Poinsettia Millefiori Quilt - Michael Miller Fabrics' Making it Fun #91

So many names, yet one easy way to make this super fun and free quilt from just one fabric. Join Rob Appell as he simplifies the steps to making this "Stack and Whack" or "Kaleidoscope" or "One Block Wonder" project using simple triangles.
Books and Authors:
Kaleidoscopes and Quilts by Paula Nedalstern - C&T Publishing 1996
Magic Stack and Whack Quilts by Bethany Renyolds - AQS Publishing 1998
One-Block Wonders by Maxine Rosenthal - C&T Publishing 2006
FREE PATTERN LINK - www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/...
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[@dianaevans7785]

I was taught to sew the first half of the hexie together, pull the sewn unit until you have 5 or so inches of thread from the machine, and then sew the other three pieces. You will then have the halves joined by the long thread to keep them matched together.

[@patriciawallace7404]

Rob, am just finding your amazing tutorial! I took classes while on an Asian cruise taught by Paula Naidlestern. She has designed fabrics and has museum pieces using this technique with her fabrics.

[@melanezoe]

I’ve made six of these, and they are all very different. I’ve taught it as a class. I’ve digitized quilting patterns for it. Always thrilled to see it presented by another popular maker (and especially with your energy, Rob)-thanks.

[@toddhudson4550]

Rob, I made a similar quilt several years ago.. After I had my six layers stacked and before I started cutting strips and triangles, I ran a line of machine basting about every 3 inches. This line would be parallel to the strips you are cutting. This keeps your sets of six triangles together until you are ready to sew the block. I think this may have been in the instructions I was following at the time, so I can't take credit as originator of this idea.

[@marshaholly9891]

I stick a pin through pattern , All layers. Have done many whack quilts. With hexies, they are finally sewed in "strip sets" after deciding the placement. Octagones are easier . Love them

[@sunflowergirl5141]

I'm speachless!👀 This is MAGNIFICENT!💚🌺🖤

[@marshagoolsbee389]

I used to teach a Stack n Whack class and you make it so much easier!!

[@chrisfranz197]

Hello Rob, Thank you for your tutorial. That quilt is awesome! I really appreciate the art lesson in which you described how light and dark play a huge role in the quilt. I hadn’t realized that it is quite literally art that I had been creating when designing similar quilts. Keep up the good work!

[@agaomen3024]

Wytłumaczone w sposób naprawdę przystępny. Piękny wzór wyszedł 👍

[@johnhughes4100]

Love love love that poinsettia fabric.

[@memere4137]

Love you tutorials. You’re so entertaining and very creative. You put the fun in quilting…..thank you from Innisfil Ontario Canada 🇨🇦

[@lindadavis8082]

This is the best tutorial ever! Beautiful work ,Rob! LindaD

[@mrs.rabbit621]

…could baste the two units instead of pin. Love, love, love this video!! Rob, feel the love! Thank you for this video! There are so many nuggets of knowledge and opportunities for skill advancement with this particular design. This video, I will watch several times! Thank you for your efforts and thank you for making our quilting journeys smoother!!!! ❤️ 🙏 💕

[@AbbyNN8]

As far as I know you are correct with the original publisher being Bethany Reynolds. Her 1st book came out in 1998. Maxine Rosenthal's 1st One Block Wonder book came out in 2006. Same technique just different ways to construct the final quilt top. Stack-N-Whack always has sashing or something between the blocks. One Block Wonder always has the blocks touching. This is by far my favorite way to make quilts! It is addictive! Each block and fabric is sooooo different. Even if 2 people start with the same fabric their quilts look sooooo different!

[@floralheart]

The Kaleidoscope quilt technique was created in 1987 by the New Yorker artist called Paula Nadelstern when she released two books.

[@ibbyd7874]

I watched the Donna Jordan video (you mentioned) this morning while looking for this quilt patern. I may be a few years late, but twice in one day? Loved this video. ❤ That repeat tip is so clever.

[@dianawright8334]

What a gorgeous red beauty Rob, thanks I ❤️ it!

[@Silly_Goose68]

I don't quilt but your energy made me watch your video.

