I just registered for the Quilting Board the other day and while browsing around the website looked at some directions for making round(ish) patches by stacking printed fabric with the pattern exactly on top of itself and cutting so all pieces are identical. When sewed together you have a kaleidoscope effect. I've actually seen this called kaleidoscope but the article or tutorial I was reading called it something like Dresden kaleidoscope (?). The finished piece looked rounder on the outer edges vs. the pointy kaleidoscope versions. Can someone point me to a tutorial for this interesting technique, and does it have a name other than stack and whack or kaleidoscope? Thanks....I just bought some fabulous fabric to experiment with!

Welcome from Ireland

Welcome from Kentucky!

I think it's also called One Block Wonder or OBW.

Yep, sounds like that's what your talking about. There's a good tutorial, search the board for OBW.

Well that was quicker than quick! Thanks for the tips!

Kaleidoscope blocks can be cut into any shape and sewn back together. Some blocks may only have certain pieces cut in this fashion and the rest read as solids or are prints. Other blocks are solely made out of the repeats.

They have different names and different techniques. OBW's and 4 patch posies are just two of them.

What they all have in common are the repeats. Some are fussy cut to get the repeats. Others you cut the repeat off the yardage in strips, stack and cut out your pieces.

Another technique is to take a picture, upload it into a kaleidoscope program. You choose a certain shaped "tool" (triangle or another shape) and then choose a certain element of the picture to repeat in a block (for the effect).
These are then printed on either fabric (for quilts) or cardstock (for cards)

It is also called Stack and Whack. The book I used was written by Brittnay Reynolds. She has several books out and they are all great.

The pattern you are referring to is a One Block Wonder or OBW hexagon made by layering fabric in six identical layers and cutting strips into 90 degree triangles. Each set of triangles is thus identical, making the hexagon. It is from the book One Block Wonders by Maxine Rosenthal. There is a lot of information in the virtual section. Goodluck and welcome!

four patch posies are squares though.