How to Create a Kaleidoscope Quilt

Figure B

1. Cut a small right triangle at the end of each strip.

2. Sew all of the strip sets together to produce a parallelogram.

Figure C

3. Pin and sew the bottom strip of the parallelogram to the top strip, forming it into a tube. Ease in enough flatness to work as you make your way around the tube.

Figure E

4. Fold the tube flat. Align the bottom of a 6" x 24" ruler along the fold of the tube and the 45-degree line of the ruler along one of the seams. Trim a scant edge off of the tube using a rotary cutter and cut through both layers of the tube. Accurately cut continuous-strips through both layers of the tube.

Figure G

5. Line up pairs of continuous strips. To make one pattern rotate the right strip up. To make another pattern, rotate the right strip down.

Figure H

6. Pin and sew all of the continuous strips together into pairs. Iron all of the seams open. Sew all of the pairs together until the desired width is achieved.

7. Cut across the tube at a right angle using scissors to cut through one layer of the tube.

Mirror Image Diamond Patterns
[Detailed instructions for the "Lightning" quilt are provided in the book Totally Tubular Quilts.]

Figure B

1. Prepare your strips for a mirror image diamond tube by cutting a small right triangle off of the end of half of the strips and a small right triangle going in the opposite direction off the end of the other half of the strips.

2. Sew the strips into two mirror image sets.

Figure C

3. Sew these sets into two mirror image tubes. Accurately cut continuous-strips from the tubes.

Figure E

4. Sew one continuous-strip to a mirror image opposite. Sew all of the strips together this way into pairs.

5. Rotate and experiment with pairs of continuous-strips. Sew groupings of pairs together etc. until all of the strips are sewn together.

Figure G

6. Mark the dots and connect with a drawn line. Cut on this line through only one layer of the pattern tube.

Figure H

7. Mark the dots and cut apart the lightning bolts. Join these together to create longer lightning bolts. Cut the lightning bolts apart to create additional patterns.

Figure A

Borders
These same patterns are easily adapted to make row quilts or borders.

1. Using a tube made in the Rainbow pattern. Mark the dots. Connect the dots and cut the tubes apart to join back together for a border.

Figure C

2. Make variations of borders from the same continuous strips. Use a tube made in the Rainbow 2 pattern. Mark the dots. Connect the dots and cut the tubes apart to join back together for a border.