Kaleidoscope stuck! =)
 

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I am a lurker . . . I was hoping to get some ideas! This will be the largest top I try to quilt, and it will be the second that I have tried free motion on. The first with a free motion foot! My first free motion was a small baby quilt, and I used my walking foot. I have quilted many lap quilts with ditch stitching, but that just doesn't seem right for this guy. The blocks are nine inches.

Any suggestions on a style that will look good on my kaleidoscope, and still be manageable for my big debut? ;0) There is such wisdom and experience on this board~ !!

Thank you so much!
Lara

How about something easy like a meander? No pattern to follow. Be sure to practice your meander on paper first. Really helps to get you into the "motion."

Oh, I forgot to say "Welcome Aboard!" Lots of great people and information here!

Welcome! How about circles?

I like your quilt. I kept looking at it and then saw big stars on it. What is the name of that pattern and who makes it? No ideas about quilting it, sorry.

It is a kaleidoscope! Just two colors; I used the template by Marti Mitchell. It went together more easily than I had imagined, and the cutting wasn't too terrible once I got the hang of it! =)

What color thread would i use? The back is a deep red, the binding will be the same. Is a meander like stippling, but bigger? Would circles be like bubbles?

I thought I would make a couple of pot holders today, and play with 'driving' and quilting. I know I'll need to make sure my tension is correct, too.

Thanks for the suggestions, I need all of the help I can get!! =))

What about something like this http://www.daystyledesigns.com/image...illusionsm.jpg or maybe this http://www.daystyledesigns.com/image...gedplainsm.jpg

Make sure you post a picture when you finish it. And Welcome to the board. You will find lots of great advise here.

Diane

Here's what I did and I think it brings out the circular look!

Show us what you decide!
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I was also thinking about something to accentuate the "circles," so I like Kitsie's idea. I'd use a thread the color of your green. It will blend better than you imagine with the tan. You can audition the thread by taking a foot or two off the spool and laying it on the quilt. It will look a bit darker when you quilt since it sinks down into the fabric.

Be sure and post your finished picture.

Darren

That is a beautiful quilt. Moves a lot, I love it. Kristie's idea is good.

Welcome to the board. That is a great quilt. I like Kristie's idea too to help accentuate the movement. Look forward to seeing your decision after it is finished.

Diane, I really like the brown picture! That is very cool, and I (*think I*) can manage it. Then I saw Kitsie's, and I like that too!!

It seems like the circle idea might be a little more forgiving, for my first real try. Am I wrong about that?

And Kitsie, thank you for posting both pictures, it made it easy for me to 'see', but I do have a question. . . on the top picture, not every block has quilting. But on the 'real' quilt, it looks like each one does . . . I don't imagine well, so I am having trouble 'seeing' the whole thing . . .

Should I match the red backing with red thread, or go for contrast and use tan or green? No bits or pieces in the back, just all the same fabric.

thanks everybody! I am tickled that yall think it looks that good . . . I was thinking it didn't have any 'oomph' =)

I really like it! And I think using Kitsie's design for quilting will give it the oomph you think is missing. Maybe even use the red for the quilting?

Or red thread on the top and tan on the back...contrast on both sides that way.

Lara, the first picture is one I just scanned off from somewhere and drew the design on it to give me an idea. You notice on the finished one that I added a concave square in the center of the other block too. I did this just with my regular machine. The gentle curves are easy to do. Think I did half-circles at a time so I didn't have to turn it so often! Hint - if you can take a picture or scan a corner of your quilt, you can practice drawing some designs. Draw one to size on a piece of regular copy paper and try sewing on that - easy, easy! Saves a lot of unpicking, too!

I actually have a blank paper kaleidoscope pattern, i could draw on. I really like your pattern Kitsie - I am going to play with that tomorrow!! =)) maybe make an extra block 'sandwich' just to test!! =))

thank you so much!

Your quilt is beautiful. But, you said you did FMQ with a walking foot? Did you mean a FMQ foot? I like all the suggestions so far for the quilting.

Glad I could help! Let me know if I can be of service again! Don't know how big your blocks are, mine are 6 1/2". Can't wait to see what you do!

my blocks are nine inches (I am pretty sure! lol). and yes, i did free motion with a walking foot! it was . . . interesting! I had several different sized blocks, with 'blank' space filling in. It was actually a pale blue seersucker, so it was nice to me, when I was slow with turning! I did small sections at a time, and stopped often to shift. Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture. =/. It was to help raise money for my kids' school. I knew I couldn't try that again without an upgrade! =)

I did not try out my new foot today . . . tinkering with another quilt in progress! I'll want to get more input, on MORE tops that are 'waiting' ;0)

My machine has a built in walking foot and I don't do free motion but I was well able to do the simple curves! Good for you! This design specially with your larger blocks could easily be done with any old foot unless you like FMQ - scares me to death!

The pattern almost looks like a winding ways without the curves but gives the illusion of curves

I can't get over the motion in your quilt. I kept going back and looking again and again, until I finally felt cross-eyed and said "quit". It is a beauty!

