Saturday, August 16, 2008

My new Best-Favorite - Kaleidoscope #2 -- DONE

(Am I the only one that likes to review my OWN blog to look at my projects? Today I spent at least 2 hours, reviewing older blog photos, taking pride in my own projects.)

I am pleased with this one - for the colors and values. Quilting design? not sure but at some point, a person MUST stop considering all the possibilities and MUST make a decision. It wasn't easy to decide on a quilting design for the top. After watching my PatsyThompsonDesigns.com DVD, feeling very brave and strong, I decided on using this version of "Innies and Outies" ! You may remember, I use a DSM.

That particular pattern is really GREAT on a 9 x 12 inch sample (oh yes, I made an entire book of samples, per her suggestion!), but it takes on a different personality when used on an entire quilt. And ... when you go IN a spiral type of configuration, you must leave enough room for an OUT -- no problem on a 9 x 12 inch sample, but when the harp on your machine is about 10 inches (considered generous!), your INNIE has to be very large, so you have enough room for the OUTIE - oh yes, backward, when you can't see, does present logistical issues. One must depend on one's memory, or follow the existing line, and echo that. There is a lot of 'fluffing' and readjusting, to eliminate drag, and one really wants to make each curve in one action, without stopping and starting - difficult (not impossible) in a limited space. I would have preferred a more open-spaced design, but THAT would require larger configurations, more difficult. Miraculously, no puckers, and not too many glitches, and I only crossed over a line 3 times, getting 'lost', always on the same hard-to-see fabric.

I used a 2-ply thread, a tan and cream blend, that seemed the best choice for all these colors. The border is a viney/leafy, dried grassy pattern, open and airy. I did not quilt the light narrow border, although did stitch-in-the-ditch with invisible thread to hold it down neatly.



We quilters should devise a special award for our DHs or other volunteers who offer (agreeably) to be the "Quilt Holder." Colors are fairly close to accurate.
I believe I've said this is an EASY quilt to make. I used Margaret Dohaney 45 degree Kaleidoscope Ruler which (when I bought it 8 years ago) even came with this particular pattern. If you make it, PLEASE let me see how yours turned out. This is a very FUN quilt! It finishes about 62" x 62".

29 comments:

  1. The quilt turned out great! I lvoe the kapeidoscope block.

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  2. Your quilt turned out great. You're not the only one who reviews her own blog. I review mine when I feel like I haven't done anything or when I need inspiration. There is nothing wrong with being proud of what you have done. Isn't that we write blogs? To blog and be proud of what we make and share with others?

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  3. Just beautiful. Yes it is fun to go back and see where you have come from. Some of my older quilts that I just didn't think to much of at the time I like now. It is fun to see our growth.

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  4. It's gorgeous. I often review my blog, sometimes to recall when we did things. I started it really as a diary for myself and it's just a bonus that I've met so many people through it.

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  5. WOW!!! That really turned out wonderful!!! I love the colors and isn't it neat how it the blocks together make it look all circaly...yes that is a word! hahaha
    Great job!!
    dawn

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  6. O that turned out beautiful! Which Patsy Thompson DVD(s) do you have? I have the Vine and Leaves Vol 1 and Feathers Vol 1. I love her work. I often go back and review my blog. When I do I find that by adding tags will help me find the post better.

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  7. What a great quilt. Elaine you do such fun things. I love this one.

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  8. I love your quilt! It's something I would like to do sometime. I'm going to put a * on my google reader to I can find this one again.

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  9. Elaine,
    Your kaleidscope quilt is gorgeous-I love your color choice and your in and out quilting is inspired- I like patterns that look challenging but are not that difficult to make- Perhaps I will make one soon- I will have to put it on my list of quilts to make..
    Regards.
    Anna

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  10. Your kaleidoscope quilt and quilting is great. I love the colors. And the Checkers quilt is awesone. Congratulations! I am still working on my kaleidoscope blocks. They were put on hold for a while, but I will get back to them soon.

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  11. Great job. Wonderful colors. Extra peanut butter cookies with chips deserved by hubs, definitely!

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  12. Yep, I review my blog and look at what I've finished/accomplished...of course, my memory fails me sometimes and I have to look at my blog to do my weekly stashbusting/progress report like today. After a while, it all seems to run together.

    I love the Kaleidoscope and have one on my list to do one day list. I have the Quilt in a Day ruler and would like to use strings.

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  13. That is a job well done! I too review my blog. Sometimes to see if what I write is truly blog worthy or not and that's a day to day thing. Reviewing is good also to see what we have accomplished and to motivate us to do more.

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  14. Yes I review my blog/diary to see when I made certain things. I am always amazed at how long ago I did them when it always feels like just last month.

    Your quilt is beautiful!

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  15. Wow ! That is so pretty!
    Sheri

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  16. Lovely quilt.I love the quilting you chose, and you did it very well I think.What is not to admire.

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  17. Your quilt came out great! Good color scheme and that pattern is intriguing. May have to try that one of these days. And I love your quilting. That "innie/outie" does sound like it would be kinda tricky on a DSM, especially the backwards part! I still need to check out those quilting DVDs.

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  18. Oh, I absolutely love your #2 Kaleidoscope quilt! And the quilting is so much fun, Innies and Outies, gotta love that!

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  19. Beautiful kaleidescope. I started a kaleidescope for my sister when she got married. It's in my current UFO pile, her oldest daughter is now 13. I really should finish that!

    You've Inspired me with your gorgeous work!!

    Keep quiltin'
    Dionne

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  20. This is such a beautiful quilt. You did a wonderful job on it - the piecing as well as the quilting. Splendid!

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  21. Gorgeous!! I love it. And yes, like others have said, I review my blog, too. Sometimes I forget what I've done, and going back surprises me.

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  22. You really crack me up about reading your own blog and taking pleasure in what you have made. We all do it, but I have never heard anyone admit it before! But that is what it is all about I think. Aren't we lucky to have something we love to do that we can take pleasure and pride in? Love the kaleido and beautiful quilting as well. I bet the ruler came from Marilyn Doheny. She is amazing!

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  23. Your kaleidoscope turned out so well - way to go! I like the checkers too.

    I review my blog too, but more often go through my two binders of the quilts I've made. I've numbered them and put them in order (mostly because my mind is otherwise very scattered) and it is good to see the progress, at least for the most part!

    Thanks for your enthusiasm too! It is catching.

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  24. This is really lovely Elaine - it gives you the same impression of movement as Storm at Sea but appears much easier to construct and your fabric and colour choices make it sing beautifully

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  25. Hi Elaine, your quilting looks wonderful to me...almost perfect!
    The sample book is a great idea, things often look different in thread than in the drawings.
    Love your quilt too! Hugs, Finn

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  26. What a beauty it's turned out to be! And you could quilt that size on your domestic huh? It looks professional!

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  27. Very pretty; I love kaliedescope quilts! Your free motion quilting turned out great and I know exactly what you mean about struggling with an allover free motion design on a standard home sewing machine. I would love to be able to quilt some of the larger beautiful curvey patterns that longarmers use on their quilts, but stuffing a big quilt through a tiny harp while manuevering it with two little hands, is a lot different than going over it with a long arm machine on a big frame!

    LB

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