Vintage Kaleidoscope and End of Year Sorting

I intended to write about cleaning up my sewing room but Julie wrote everything last week. We must be related: there are millions of shiny, new objects (quilts) in my mind but I couldn't get started until I'd cleared out the scrap bag, sorted the storage and vacuumed, dusted and polished. As Julie said, it's so refreshing to take the time to regroup.

As part of the general cleaning, I pulled out this top. Some kaleidoscope blocks have been around since 1997. About five years ago, I made more blocks, tossed some older ones and sewed the top. It's never been quilted.

Kaleidoscope quilt

This is another quilt constructed using Marilyn Doheny's kaleidoscope ruler. (I can't find photos of the first two made with this ruler. They were lovely and well-loved.) The ruler continues to be useful.

Detail shots include some of the original blocks as well as newer ones.

Kaleidoscope quilt, detail

This design is created with two blocks; both have the same pieces but the value placement changes. It's most noticeable if you look at the darks; they create either an X or a + in the center. The four corner triangles that complete the squares are very light against the dark X or medium light against the medium X. The strict attention to value creates the stronger light circles and diamonds as well as the occasional dark circle "after image."

The center octagons are usually created with two sets of four wedges (alternating dark and medium.) However, many of these have two pairs of darks and/or mediums.

It's still a pretty quilt that should be used instead of languishing on a shelf.  Now it's donated as a veteran's quilt.

Kaleidoscope quilt, detail

Over the holidays I sewed 146 string blocks solely from my [now empty!] scrap bag. In addition to these colors, there are  yellow, orange, black, brown and purple blocks. Perhaps they will become toddler quilts or... ?

String blocks from the scrap bag scraps.

This year I am choosing a scrap block as a leader/ender project to regularly reduce the scraps. There will still be scraps in the scrap bag but hopefully it will take longer to fill. I know I'm weird but a full scrap bag bothers me until it's used.

Enjoy the day, Ann