I just did my first free-motion quilting without marking the top. It was a spider web design on each block. It was very forgiving of any mistakes. I used clear YLI monofiliment on the top and a thin thread in a color that matched the back fabric in the bobbin.

Thank you Donna B!! That is the sweetest compliment. Had to get milk yesterday, and today the kids have a half day at school =/. Don't see me sewing much. =( sigh.

What a lovely quilt. Please post it again when it is finished. I like Kitsie's design.

I love this. I've been practicing cutting kaleidoscope triangles using Marti Michell's ruler. Instead of wasting my time on that, I should stick with 2 colors and roll with it. It is really pretty!

i think circles would be good esp. for a kaleidoscope...beautiful job

Love your colors very pretty

Is there a pattern for this quilt? I would love to make one!

Mea, I remember I printed a picture so that I could experiment with colors on paper -- I am pretty sure it was from the free design section of fons and porter's site. I used the kaleidoscope template from marti mitchell to get my pieces right. they went together very easily!

I can not tell you how wonderful all of these compliments are! I appreciate them so much!!
thank you!
Lara
(hoping to quilt some today)

Mea, I remember I printed a picture so that I could experiment with colors on paper -- I am pretty sure it was from the free design section of fons and porter's site. I used the kaleidoscope template from marti mitchell to get my pieces right. they went together very easily!

I can not tell you how wonderful all of these compliments are! I appreciate them so much!!
thank you!
Lara
(hoping to quilt some today)

I was going to say circles, but Kitsie had a better idea!

Lara, i found the ruler on Marti's website. There's a picture of a book now out of print called "Kaleido-Krazy II" and the cover looks just like your quilt. The "kaleido" in the name makes me think of a different technique this isn't exactly kaleidoscope more like pinwheels to me but i am definitely going to try this. It is very interesting to me that just 2 fabrics can create this much movement. are the little triangles for the corners hard to work with?

FWIW, it is a good idea to make a couple of extra blocks so you can use them just to demo quilting designs.

Other preview techniques:

1. Lay a sheet of clear, rigid plastic (as used in report covers) over your quilt and sketch possible quilting designs on the plastic with a dry erase marker pen. You can photograph different design ideas and compare them by setting the photos side by side.

2. Photocopy a block or blocks, and print off a few copies. Pencil sketch design ideas onto the image of your quilt. Compare and contrast different approaches.

3. Print off an image of your quilt with quilt software, and sketch on that.

Quilting really makes the quilt! For yours I would emphasize the beautiful interlocking circles, keeping it simple. I like the sketch Kitsie did. Even stitch in the ditch would be lovely on this quilt as the block design adds enough all on its own.

Regards,
Janet

You have an ambitious undertaking since you said it is the second quilt you have free motioned quilted. However, the rest of the statement is a bit confusing. You continue by saying that the first was a crib quilt and you used the walking foot. Do you really mean you used the walking foot for free motion? Now having said that, from reading responses to questions as yours the common recommendation is usualy meandering or just overall quilting. We tend to forget that free motion is much more than just doodling or moving in a free design over the quilt. There are many stencils and quilting designs that are continuous for free motion quilting. I would consider something more specific for your quilt. Perhaps a block design that will fit into the space of each block. There are on line companies that have catalogs of such designs. Expand your thoughts beyond the meandering. I believe it will make a more attractive quilt.
Having said that #2. How confident do you feel in your free motion work? Your post sounds like you might need some more practice. Also, doing quilting only in the block area will make it easier to maneuver a larger quilt in and under the machine. I believe an all over would be difficult to do.

Somebody wanted the pattern. I got mine from the magazine QNM Jan/Feb 2001. I googled it and its available from E-bay and Amazon among other places!

I like the idea of circles, I can't wait to see your finished piece - I've been sort of stuck on a spiral free motion design on my latest quilt - using a batting with more loft than I normally do, and finding it's not as easy as the flatter bats.... have fun!

I would definately practice with your new foot. Draw your design on some muslin with backing and batting and practice until you feel it is right. You don't want to make mistakes on that beautiful quilt!

hmm. What's a flatter bat?

;0)

Mea, those triangles weren't hard at all. I do believe in starch, though! =)

Janet, I love your idea about making an extra block. I am a big fan of auditioning fabric; I am very visual, and those are great ways to find what I would like to quilt!

And Holice, you are so right -- I am NOT confident about fmq! I did use a walking foot on my baby quilt. I had different sized blocks, and I used it to fill in those spaces. They were fillers, not bigger than six or eight inches wide. I did a repeating S curve, and a circle that radiated. I stopped and started a lot! I will definitely practice. I also think I will check into markers that vanish. It might be best for me to use my walking foot to do Kitsie's circles.

I have learned that I will need to roll my quilt up nicely to fit in my arm space. any other tips?

I have not sewed in days =(

thank you so much for all of the wonderful advice. I have SIX other tops, waiting to be quilted. I am such a chicken! =))