Thread: Rhonda's Dresden Kaleidoscope Tutorial

I was asked to do a tutorial on my Dresden Kaleidoscopes. Here is the fabric I used for this lesson Now you need to decide on a place in the fabric to place your template Then trace the features in the fabric onto the plastic template. Trace around the edge of the template also I like to pin the spot you marked so I can go back and find it later when I have marked all my blades. But you can also just cut each one out as you mark them if you prefer. I show this with the template just off to the side so you can see where my lines are Here is the template so you can see my tracing. Place the template on the next repeat and continue to trace and cut out each blade This is showing you where the repeats are in this fabric. Find a feature and then look to see where it repeats in the fabric. You will need to make sure you have enough repeats in your fabric before you start. My template makes 10 blades and you will need to make sure you have at least 5 repeats in a half yard Okay after you trace and cut out your blades you need to sew them together. This is so easy! Now you have 2 sets of 2. Sew the 2 sets together to make 4. I add a 5th one to this and make a half at a time. Repeat this step with 2 more sets of 2 and then add the 5th one to it. Then sew the two halves together to make a whole DK I didn't have enough fabric to do the whole thing but I wanted to give you a look at the process. Here you see the 4 blades sewn and you begin to see the Kaleidoscope effect beginning to come out. Now you can see how to put a Dresden Kaleidoscope together. You can use them to sew to a background for a quilt block or you can make a project with them as in hotpads or tote bags or anything you want. Here is a link to the Dresden Kaleidoscopes I have made in the past. More Kaleidoscopes Kaleidoscope projects Pansy Kaleidoscopes

Thank you sew much Rhonda!

Very nice! Thank you!

You're welcome!

I forgot to add that after you use the template you can erase the marker lines and start over with it for the next DK. I use a pen eraser. I also found a fine point marker works best and I use it to mark around the template right on the fabric too. It doesn't matter because when you cut the template out you cut the line off so the marker is gone then.

great instructions

thank-you great instructions

Thanks so much for this tutorial. You previously sent me the template so now I know how to use it!

P.S. I haven't forgotten I owe you a block!

Rita

There's no special hurry Rita. I have yours more or less done but I need to redo a part of it because it isn't quite 12 1/2" square. It is a bit off in the middle. I hate redoing things so I keep putting it off! LOL I'm not going to do any more swap blocks but stitchengramie is going to keep it going. I am posting the sign up but the rest is up to her.

Thanks!!!!!!!