Kaleidoscope Quilt: More Fabric

For the past few months I've been work hard on the quilt I first started at a class I took in September. I have decided I am going to arrange the blocks on the diagonal with lattice work in between the blocks.

On Friday I went shopping for fabric to make the latticework. I found a beautiful green fabric to use at Material Girls in Silverdale. I also stopped at one of my favorite stores: Rochelle's Fine Fabrics in Port Orchard. They had the perfect stripped fabric to use as the border. I bought enough for the quilt back as well. However, I think I may change my mind and save it for a future project.

Quilting Class & A New Tool

Last Saturday I took a quilting class @ Fabric Crush in Seattle. The Class was on how to make kaleidoscope quilts.

The class was excellent! There was just me and one other student so we had lots of space and hands on help from the instructor, who was very kind.

I am so inspired to finish the quilt I started. Even though it is my third quilt, I have a feeling it will be the first one I finish.

These are the blocks I've cut so far.

While we were at the store, we had the opportunity to make use of their Design Wall (by Fons & Porter). It is a felt sheet 60in wide x 72 inches long with grommets along the top to make it easy to hang. The felt is backed with Vinyl that has a 2 inch grid pattern on it to help you place your fabric.

This tool made it really quick & easy to play with orientation of fabrics to decide on the best kaleidoscope for each block. I had planned to hang up a sheet at home as a design wall & use pins to keep the fabric in place. I'm so glad I found this instead. No pins needed! I bought one at the store & put up in my craft area yesterday.

First Step

I am starting a new queen sized quilt. This will be my first machine sewn quilt. This is the fabric I picked out:

I spent this morning washing, drying & ironing it all so I can get started. I can't wait!

My First Sewing Machine

Yesterday I bought this sewing machine. It's a Pfaff Creative 1471 circa 1986.



I spent today playing around with it and finishing a project I was doing by hand. Then the creative juices started flowing and I designed & planned a new quilt. I'll go buy the fabric tomorrow. I was so enthralled I accidentally skipped my run, but I did my pilates video instead.

The dealer I bought the machine from gives free classes for as long as I own the machine. My first class is next Wednesday and I can't wait! I plan to have read the entire manual by then so I can ask specific questions, especially for my new project. Hopefully the single-stitch throat plate I ordered will be in too.