Quiltingboard Forums - Dresden Kaleidoscope - How to Look for Repeats And Other Tips

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I have been asked to do a tutorial on how to find repeats and to clarify some things that I didn't put in the book.

So... How To Find Repeats:

Here is the fabric I am going to use for this tutorial

Here is the fabric folded so you can see a quarter yard. I cut out the template section from a half sheet of paper so you can see what I see. Here is a flower that stands out for me from the rest. First you must choose a feature that stands out for you. Then look up the fabric to see if you can see the exact same flower again. if not up then look to the right or catecorner to see if you can find the same feature. It might be a leaf or a large flower or a group of leaves etc, When buying fabric you can look at a quarter yard and see how many repeats you can find. I found 4 in a half yard so out of this yard I can get this same repeat 16 times. But I can also find other repeats and continue to use this yard for more DKS

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This is the spot I chose. This has a flower that is in the center. When I find a place I like I put a pin in it so I can find it easily later. I like to use my clear template and trace out all my blades before I go back and cut them all out. So the pins make it easy to find them when I am ready to cut them out.

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This is the clear plastic template I use. I send them out in my free templates. All you have to do is send me your postal address in a PM. DO NOT put your address on the open part of this forum.

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I use a fine point sharpie and trace some of the features. This is so you can pick it up and put it down on the next repeat and match it up with the template. Then you can trace around the template again for each blade.

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Now back to the fabric. This is one of the spots I like. I see the yellow flower at the base. It will repeat nicely around the center of the DK. And the pink flowers in the center will repeat well. You want to avoid a flower that takes up too much of the blade. You need some variety in color and in shapes.

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This is another option I like alot. You have the two leaves in the center and you also have the yellow at the base. The pink at the top will also give you a punch of color.

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When you are auditioning your blades you want to look for features that will stand out.

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This one is ok but I would be concerned that the flowers might be too overpowering when you get all the blades sewn together.

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This one is too bland for my taste. I thought when I first looked at this fabric that I would choose the daisies but the white is too bland. I am afraid when you get the blades together there won't be enough interest to make it pretty. But I may be wrong. I just think you will have a field of daisies. This would be fine for fabric but not for a DK where you should have some features that stand out to create the Kaleidsocope look.

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This is just too much yellow. You don't have any distinct features to stand out for the Kaleidoscope look. the daisy in the center is good but since it is white it won't stand out much. I do like to put leaves or petals so they are standing up like this one is. But there isn't enough features for interest in this one.

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I like to take a pic of the fabric. Then put it in your pc. You can print off this pic onto copy paper. Then use your template and find a good spot and cut it out of the paper. You can repeat this as many times as you like. I feel you can get a good idea for what it will look like if you use at least 3 or 4 paper blades.

You can sew and iron the paper version just like the fabric.

This way you can test out your fabric without having to cut it. You can play with finding good places on the paper version before committing to the fabric.

Thanks for sharing that is so neat. Never got a chance to see the others.

Wow - THANKS - that was EASY to understand - and I love your explanations on WHY you should use certain pieces and not others.

Thank you so much for the tutorial. It is very helpful and easy to follow.

Thanks for the tutorial! Very well explained!!

Thanks, I needed this! Well done!!

Thanks Rhonda you always make it simple enough for me to understand

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much. I have wanted to do a kaleidoscope for so long without doing the stacking fabric on repeats, your tute is just what I have been looking for. You have helped me so much, I can't tell you how much. Thanks again. Have a great day

Thank you sooo much for sharing.

Questions: what book are you referring to?
Is there a pic of this pattern?
Isn't a kaleidoscope block done with triangles?

This process is very close to Bethany Reynold's Stack n Whack system or even the One Block Wonder, that is layering the fabric to keep the repeat pattern the same on each folded piece.....I guess it will work with any piece of a block one would like to be identical in each block.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhonda

I have been asked to do a tutorial on how to find repeats and to clarify some things that I didn't put in the book.

So... How To Find Repeats:

Here is the fabric I am going to use for this tutorial

AWESOME I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THAT WAY THANKS A MILLION

Thanks. Very interesting and helpful.

Thank you for sharing what a great way to test out pattern... and thanks for the tutorial ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhonda

Thank you for sharing.

Great tutorial. Neat way to expand on desdens. Thank you for sharing. Would love more info on the book, too.

Thanks! Great information.

Thanks, good method for making contrasts.

thanks everyone! The ebook is advertised here on the board. It is in the pics you see at the bottom of some of the pages. It is on a rotation so you will see my other 3 books Star Point / Boston Blocks/ Wings Blocks as well as the Paper Piecing ebook and How To Make a Doll Quilt. I think there is another one on binding too.

Here is the link for the Dresden Kaleidoscope ebook
www.quiltedparadise.com/n/983-owz.jsp

This link will take you to a page that will offer some pics and comments about what you will see in the ebook.

I show how I look for fabric. What fabric works and what fabric doesn't at least in my opinion. I show you how to decide what makes a good blade and what doesn't. What you should look for and why. I have 3 or 4 suggestions on how to finish your DK. I show some things to avoid and what not to do so your DK will be pretty and not just plain.

I show some troubleshooting ideas on how to fix problems such as if your DK won't lay flat.

There are I think 6 projects showing you ways to use your DKs.
And of course there are lots of pics showing you DKs I have made. The average DK is 8 1/2" but I also show how to use the small mini blade.

I included the templates in the book and you can download them and trace them onto clear plastic if you like. I do also send them out for free.

Thank you so very much you made it sound simple enough for even me to attempt

thank you now off to work I go I go......

Great tutorial. I would not have known what would make an interesting finished design.

Thanks for the easy to understand tutorial.

As usual, your tute is wonderful.
And that baby keeps getting cuter!

Quote:

Originally Posted by OHSue

As usual, your tute is wonderful.
And that baby keeps getting cuter!

Thanks Sue. I think he is a cutie too!! LOL

Thanks, Rhonda, this is great. You did a super job of explaining how to look for just the right spot to get the kaleidescope effect. As usual, this is very helpful! I plan to order the eBook when I can!

Thanks! Very helpful, especially the part about scanning the fabric into the computer to help look for good petals for the dresden plates.

Thank you, nice tute.. :thumbup:
:XD:

Good tips. Great tutorial. I love your explanations as to why you chose a pattern or not. Thank you.

Wonderful! Thanks for sharing with us!

Thank you...great tips for auditioning even more than just dresden petals and fans.

I ordered your book this is one block on my to do list to try ...thanks