One Block Wonders

Aug 06

The technique presented does not require the precision of traditional quilting but instead gives the quilter freedom to create a quilt full of movement and color. First-time author Rosenthal gently leads the reader through the all-important process of choosing the appropriate fabric, cutting it, and designing the quilt on a homemade “fabric wall.”

Nov 06

This book is ideal for anyone who has already made a Kaleidoscope quilt and enjoyed the technique. All the quilts described are of large wall-hanging or lap-quilt size, but suggestions are given on making larger quilts, along with fabric requirements. The quilts need a main fabric and a background fabric. Maxine stumbled on her method when she wanted to make a quilt but didn’t have a background. She found that another fabric was not necessary to produce a lovely effect and, as a by-product, that less fabric was needed. The first chapters on choosing and preparing the fabric are so detailed and easy to understand that even someone who has never prepared fabric for a Kaleidoscope quilt would be able, with patience, to do so. All the instructions on cutting and sewing the blocks are clear, but some experience is essential, despite the finished effect being forgiving of minor mistakes. Every quilt is unique; the same blocks can be organised in a multitude of ways. An inspirational book – particularly for those who cannot resist buying large-print fabrics!

Maxine Rosenthal started quilting about fifteen years ago. She used to make clothing, but never anything as large or as time-consuming as a quilt. Maxine did many things before quilting. She had a career writing computer software, and even took a break from that to learn furniture refinishing, which she considered a walk through history. She was commissioned to make a quilt for the movie Grumpier Old Men, and still has a copy of the check from Warner Bros. But, like many, her appearance ended up on the cutting-room floor. Maxine started making kaleidoscope blocks with hexagons and octagons almost as soon as she began quilting. Maxine resides in Minnesota.