Kaleidscope quilting question

[Monique I.]

Ricky,
I just watched your video on Kaleidescope quilts and immediately wanted to give it a try. It truly went together fast and sewed together perfectly ! I love it. My only question is ...how do you quilt something like this? I was thinking either a pattern for each wedge to two wedges combined, but what? Are feathers innappropriate, should it be something more geometric? I have a rainbow thread from Superior threads that I thought I might use, since the quilt is bright rainbow colors. Don't know if that would be too distracting? Any advice and help would really be appreciated.

[Kathryn S.]

Hi, I'm not Ricky but I have made one of his kaleidoscope quilts and quilted it. I did put a different pattern on each piece more or less. I put the same pattern in the same piece on each wedge all the way around the circle. I drew a sunflower for the outer edges of the square. I did do some drawing out of designs beforehand but it was pretty improvisational. It was quite densely quilted. I used some feather type designs, spirals, zigzags, you name it! My border was 60 degree triangles cut out of my leftover strip segments, so I quilted lines parallel to the seams on each triangle, which held down the tendency to flare out. Once I got going it was a lot of fun. I used some King Tut, and other threads as well.
Kathy

[Ricky T.]

Hi - KathySt2 is right. The best way is to quilt it 'kaleidoscopically' - in other words... do a design that repeats in the same unit - and reverses in the matching unit. I did all mine with continuous quilting by just doing swoops from point to point so I didn't have to mark it. I got fancy in a few place, but just repeated that in the matching areas. It gets more challenging to remember what you are doing as you get nearer the outside of the kaleidoscope. There are tons of images in my book that show what other did - if you have a copy, look closely. Glad to here it was a success.

[Ricky T.]

I'll be very curious to see the responses you get here on that question. I had the same problem when I made mine. Most of my fabrics were prints and so I just decided to do a lot of stitching in the ditch since I didn't think anything decorative would have really showed much anyway.

[Ricky T.]

Thank you so much for the information. I do not have the book or I would have scrutinized the quilting in it. I guess I will sit down and try and come up with some "kaleidsscopically" designs. Not quite sure what that will be yet. If and when I get it quilted I will post a picture.

[Hannelore N.]

Just my personal opinion...... It depends on what you want to showcase - the pieced design or the quilting. I have seen beautifully pieced and designed quilts where complex quilting distracted my eyes. Often kaleidoscopes are quite complex and so my eyes and brain would prefer it if the quilting was kept simple.

I look forward to see a picture of your kaleidoscope. I bet it'll look beautiful, whatever you decide.

[Hannelore N.]

Making my second KOOL KALEIDOSCOPE plan to use LEAH DAY's book to sew different patterns in each section. I think that would be fun and help me improve my FMQing.

BTW ... MY logo is my first KALEIDOSCOPES.
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[Hannelore N.]

LadyRags,
Your Kaleidoscope quilt is stunning ! I love it. Are you planning on using matching threads in each color, or one color through a whole section? I am concerned that the quilting might get too distracting like suggested by Lorchen. I too have been on Leah Day's site and she does have a lot of filler ideas. Trouble is, if i don't quilt it soon, it will get set aside like some others and then who knows when it will get done. I one top that I sewed four years ago and its not done because I don't have any idea how to quilt it.

[Ricky T.]

I'll add that because the kaleidoscope is busy in itself, uber, thoughtful, carefully planned quilting simply will not show very well unless the fabrics used are more plain. Still, having seen hundreds of these, going in a kaleidoscopic way for continuous quilting, adds plenty of quilting. Simply swoop from point to point and as the quilt units get bigger, get a bit more creative. I've never marked the body of a Kaleidoscope because there are seams that give me guidelines for traveling from one point to another.

[Ricky T.]

I have used larger strips to make the Kaleidoscope per my daughter's request ... she helped plan it I am just doing the work... We expanded the pattern and it will be bed size ..... It is more of her favorite fabrics mostly...... Warm colors.... Yellows / orange/ reds/ fuchsias with very little warm colors ... mostly shades of green. I am planning a variegated yellow gold thread. I figure that usually looks best on multi-colors especially with the color pallet we have chosen.

I think for quilting threads you have to chose what will work best on your quilt. I have come to agreeing with Ricky in that you need to think about quilting when you are planning your quilt. For my quilt I picked the thread color when planing the quilt I pretty much find tan / golds / yellows look good on most fabrics. Test out various threads on patch works sample made with your scrap fabrics.... I am often surprised with what thread does so making samples is a good way to test your thread colors out without messing up your quilt.



Lady Rags
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http://nonniequiltingdreams.wordpres...pe-gone-a-wry/

Here is where I whine about making my first Kaleidoscope quilt.

[Ricky T.]

I took a quick look at the link. Somehow, it looks to me, as if the strata were not properly aligned face to face when the center units were cut out. Or - the template was not positioned exactly the same as the six sets were cut out. That sort of thing can happen easily. However, while I see it is a problem, try looking at the bigger picture. The overall effect of the quilt is awesome. My centers don't always match either - but the overall effect far overshadows the little things we know and see. Also, I'd do a happy dance if this one simply fit together with the 'flaws' because it makes it a bit more primitive - more Gee's Bend if you will - and i couldn't have done that on purpose if I had tried. - Keep on keeping on

[Hannelore N.]

"My centers don't always match"....... I'm delighted to hear that, Ricky!