Kaleidoscope Resurgence

There is more than one UFO in my sewing room but thankfully as of last weekend there is now one fewer to count.   It's not completed yet, but it has been promoted from UFO to WIP.

Last Summer I joined the Kaleidoscope Quilt-A-Long on Don't Call Me Betsy's blog and promptly cut what seemed like a zillion pieces only to discover that I had printer issues with the templates and my zillion pieces did not fit together as they should (all my fault not the QAL's).  Determined not to abandon all hope, I rescaled a Kaleidoscope block paper piecing pattern to allow me to make use of my ready cut pieces.  Eh voila, one Kaleidoscope top.

Then, throw into the mix one surgery and long recuperation and sadly said top ended up neatly folded on a shelf awaiting her turn for attention after the Christmas pressie fest and subsequent retirement quilt, gift quilt and Bee Blessed activities that have been keeping me busy.  But, as of Saturday morning she has had to wait no more.

I picked up my quilting plan

which thankfully I had already decided on(am generally a bit useless at deciding how to quilt), loaded up some bobbins and got to work.

I'd love to tell you that all my lines are straight and that this was a breeze.  But I won't lie on either count.  This is the biggest quilt I've ever quilted and, even though it's not that big (approx 50" x 60") to some of you more experienced lovelies, I can honestly say that this one nearly beat me.  Not sure if the problem was just the size or if it was the design.  Manoeuvring this much quilt through the machine and switching the angle every 10" was almost overwhelming.  But sheer stubbornness and brute force finished this baby -

You can see the quilt design better on the reverse.   Not perfectly straight but not so awful really.

I need a rest (and new shoulders too) to regain the energy to bind this one, but she's nearly done. Woohoo!

And, for the record this quilt will be mine - mainly because I have always wanted a blue and white quilt, but also because although I enjoyed the Kaleidoscope quilt-a-long I will probably never feel inclined to make another full kaleidoscope again!