Kaleidoscope – a colorful string quilt
Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments and creative name suggestions! I think Kerri was the first person to mention kaleidoscope, and I thought it was perfect as soon as I heard the suggestion. It seems as though many others had the same thought as well – I should count how many actually! – there were many suggestions of the same. So thank you all, and thank you Kerri and everyone else who said kaleidoscope – I think it’s perfectly fitting for this quilt!
[Help! This quilt needs a name! I've put off posting about it because I couldn't come up with anything, but really we have no ideas aside from the obvious, which I guess makes us not so very creative... I'll post it anyway, with this boring title, but perhaps someone will have a great suggestion and I can change the title and pretend I thought of it... I mean, change the title and give that person all the credit...]
While I really love a quilt with a lot of white, I love love love this quilt with very little white. It’s so bright and colorful, and it contains so many of my favorite fabrics (many that I’ve been hoarding ahem, saving, for some time!)
You’ll remember that I opted to paper piece these blocks (you don’t have to, I just happen to like it). I figured ripping the paper off the blocks would be the most tedious part of this quilt… soooo, I invited my brother Ryan over one night and then put a stack of the paper-backed blocks in front of him. I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist. (Thank you!)
It’s quilted in a random meandering with cream colored thread and measures 48″x 70″.
For the back I used a solid aqua fabric (Amy Butler, I believe…I don’t think I had tried any of her solids, but they’re quite nice!).
It’s the first time for a solid colored fabric for a backing, but I think this quilt called for it. And I’m on a stripe kick so there had to be stripes on the back…
Fun, don’t you think?
(Oh, and Amy, I took your advice and opted against the white binding… while I think I would have liked the look, I’m sure I wouldn’t have liked it when it was showing signs of dirt!)
And, in case you’re looking, I did up a tutorial for these blocks, which you can find here.
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a summer blouse turned bathing suit cover-up
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a string quilt block tutorial – paper pieced method
112 Responses to Kaleidoscope – a colorful string quilt
You’re not getting rid of this are you? It’s sooo pretty and happenin’! How about this for a name? You have to say it with a little ooomph! “SNAP”
Like— ‘S aaaaaa NAP’
I love the quilt. The colors are GREAT! It reminds me of one of those photo mosaics only the strips look like ribbons, so how about something like Ribbon Montage or Strippy Mosaic—or a combination of the two-Ribbon Mosaic!
so so so so so so pretty. i could look at this all day.
Luv it! It is bright and happy. What’s not to luv? Well done!
I think I’d call it “All Strung Out”… It’s amazing… just like they always are!
I’m not sure how helpful this is for naming it, but when I saw it, the colors reminded me of tropical fruit Lifesavers!
Named or not, it is beautiful!
lovely!!! let’s see…how about showcase strings?
so stunning, quilt envy
The colors are so pretty! They remind me of candy or Fruit Stripe gum or Chicklets–sorry, child of the ’60s here. The other thing that comes to mind is the line from the song “Favorite Things,” but as in “These are a few of my favorite strings…” Anyway, that was probably not helpful, but I really love your string quilt!
Sorry – no idea about the name but WOW what an amazing quilt! Beautiful!
Love how the quilt turned out and the back is great too!
How about “Heart Strings” , Since it is full of your(and mine too!) favorite fabrics ? The subtle touch of white is beautiful.
You never cease to amaze me with all the gorgeous quilts you crank out!
“Fish in the Water”
because …
The bright striped squares remind me of tropical fish and coral and ocean life and the blue striped backing acts as the water/sand/waves. And being that you live in Vermont (compared to me in North Dakota) that’s really close to the ocean.
So … “Fish in the Water” is my name for it.
Beautiful by the way – I love it!
Ha, I see Paulette beat me to Fruit Stripe!
I just want to say that string quilts usually don’t make me drool. I appreciate the work that goes into them, like I do for any quilt, and I respect the frugality that drives some of them, like the ones that are made all from scraps. But love them? Not usually.
Yours? LOVE. Ferociously.
I keep looking at it trying to figure out what makes this one different for me. It might be the tiny lattice of white between the blocks — really gives it a sense of order without diminishing the sense of fun.
Love! Thanks for sharing it.
I would agree on the comment about the tiny lattice of white between the blocks. I would like to know how that is done…where the place the white strip and how wide a strip you used? Thank you for your help!
If you could respond to me by e mail I would be delighted!!
How ’bout “All of My Favorite Things” because it contains (or CAN contain) bits and pieces of whatever fabrics are on your “favorites” list at the time you are making it!
No matter what you name it…it is BEAUTIFUL!!
This quilt is AMAZING!!! I LOVE it! It is perfect in every way. It looks like a broken mirror to me, reflecting something very colorful.
I could look at it all day!!! How do you sew so quickly? It seems you make a new one every day???? I’m flipping out here, lady!!!!
how about “Stringing into Spring” ?
it’s gorgeous! love how colorful it is!
How about perceptions of depth. To me it looks like the middle of the squares just get deeper and deeper and you could just be drawn in to them. I love it, you did a great job!
Oh I love it. I think paper piecing isn’t all that bad…especially when you have a helper! The quilt looks great!
I love the quilt! I love that little strip of white that is between the blocks. That back is fabulous, too. I LOVE Amy Butler solids. They are so soft.
WOW, another amazing quilt Ashley! Love all the favorite fabrics in there. How about Fiesta of Strings (Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner!)? Looking forward to your next project!
I don’t name my quilts and seem to just calle them…’The zig zaggy one’…or ‘Our bedroom one’ so have no suggestions. Your first pic of this has inspried me to make a string quilt. So far 4 blocks down, 96 to go!!! Hope mine turns out as beautiful as yours!
Gorgeous! And I love the way you did the back too.
Beautiful and very cheery!! I
comment string beautiful favorite colorful
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