[@MsChris23456]

Your demonstration is so much easier than the pin into six fabrucs i was taught. I might have made more had i seen your demo so very long ago. Thank you for simplifying this lovely design for us. Yay Rob and.of course Michael fabrcs

[@ettalanuti7926]

Being facetious here.... SURE..just one more project I just HAVE to do!......thanks! Actually, my daughter wants a wall hanging...how perfect! Thank you!

[@edbalko3082]

YOUNG MAN YOU ARE ONE AMAZING BRILLIANT COOL TALENTED DUDE…I was lucky enough to see You in person and what You were demonstrating blew my mind… Mrs.Carmen Balko

[@makingitfunwithmichaelmill8161]

Really appreciate your kind words! Thanks for the support, it is what keeps me going!

[@xglsc6465]

that is a STUNNING quilt!!!!!!!!!!

[@sandramyer7081]

I started about 15 years ago with One Wonder and i learned what you are teaching now- i love with you do so I can remember again! Thank you, Robb

[@lovieball552]

One additional thing. Each set of triangle pieces, can be turned 3 different way. Giving you 3 choices for what the heck will look like.

[@toddhudson4550]

Lovie, You are correct. I made one of these quilts and did just that. You do have to be careful when doing this because you can end up with sewing bias against straight grain.

[@Stoffmonster467]

@@toddhudson4550 starch it before😉

[@angelikaimnaehglueck]

@@toddhudson4550 I use used cloth and nearly all is bias.

[@elainepersons9662]

Finding the repeat using the selvedge is a game changer! Not only in this application, but for when I am trying to piece longer borders. Beautiful fabric.....another one for my bucket list.

[@lindaschenk1814]

Love this design! I have done stack n whacks for a long time!

[@kimwalders8781]

Wow amazing , love the fabric ! Thanks

[@dianareddell1496]

That’s just gorgeous!! Thanks, Rob!

[@christinecorbello7419]

This looks like so much fun! Can't wait to make one!!!

[@conqueringmountscrapmorewi2509]

Such a beautiful quilt! Thanks for sharing!

[@galadriel4101]

Great video. Ten years ago I tried making a kaleidoscope block. I bought two table runner kits five blocks each. I had know idea how to put them together. Needless to say they didn't turn out . I still have the second kit. I never could just throw it out. This gives me hope that I'll be able to complete it now.

[@georgiamccroy6527]

Fantastic video demonstration of aligning the fabrics and cutting. Thanks Rob!

[@yvonnejh-gottamakestuff]

Gorgeous poinsettia fabric = gorgeous kaleidoscope quilt! 💖

[@elainesnyder8210]

Beautiful project love the tecnique.

[@theresaheiser6408]

Thanks Rob, red is my favorite color and I have been to nervous to try a kaleidoscope pattern. I like how you explained at the end of the program on using the colors to blend here and there, which gave it more of a kaleidoscope feel. 🙂

[@grammysharon66]

Beautiful choice of fabric for demonstrating this technique!!! Love it!!!!❤️🇺🇸

[@kendranewton9071]

Love this design, thank you for your easy, simple explanation.

[@dianagrant9479]

Hey Rob, happy 4th of July & Merry Christmas. This is such an amazing project.

[@paulinem8694]

Fantastic tips! I'm new to patchworking and quilting, so this tutorial is so inspiring!

[@DS-mp8gg]

Love your kaleidoscope quilt! It is beautiful!! Thank you for your rockin’ fun!!

[@Ladywire19]

Buying fabric can be difficult, but once you find a fabric... you can use a mirror with 2 hinges to see how it will look as a hexagon. You can run the mirror over your fabric. Once you find the distance of the repeat from 18 to 24 inches, then you can just purchase those repeat lengths, at least 6. If your fabric repeat is 24 and you need 6 repeats, that is only 4 yards of material. Maxine Rosenthal was the author for One Block Wonder.

[@thomashawks4832]

Micheal Miller stack and whack

[@thomashawks4832]

Stack and whack design

[@heddita1]

I always thought it was more difficult but you make it look so easy. