KALEDISCOPE ADVICE - from those who have done this pattern.

[Margo]

I do not know what I have been doing wrong but my center looks off and no amount of restitching is going to work... (Plan to applique over it before I sew the center.) My wedge was smaller than fabric when I sewed it together and nothing seems to line up along the EDGE OF THE WEDGE... When I sewed everything together the wedges seemed about 1/4 to 1/2 inch off allignement.... everything seems a little off... still beautiful but off.

Any ideas what I did wrong?
I plan to do this pattern again.... so I would like to avoid future problems.

Thanks for any input.

Lady Rags

[Margo]

Check at all levels for accuracy, begining with your drawn pattern. Were you consistant with your added 1/4 inch seam allowance and was it added every time to all sides of the template? Did you trim each finished wedge to match one of the remaining wedges from your pattern plus that 1/4 inch on both sides? Are you being careful to cut each repeat at the exact same angle on the strata?
Were your strata straight the entire length? Is your sewn seam allowance proper for the amount you added? Might be too wide or too narrow.If all else fails pray to the quilt gods for patience. Good luck, Enjoy. Betty Ann

[Qlts2Slo]

There's a tip on the dvd about how to correctly line up two angular pieces when sewing the individual segments together. Remember that angular pieces won't line up exactly evenly along their edges but will be slightly offset creating a little dog ear that hangs off one end or the other. I personally had trouble with some of my pieces and when I'd open them up the edge of the wedge was not straight and I'd have to take out the seam, shift the pieces a little, and try again. Guess I'm not very good at visualizing the quarter inch overlap - on certain pairings I re-did them several times. I ended up sticking the templates back in place and marking all the corners with a little dot. Then when I put the pieces together I could match the dots and get them to line up properly. I bet your quilt is really beautiful! You can name it something like "Shattered Kaleidoscope" or "Monday Morning Kaleidoscope". Qlts2Slo

[Qlts2Slo]

I had trouble with this one too but not until I had it all sewn together. I ended up with a big tent in the middle and have no idea how to fix it. There is far too much fabric there to make it work and if I pull it apart and sew it back together it won't line up like it should. Any ideas on how I can fix this? It is absolutely beautiful and I'd love to finish it and hang it up.

[Qlts2Slo]

FYI

I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOG IN FOR THE FORUM FROM MY HOME SINCE THEY SWITCHED TO THE NEW FORUM. I can only sign in from work. Bob/ tech support is working on it.

I will be slow to respond to post but I am able to read them.
Hopefully this will change in the future but as of now I will follow in silence.

I do have pictures of my KK in progress in the profile section. I can post there... it is only the forum I am blocked from.

Thank s



:cry: :cry: :cry:
LADY RAGS

[Qlts2Slo]

I am going to use my favorite FIX IT METHOD... to any areas I do not like.... I WILL APPLIQUE THE HECK OVER MISTAKES.

MORE PHOTOS TO BE POSTED.

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[Qlts2Slo]

If there is too much fabric you effectively need darts to reduce it. I would try taking out the last seam you stitched in the problem area. Hopefully this has separated the centre of the quilt into two halves. I would now resew each of the seams in each half, starting in the seam allowance outside of the tricky part and slowly angling the seam to have a larger seam allowance. I'd aim to start by taking maybe 1/16" or if it's really bad maybe 1/8" on each one. This will remove a lot of fabric but gently so it shouldn't show. Once the seams in each half have been adjusted, press well and try lying the quilt flat. If it's still a tent repeat the process. Be gentle at each step as the pieces are bias edges and easy to stretch.

Once you have it to a point you think it will lie flat resew the centre seam (remember you may need to taper that to take more fabric at the centre too to make things look right).

Ferret

[Qlts2Slo]

Thank you so much! That really sounds like it will work! I appreciate your help Ferret! I'll let you know how it works out.

Chris

[Qlts2Slo]

posted pictures in my profile

More will be posted soon


I also post in my off TQS blog. site

http://nonniequiltingdreams.wordpress.com/

[mkdquilts]

At the Ricky Tims Seminar this weekend, he really did stress about lining up the angular pieces so that there was 1/4" "dog ears." He also laughed and said that it was okay to have a button in the middle if everything didn't line up just right.

[mkdquilts]

WOW... I JUST GOT TO SIGN IN!!! YIPPEE... THE SITE HAS BEEN BLOCKING ME FOR DAYS. I HOPE THIS WORKS CAUSE I LOGGED IN VIA MY EMAIL.

Only one wedge was about 1/4 inch to 1-/2 inch off the rest lined up beatifully. Not only that it is off in only one spot and in the center. I do not know how I screwed up but I have a fix in mind.... I am just researching.

I have some of the C&T fusible qpplique paper that BETH FERRIER uses so I am going to make applique over the section I dislike. Alex showed how to do it in one of the 500 series shows... I AM GOING TO GIVE IT A TRY. This will also correct a color flaw.... I had wanted a limey green section but it got cut out by the way I angled the strada. The center is way off too. So I am going to applique a new center to fix the mistakes. I will post pictures of my mistakes and how I am correcting them on the blog in the week to come.


I think RICKY HAS UNLEASHED A MONSTER. I have an idea of how to play with the wedges to seperate them with long radiating spokes coming from the center. I now have to make a second KALIDESCOPE to see it it will work.

'''''''''~
More PIctures and comments will be posted in my blog in the coming weeks.

http://nonniequiltingdreams.wordpress.com/


WHEN LIFE GIVE YOU LEMONS.... MAKE LEMONADE... OR A LEMON PIE... I LIKE PIE BETTER.

LADY RAGS

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[mkdquilts]

this is a test, only a test of the picture posting capablities



THIS NEW FEATURE ...... IS SO COOL!!!! AND EASIER THEN MOST OF THE PLACES i HAVE POSTED PICTURES TOO!

[SueinNH]

Anna,

The quilt is really coming together. Love the colors !!!

[SueinNH]

Well my KK is finished at least as much as I am going to do on it. I was going to add more applique over areas I did not like and were anywhere from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch off. My daughter said she liked it as is so instead I am going to make a whole new project and just accept the endearing flaws this one has. My mistakes all go to the original drafting of the pattern and to the fact I do not have a design wall. If I had had a design wall it would have been easier to prevent switching of pattern pieces and getting myself confused. I also think I might have used the center wedge pattern then switched to a left hand wedge. I did not think it would make a difference but I think it dod.

I am posting pictures of the middle of the medallion and pictures of my SO CALLED FIX. MY daughter likes it so I guess it is okay Anyways it is off to the quilters after the holiday.

[SueinNH]