Showing posts with label hand quilting. free motion quilting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hand quilting. free motion quilting. Show all posts

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Kaleidoscopes, Butterflies and Kaleidoscopes of Butterflies

ROY G BIV Kaleidoscope
80 x 80



Last year I made 8 inch kaleidoscope blocks from scraps as one of my projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. All 100 of the blocks came from the 2.5 inch scrap box. I used solids for the corners of the blocks.

I arranged and rearranged the blocks on the floor and couldn't come up with a good arrangement. I finally settled on arranging them clockwise starting at bottom left in rainbow color order.  I left the brown and black blocks on the outside edges. 


I quilted it on my DSM, Little Bro, with some spirals. I used a variegated gray, pastel blue, pastel pink thread on top and a dark gray thread in the bobbin.  It's what I had on hand. 


Since I used solids for the kaleidoscope corners I decided to use it for the binding also in all colors of the rainbow.  And I originally was going to use muslin for the backing but went with a more colorful option instead. 

Since this quilt was from the scrap box I'm linking up to

This finish was also my goal #4 


And, as for butterflies...


Butterfly Garden is still in my hoop. 


I have the hand quilting on three of the lengthwise sashings completed. You can't see it very well but I know the quilting is there and it's giving the quilt a nice overall texture. 


I'm quilting leaves and flowers. I'm using these stencils and marking with mechanical pencil. I'm using Lizbeth size 20 (100% Egyptian cotton) threads in a variety of colors. 

This is my slow stitching I'm slowly stitching a little bit each evening. 
Linking up with other stitchers this dreary Sunday for Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts. 


Now, did you know that a group of butterflies is called a kaleidoscope? 
I found that out last year.  

To celebrate butterflies (real or in fabric) and kaleidoscopes Ann of Fret Not Yourself and I host a monthly linky party.


I thought it was too early in the year to see butterflies around here but I saw a Silver-Spotted Skipper while I was out weeding the strawberry patch.   I knew it was a skipper but wasn't sure of the exact name. I identified it from pics in the gallery at the BAMONA (Butterflies and Moths of North America) site.    I hope to get the grandkids to help me take pics and catalog the butterflies we see this summer.