The Ugly Duckling Turns into a Swan

This weekend, Ruth taught a class on Kaleidoscope quilts. She went to the sale room looking for a print with large repeats in a distinct pattern.

This lovely, but somehow ugly, print jumped out at Ruth. To test how it performs in a Kaleidoscope, She did the mirror test, by using the Magic Mirrors by Marti Michelle.

You won't believe the images. By sliding the mirrors around on the fabric at different angles, or the angle from her pattern, she can tell if the pattern will work with the Kaleidoscope technique.

And now for the results:

The more distinct the fabric, the more different blocks you can make. Next time you are fabric shopping, keep your eye open for fabrics that may not be the prettiest, but which would bloom in a Kaleidoscope quilt.