Like my Fractured quilts, it could be said of my Kaleidoscope quilts, “The fabric made me do it!” Read more here.
These quilts, each one, began with one fabric that, having first met a variety of specific criteria, so moved my fascination that I just “had to” kaleidoscope them. I hope you enjoy the results as much as I do.
Koi Uncorked (52.5″ x 60″)
Pieced, appliqued, and quilted by Sue Hickman Berryville, VA 4/2019
Koi means love in Japanese? How about that!
I also learned that in Japan, koi symbolizes many good qualities. Known to swim against the current and overcome great obstacles, koi symbolize strength, courage, patience, and success through perseverance. As koi can grow very large and live a long life, they have become a symbol of prosperity and good luck. Their slow, graceful movements also symbolize peace and tranquility.
That is what I’ve always found when beside a koi pond… peace and tranquility.
When I saw this fabric, I knew in an instant I wanted to kaleidoscope it and the result is just what I hoped.
Currently available for purchase. See Quilts and such Tab.
Kaleidoscoped Tree of Life (55″ x 40″)
Designed, pieced, embellished, and quilted by Sue Hickman Berryville, VA 5/2017
This piece began as a demonstration quilt for Quilting with Sue Kaleidoscope classes. Kaleidoscoped hexagon blocks made from a Chong-A Hwang fabric remained on my design board longer than I care to recall. When its time had come to be completed, I combined some of those hexagon blocks with the complementary Tree of Life panel expanding the tree’s design. Fussy cut unused hexagon blocks were appliqued to fill out the design and softened the edges of the panel. In my heart, this quilt’s journey had its ups and downs. I loved the hexagon blocks! I didn’t like how they alone came together. When I added them to the tree panel, it just felt right. Curving the lower corners and using two fabrics in the binding were the perfect way to finish this quilt. Now it ranks among my favorites.
Currently available for purchase. See Quilts and such Tab.
True Blue at Heart (53″ x 61″)
Pieced, appliqued, and quilted by Sue Hickman Berryville, Va 2/2014
I was inspired to create this quilt by the Quilter’s Unlimited 2014 quilt show theme, “True Blue”.
By definition, True Blue is: conservative, staunchly loyal, reliable, genuine, constant, and authentic.
No fabric is more “true blue” than South Africa’s Da Gama Textile Company’s “3 Leopards” indigo fabric. It has long been the reliable standard for True Blue textiles and it was the “one fabric” that was the starting point for this quilt.
True Colors International says of “True Blue” that it can soothe the central nervous system and foster psychological contentment and physical tranquility. “True Blue” as a figure of speech takes on the meaning of friendship, helpers, “there when you need them” individuals who will go the extra mile for others.
I found the making of this quilt to be challenging. because authentic indigo fabric comes stiffly starched, it has to be washed before cutting to make it workable. Since sizing in fabric is generally helpful when cutting the 6 exact triangle shapes that make up each hexagon block, ‘kaleidoscoping’ the washed, soft indigo fabric was more difficult than ‘kaleidoscoping’ the white/blue background fabric that was not pre-washed.
A ribbon was added as a design element and red was chosen as its color to bring forth a sense of True Blue patriotism showcasing our Nation’s colors: red, white, and blue.
This quilt appropriately represents this quilt maker and reflects my own big, true blue heart.
Pops of Paradise – a One Block Wonder (56.5″ x 51.25″)
A One Block Wonder featuring Bird of Paradise and Plumeria Blooms
Pieced and Quilted by Sue Hickman Berryville, Va 11/2011
Currently available for purchase. See Quilts and such Tab.
Born to Fish II – Bug Slinger – A New England Keepsake
A One Block Wonder
Pieced by Sue Hickman Berryville, Va 7/2010
Owned by Fly Fisherman, Andrew Gauldin
Kootenay Gold
A One Block Wonder pieced by Sue Hickman, January 2010 – Queen-sized
Kootenay Gold began as a fabric Sue found while on vacation near the Kootenay National Park in the Canadian Rockies. This was Sue’s fourth “One Block Wonder” kaleidoscope technique quilt. Each 60° triangle cut and hexagon block pieced found its way into this finished piece perfectly sized to grace the top of her queen-sized bed. Borders on three sides create the drop for the sides and foot of the bed, but do not take focus away from the blocks pieced from this beautiful fabric.
This quilt also was displayed at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XXI in Hampton, VA in February 2010. This is both a juried and judged show.
Artist’s Private Collection
Born to Fish! A One Block Wonder
Pieced by Sue Hickman Berryville, Va
Owned by Fly Fisherman, Andrew Gauldin
Hiding in Plain Sight (59″ x 34.25″)
A One Block Wonder Kaleidoscope Quilt
Pieced by Sue Hickman Berryville, Va 10/2009
Pieces of Sue’s “Hiding in Plain Sight” quilt began as a “hand’s on” way to teach the ‘One Block Wonder’ kaleidoscope techniques in the spring of 2009 to the Shenandoah Piecemakers club. In the class, participants worked with stacks of 60° triangles that went into the hexagon portion of this quilt. After the class, Sue bought two more ‘repeats’ of the fabric to see what it would look like when isosceles triangles of this fabric were made into octagon blocks. The name, “Hiding in Plain Sight” refers to the many zebras in the original fabric that, like zebras in the wild, use their stripes as camouflage.
This quilt also was displayed at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XXI in Hampton, VA in February 2010. This is both a juried and judged show.
This quilt showed at the 2011 Northern Shenandoah Valley Quilt Show, held in Berryville, Va.
This quilt was one of the quilts showcased in a Solo-Artist “Art in the Halls” show at The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA from October 18th, 2016 through January 22nd, 2017.
Artist’s Private Collection
Kaleidoscope Wave (44″ x 61″) A One Block Wonder
Pieced by Sue Hickman Berryville, Va Spring 2009
Blank note cards featuring this quilt are currently available for purchase in sets of four (4) for $12.00 by emailing Sue@Studio2724.com .
Artist’s Private Collection
I am fascinated by the unlimited design options when using matching equilateral triangles of printed fabric. This quilt owes its origin to a blue and purple lilac covered fabric. The occasional light green leaf also adds interest. Each set of 6 matching triangles make up the hexagon blocks, but it is the layout of these blocks that created this Kaleidoscope Wave. Whimsy added the partial lime green border and the blocks falling out of the design.
This quilt showed at the 2011 Northern Shenandoah Valley Quilt Show, held in Berryville, Va.