric in the center, it will turn into
a pleat or a tuck. If that does not bother you, and it might not be too noticeable with all the changes of directions and seam, you
could try it. Sometimes long arm quilters have to put tucks in places with quilting due to the excess fabric created when the person
pieced the blocks. Depending on how much excess, some quilters quilt really dense quilting to get rid of excess, not my favorite solution. I would say you should check your seams and the accuracy of the 30 degree wedges. Even if you made each seam allowance 1/16 too small, that would add up to about 3/4 of an inch extra in the middle where you need to have 360 degrees.

An easy way to check is just lay the top on the cutting mat. Align a vertical line from top of the kaleidoscope to the bottom down the center of the kaleidoscope. Now check your 4 quadrants. They should each be 90 degrees. The they are not it is probably your
cutting of the pieces when you added your 1/4 inch seam allowance, or the width of the seam allowance when you put your 30
degree wedges together.

Can you post a picture of the back side of your kaleidoscope. I looked at the front in a zoom picture and stitching seam lines look good.
Love the fabrics you used. Just another crazy idea. If the fullness is the in the kaleidoscope and not out in the wedgies and butts, Maybe
you could put two layers of batting in just the kaleidoscope area. It would be like trapunto of the kaleidoscope. I wool bat is nice and thick
and would fill in some of the space created by the excess fabric. In your picture you can not see that it is not laying flat.

Maybe use some pins from the back to see if by making some seams a little wider in areas you can get rid of the excess fabric. Like a dart
in clothing sewing. I am always up for trying unconventional ways of fixing things. HelenW