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Start Kaleidoscope Kreator and click on the Open Image button in the toolbar to open one of the hand embroidery digital images on the CD. Click on the Select Kaleidoscope Shape button in the toolbar to open a window containing a variety of template shapes. Double-click one of the octagon template shapes to select (either QP08B (08) or QP08B (16) from the add-on Quilters’ Polygons Template Pack). Move the photo around in the workspace and watch the kaleidoscope preview window in the upper right corner of the screen. Click on the Preview button if you want to see a full-screen preview of the kaleidoscope. Tip: Since the final kaleidoscope design will be fairly small in these mini art quilts, you don’t want too much small detail in the kaleidoscope design; large patterns work better for this smaller format.
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Use the Select Background Color button in the toolbar to select a background color that matches the kaleidoscope design. This is the color that will be used to create the Print Margin (below). Once you have a kaleidoscope design and background color that you like, we recommend you save the workspace so you can re-create your kaleidoscope if necessary. Select File>Save Workspace from the menu bar. Enter a filename and click Save. (The file will be saved with a KKF extension, which is only readable by Kaleidoscope Kreator.)
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Put the sheet of inkjet fabric in your printer and click on the Print Kaleidoscope button in the toolbar. Specify a size of 4”, check Print Margins and specify a 0.25” print margin, then uncheck Center Kaleidoscope on Page and click OK. In the next dialog box, set the printer settings according to the inkjet fabric manufacturer’s instructions and print.
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(Optional) If you want to make a second card, repeat steps 1-3 and put the inkjet fabric sheet through the printer in the opposite direction to print two kaleidoscopes on one sheet of fabric.
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Before closing Kaleidoscope Kreator, print another kaleidoscope on plain paper to use as a template. Click on the Select Background Color in the toolbar and choose a light color. It doesn’t need to coordinate with the kaleidoscope design; it just needs to show up when printed on paper. (A light color uses less ink; that’s the reason for using a light color.) Click OK. Put a sheet of plain paper in the printer, and then click on the Print Kaleidoscope button in the toolbar. Specify a size of 3.75”, check Print Margins and specify a 0.875” print margin and click OK. What you should see printed is a 5.5” lightly colored square with a 3.75” octagon kaleidoscope centered in the square. Trim the white paper away from the lightly colored square so that you have a 5.5” square of paper with the kaleidoscope centered in the surrounding “background color”. Set aside.
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Make one other template (using the same kaleidoscope design) by clicking on the Print Kaleidoscope button and specifying a size of 3.75”. This time uncheck Print Margins and click OK. You should see a 3.75” octagon kaleidoscope with the corners filled in with the same background color to create a square. Again, trim the white paper away from the square so that you have a 3.75” square of paper with the kaleidoscope. Set aside.
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Remove paper backing from the printed inkjet fabric and trim kaleidoscope designs to remove excess fabric. Don’t trim away the ¼” print margin! There is no need to rinse the fabric to set the ink, however I recommend that you use a dry iron in the next step to ensure that it doesn’t “spit” on your inkjet fabric and cause possible spotting.
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Stack the two squares of batting on top of one another. Line up the template that you made in Step 6 (the 3.75” square) on top of the batting. Using the shape of the octagon kaleidoscope as a template, use a rotary cutter to trim away the corners of the batting into an octagon shape.
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Place the octagon of kaleidoscope fabric face down on your ironing board. Line up and center the two octagons of fusible batting on top, then place 5” square of muslin or scrap fabric on top of batting. Fuse with dry iron. Turn over if necessary to press from the other side. Don’t press too hard – you don’t want to remove the loft from the batting! Also, don’t worry if the kaleidoscope square isn’t perfectly centered on the muslin – that part will be hidden in the final card.
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Bring this mini “quilt sandwich” to the sewing machine and sew along the outer edge of the kaleidoscope design right next to the batting with coordinating rayon thread to secure all of the layers. (Hint: Using a zipper foot makes this task easier.)
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Look at the kaleidoscope design and determine what lines in the design would make a good quilting pattern. You want the lines to be fairly sparse to enhance the design rather than overpower it. (Too much quilting will flatten the loft of the double layer of batting.) Use a free-motion foot and quilt with coordinating rayon thread. Pull all thread ends to the back and tie off to secure. Trim the excess fabric around the octagon shape to about 1/4-3/8”.
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Arrange the hot fix crystals on the quilted kaleidoscope design as desired and apply with hot fix applicator or mini iron.
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Stack the two 5 ½” squares of cardstock (only one if you don’t want a “double mat” appearance). Adhere together with removable adhesive. Apply the removable adhesive to the back of the 5 ½” template that you made in Step 5. Line up with the cardstock squares and adhere on top.
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Using the straight edge and craft knife, cut through both squares of cardstock at once following the outline of the kaleidoscope octagon shape on the template. If you want the look of a double-mat, mark the top of each cardstock square (now with an octagon-shaped hole) on the back, then separate them. Trim a sliver from around the hole of the top 5 ½” square using the craft knife and straight edge. Remove the template (and any residual temporary adhesive) from the top piece of cardstock. Then adhere the top mat to the bottom one using red liner tape and lining up the top sides (based on the marks you made on the back of the cardstock).
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Apply red liner tape on the back side of the mats around the inside edge. Also apply the tape around the outside edge, but remember that you will be cutting off the corners of the square card to make it an octagon, so apply the tape accordingly. Place the quilted kaleidoscope face up on work table. Remove the backing from the tape around the edge of the hole. Position the cardstock frame tape side down over the quilted kaleidoscope and press firmly to adhere. Turn over and cut away any threads or fabric that may be hanging over the outside edge and/or corners.
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Fold the 5 ½” x 11” piece of cardstock in half to make card base. Remove red liner tape from the outside edge of the matted kaleidoscope design. Center and adhere to front of card base.
Use a quilting ruler to measure the width of the frame (and remember the measurement). Then line up the 45 degree angle mark on the ruler with the top edge of the card and then position so that the angled portion of the frame is the same width as the top and sides. Use rotary cutter to cut off the corner of the cardstock (four layers). Do the same for the other three corners to end up with an octagon-shaped mini art quilt (which can double as a card.)
