Fun with a Kaleidoscope

by FabricGreetings

Ever since I was a child, I have been enthralled with Kaleidoscopes. They always held me mesmerized for hours watching those patterns change and become something else. I never understood how a couple of mirror prisms and some sparkling items could produce such wonderful designs. I have amassed a collection of them since becoming an adult.

My Mother and Father gave me a beautiful brass one in a velvet case one year for Christmas. I have several wooden ones. My husband made me one for a gift. And I have a small cardboard one that belonged to our daughter when she was young. Some have an outer layer that you rotate while looking in that magical hole. Others need to be rotated entirely. They are still a fascination.

You can imagine my delight when I discovered a program called Kaleidoscope Kreator for the computer. It was developed to help quilters produce intricate designs on fabric. My husband was surprised when I called him to find out if my laptop computer would work with the program. It is not Mac compatible. Anyone who knows me knows that buying a computer program for me to use is not something that happens very often.
 
So home I came with my great fun program. He installed it for me and I have enjoyed it ever since. I am going to show you exactly what this can do. The picture that I started with is a picture of yellow tulips and blue sky.


Using this program is so simple. You simply select a shape you wish to use and slide the template over the image on the screen. When you have it where you want it, click save. There is a rather large thumbnail picture that shows up as you are positioning the template, so you can see what you are going to get.

Working with the tulip picture, I first used a diamond shaped template. The red on the tulip petal and the green stem are running down the center of the diamond template in this picture.

 
Next I tried a template that was squared off on the edges. I was able to turn the picture so that the stems came from the edges and you are really able to see that the design is of tulips.


 


The program also includes some very lacy designs which I think are quite beautiful. You will just have to look and see where the tulips and the stems are.


 


 

You can also tile a design and make an allover pattern. If you print this through your computer using one of the printable fabrics available, you have yourself an original fabric design to work with.