Kaleidoscope Dreams

Well I have a finish, and I am pretty stoked about it! For those who have followed the build on Instagram, here is the final cushion cover, which I've named Kaleidoscope Dreams.

I made the first cushion cover using Paula Nadelstern's line 'Wonderlust' for a Benartex blog hop in 2018. When Sheila was at our house for Dayna's wedding in November that year, she fell in love with the cushion, and asked me to make her one.  Exactly the same. Time went on. Earlier this year we were chatting, and she brought up the cushion again because she had seen it in a yoga photo I put on Instagram. I said I might have enough of the fabric left but I wasn't sure... She said she'd pay me for it, and I told her no, there was no need, but within 24 hours, she had emailed me some, and refused to hear otherwise.



I had a few Island Batik and H2H commitments to complete, but as soon as they were done, I started work on the kaleidoscope. The first thing was laying my hands on the leftover fabric! My sewing stuff has been moved from, well, Florida was where I was when I made the original for the hop, so back to Ontario, to the 'loft' upper half storey where I used to sew, then back to a bedroom on the main floor with the majority of my fabric in a basement bedroom, now back up to the renovated sewing studio! Eventually I found it. Well, most of it. I started looking at the holy (well it is), but let me get the correct spelling of the synonym: 'holey' fabric, because that is what you do to create a kaleidoscope, is cut out the shapes you want from the repeats in the fabric.

So there were a couple of heart-stopping moments when I thought I only had seven repeats instead of the required eight, or only 14 instead of the required 16, for the symmetry sections. Paula's main fabric, her prima donna fabric, does most of the work. I actually found my drafting and templates, both plastic and freezer paper, from the first one. I know, what a weirdo, but in some cases that weirdness is a lifesaver! I drafted new freezer paper because two of the patches were completely different from the original kaleidscope because I did not have enough fabric.

I hit upon the idea of an orange spike because spikes are just stunning in 'scopes, coming off the one lacy section, and played around to see if I could draft it in and find symmetrical pieces to go on either side.... I could! Soon I had one eighth of the kaleidoscope pieced.

I wish I'd used my mirrors because I may have seen the potential for another spike where the short turquoise one is, to carry it from the other lacy bit along the seam... Ah well, and no, there is definitely not enough fabric to do a third.

I cheated a bit and did paper-piecing in some places, just as I did for the original one, to make things go a little faster. The section between the turquoise spikes is completely different from teh original, again because I didn't have enough fabric. However, I am SO PLEASED with that lipstick-looking, or old-fashioned bubble Christmas lights-looking motif that comes off the orange spike! Who knew the surprise it would give me when the circle was complete.

Do you see the second turquoise and yellow lacy bit that has the potential to have been somehow carried through to the small turquoise spike? Still, I like the 'negative' deep purple space that give the outer ring a floating feel.

Quilting ensued righ taway. I knew I'd be using a multitude of Sulky metallic threads.

Sadly, they are exceedingly difficult to photograph to show their beauty. This shows some of the intricate FMQ I did with the threads, following patterns in the fabrics to accent them. My Bernina has no problem with these threads, never has, which is why I love her so.

Aurifil was used in the bobbin, and for piecing and to stabilize the eight spokes and edges of the square.

Here is the inner back before assembly:

I love the dot to dot designs I came up with in the corners and in the spaces between corners. They add a radiating effect I think.

The sun was in and out at the most inopportune times on Thursday all day, but I tried to get a sparkly pic at one point before it got assembled.

Waiting for better light, I took some early morning shots. I knew it would be perfect by my mini lilac! this is a willow chair MacGyver and I made a long time ago in a class bought with money from my mum for our anniversary. If we can build a chair together, we can remain together!

The back:

This fabric is left over from my Plus Playtime quilt that was my second QAL. I didn't have enough of the original I'd used.

The label:

Here are the two together. The second one is a definite improvement on the first, but they're both pretty spectacular if I do say so myself..

The backs of both, both are in the Wonderlust line (the spelling is deliberate):

The Sulky metallic threads are just incredible and add so much to these. However, they are nigh on impossible to photograph even with a pre-7 am morning light angle, but maybe if you zoom in...

Lots of painstaking, but oh so enjoyable, FMQ-ing.

This is on my Q2FAL list which you can see on Instagram. I'll be sending it off to Alberta right away where I know it will be much loved in its new home. Thank you, Sheila, for giving me the opportunity to create this for you, but also to play with kaleidoscopes again, such fun they are, and time just zips on by. I guess-timated 30 hours in this!

Quilt Stats:
Pattern: Original design
Size: 18.5 x 18.5"
Fabric: Benartex 'Wonderlust by Paula Nadelstern
Backing: as above
Batting: Hobbs 100% cotton premium
Quilted: on my Bernina
Threads: pieced with Aurifil on my Bernina; quilted with Sulky Holoshimmer, Sulky Metallic, and Aurifil 100% cotton

Linking up

Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Quilting and Learning: What a Combo!
My Quilt Infatuation

Quilt Fabrication

Quilty Girl
TGIFF at Kathleen McMusing
The Madd Quilter
Meadow Mist Designs for Favorite Finish