Saturday, February 11, 2012

Ta Da! Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope Quilt

Finally I have a chance to show off Kaleidoscope (that is what I named the kaleidoscope quilt, not that original I know). I am sending it to my nephew next week for his birthday and just because I like him - he is away from home at University and I thought it might be nice to have a cuddly blanket for late night studying.

Kaleidoscope Quilt - binding detail

Thank you everyone for taking the time to share your ideas and thoughts on the best binding and quilting for this quilt (you can read my request for help here).

In the end I chose the grey for the binding. I pinned on each of the three binding choices, and I looked at them for a while. I carefully thought about each commenter's ideas and logic (both here and on flickr). I decided against either aqua or chartreuse because the binding in those colours allowed the matching colour to dominate the quilt and less circles would form as you looked at it.

Kaleidoscope Quilt - quilting detail

I did not add any additional quilting. These pictures are all after washing, the quilt behaves nicely with just the outlining of the points and not the squares. It is very soft too.

Kaleidoscope Quilt - back

Here is the back. These are two prints by Tina Givens from her line called Pernilla's Journey. You will see that I forgot to flip the elephants in that top square like I flipped the waterlily print, oh well.

Kaleidoscope Quilt

One last view, I love to look long enough to see the small and then larger and larger circles that form in spite of the fact that every piece is cut straight. This quilt is 60" x 72" and made of various cotton prints that I had bits and pieces of in my cupboard - I think it even qualifies as scrappy.

I started this quilt about a year ago (edited to add, it was actually the beginning of June, so not a full year), as part of Elizabeth from Don't Call Me Betsy's Kaleidoscope QAL. The QAL was very fun and many beautiful quilts can be viewed on flickr here.

Unfortunately, I did not finish with my group. So, this is now my second finish for Rhonda at Quilter in the Gap's Finish-a-long.

I went to exercise yesterday and am planning to go tomorrow - I have to be serious about it now, I am going to be walking about London for just over a week this spring, and I need to get in shape (and lose a million pounds too, but it all sounds so negative when you think of it that way). My exercise buddy will be pleased, I hope.

I hope you enjoy your day, it is bright and sunny here and I plan to do a little sewing among the errands.

I have linked this finish up to Megan at Canoe Ridge Creations' {Sew} Modern Monday. There are wonderful projects there, I hope you go and have a look.

{Sew} Modern Monday at Canoe Ridge Creations
Edited to add: I am linking this post up with Rhonda from Quilter in the Gaps FAL First Quarter Report. My post with my First Quarter FAL goals is here
Best,

Leanne

33 comments:

Heather D. said...

It's wonderful Leanne. The colour combo is great, and the gray binding really works. Your nephew is one lucky guy!

Mrs.Pickles said...

wow very pretty

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

Oh Leanne it looks amazing, what a lucky nephew you have. x

Shevvy said...

Love the fact that it is scrappy.

Please don't get too fit, otherwise I might have to exercise to keep up with you when you come over!

Katy Cameron said...

Congrats on the finish, it looks fab :o)

Susan said...

Lovely quilt Leanne! Your nephew is sure to love it! And isn't it great to have another finish!

Leo said...

It's really amazing how you can loose yourself among the circles triangles ... whatevers

Cascade Quilts said...

love it- glad you went with the gray!

Catherine said...

wow, it looks fabulous! Love the back as much as the front

Judith, Belfast said...

Love it! You put me to shame, I started quilting mine a few weeks back and then faded! Don't tell me it's almost a year since the QAL started!!! I'm sure your nephew will love it! Jxo

beaquilter said...

that's lovely, I really like kaleidoscope quilts, I have this book and template called the SMART PLATE and kaleidoscope quilting the smart way, you basicly start with a pinwheel block and then use this template to chop off the sides so it's a kaleido block... it's a GREAT book and template, I've used it many times

Sarah said...

I think it looks wonderful :-)

Teje Karjalainen said...

Hi Leanne!
Your Kaleidoscope is gorgeus! I love the patterns and those colours and fabrics are so beautiful! I can pick many fabrics that I have admired in online shops.
Your decision for the binding was perfect - other colours had made that colour more visible for all the quilt. That binding fits also so great for those lovely backing fabrics.
x Teje

Marg said...

Love that you chose the grey binding. Your nephew is going to love this quilt, he's very lucky.
I love the colours and prints you've used in this, it really is a beautiful quilt.

StuffandThings said...

It's beautiful!

elle said...

Totally charming quilt. Great binding logic and choice. I gave away one of these. I need to make one for myself and I do luv your colour choices.

Karen said...

Well done, it looks great! My Kaleidoscope from that QAL was a complete disaster and the pieces are languishing in a drawer somewhere! Great to see another one finished though :o)

felicity said...

Very, very beautiful!

Debbie said...

oh this is so awesome! A really terrific finish!!

Dianne Neale said...

Another beautiful quilt - you just seem to beautiful colours!

Sheila said...

One of the magic things about patchwork - getting circles and curves, from straight lines. This is a super quilt and I am sure your nephew will love it.

Domestic Kat said...

It looks really really lovely.

I love the blue and yellow together!

Nicky said...

Love it - glad you made the perfect choice! Wow you got a lot of advice!

Rhonda the Rambler said...

It truly is amazing! Gray was a great choice!!! Can I be your nephew? oh wait that would be niece wouldn't it? LOL

Annabella said...

I think I`ve said before that I LOVE this quilt and the retro feel to the fabrics. It is gorgeous. Also love the backing and the Pernilla`s Journey. Now regreting my fugly giveaway big time. Well done on the exercise and I think your buddy will be super pleased. Keep it up!!

Svetlana said...

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this quilt. It's so amazing, I love looking at it. One day, I will make one myself, too. Until then I'll keep admiring yours. Just beautiful!!!

Lucy | Charm About You said...

GORGEOUS! Love love love everything about it. Those colours are so yum!

Shocking Hocking said...

beautifully done - i'm sure your nephew will love it

tusen said...

It looks great and I keep coming back just to see the circles getting bigger and bigger with every glance - it's definitely a true kaleidoscope effect :)

Heather said...

I really love your quilt, great job finishing it up! Quilts like this usually take me about a year or more to finish too, this one looked like it was a lot of work :-) The colors are great.

Longvacation said...

It's beautiful! I love the color combo.

Elizabeth Dackson said...

Wow, wow, wow!! This turned out so gorgeously, Leanne! Kudos!!

Leslie said...

oh wow this is amazing. i just bookmarked this in my quilt inspiration folder. i had wanted to make the quilt during the quilt along but did not(small baby means no time)but now i am thinking about it again.