Friday, June 27, 2008

Border, and Recycling Hands



Two more photos of this Kaleidoscope. One of you suggested using that little stripe in the border - thank you - great idea! There have been interesting comments and e-mails about, "This isn't like MY Kaleidoscope." This is the version I know about, where supposedly, you see circles formed by the straight-lined pattern. You have to look hard for circles in this project, due to my color choices. (It is NOT the pattern where you do fussy-cutting.) My blocks are about 17 inches (big!) so this is a generously-sized quilt. I'm ready to quilt it!

Now I will tell you about this "hand" project (below), with permission given.

The local town beautification group, the group that supports recycling, and keeping the town attractive, hold their meetings, and one of them mentioned that all the Directors TALK about recycling, but they weren't really DOING it. So she asked all of them to COMMIT themselves to Recycle, and in order to make a public commitment to recycling, they would sign a document. That document turned out to be a quilt. Our local group of quilting gals took up the project and we decided "Hands" would be a good visual image, along with their (a Director's) embroidered, or signed, name on a block. Each quilter took a name and based on the person whose hand they had, decorated/designed a block. ALL the materials in the quilt were recycled - nothing was purchased except the batting. It was AMAZING to see how each person interpreted the hand challenge. We used a focus fabric (border) to help coordinate color choices, and I brought in an entire TUB of old yucky fabric that NO ONE would want, but you can guess -- that old fabric was plucked out of that tub like candy.

When the blocks were returned, we looked at them and wondered how on earth would they ever blend? The sizes were different - well some of us confused the rules (ME! for one), so we just added strips on the sides to bring them up to 12 inches. In the end, those strips added a new level of interest. I had my machine and various quilting gals just gave me the orders -- "sew this, sew it on the top, sew it to this side, use this green", etc. I never gave anything a thought and by the end of that evening, it was practically all together. Bordering each block with that black print, and using the same black print in the cornerstones was extremely effective at visually holding it together. And look how that pink perked everything up!

This photo shows it not yet quilted, but I did simple straight stitch-in-the-ditch with invisible thread for the most part, and angular lines in the border.

This will be hung in their office, over their recycled couch, and will also travel and be on exhibition. "FUN" !!!

Some of the ideas: Shirt pockets, plackets, cuffs (dimensional) (one pocket has a chewed pencil in it), camoflage, a printed city map from Google Earth, jewelry, a piece (at least 20 years old) of parrot/flower fabric that had OLD fusing on it and the fusing still WORKED, sheriff star, hand holding a newspaper, 'green' thumb, a watch cut from fabric, a lacey hand on oriental fabric with a fabric ring, machine embroidered fabric sleeve, Harley Davidson cuff, Big male hands, little female hands and even one arthritic hand. One late extra block was sewn on the back for the label, with all our names signed. And one beautifully machine-embroidered block, telling what this was about.

16 comments:

  1. I love your Kaleidoscope quilt with the borders. This is the only Kaleidoscope pattern I have ever made. I have never done one of the fussy cut ones. The hand quilt is awesome. I'm sure it will be a conversation getter. (Is that proper English?).

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  2. Kaleidoscope reminds me of the TV screen you would see if you turn on the TV when the station was off/closed. Remember when they would close the TV Station at night? Very cool colors and designs.

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  3. Two terrific quilts! I love your kaleidoscope. Very creative idea for the blocks in the hand quilt.

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  4. Your kaleidoscope gets prettier and prettier. The story of the 'hands' project is very inspiring, and the quilt turned out beautifully.

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  5. I would love to see your kalidescope quilt up close and personal, and I'm sure one of these days I will. It is out of my skill level right now, but *sigh* maybe someday.

    Thank you for all your hard work in finishing up the Recycled Hands quilt. I wish everyone who visits your blog could see it and touch it as I have. What fun it was to be a part of it and I can't wait to see it displayed in various places around town.

    P.S. I am sorry I didn't get a photo that I took of it last night sent to you.

    NS

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  6. The kaleidoscope you have made is so beautiful. It's fun to study it.

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  7. Both of these quilts are lovely. I have only made a fussy-cut kaleidescope quilt so some day I should try one of these.

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  8. The quilts are great. Good work, you should be proud of yourself.

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  9. I've been enjoying watching you work on your kaleidoscope project. I'm officially adding it to my 'Someday Ideas' list.
    Jeanne :)

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  10. Your kaleidoscope is turning out beautifully. I have started mine and it looks entirely different. Love the idea of the hands quilt and it has turned out beautifully. You did a good job of pulling it all together.

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  11. The borders on the kaleidoscope are great -- really brings it all together nicely. I only just now saw the circles after you mentioned them, but now I wonder how I ever missed them.

    And the hand quilt is an inspired idea! How did you get the directors to agree to sign?

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  12. I love your kaleidoscope quilt and the hands quilt is inspired!

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  13. The striped border is perfect! Isn't it amazing what a difference a border makes.... Blessings, marlene

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  14. You are doing some fantastic things! I'm just getting caught up on blog reading but I find your kaleidoscope quilt inspiring! The recycle quilt looks like so much fun! I'd love to see a couple of those hands close up!

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  15. LOVE the hand quilt!! What a fantastic and innovative idea. Hope it also achieves its aim and gets more recycling done :)

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  16. The Hand quilt is a great idea! Adding strips to different sized blocks is a great way to make everything fit. I've never done a kaleidoscope quilt event though I have a set of rulers for it :-) Yours looks very "Moroccan tile". Well done!

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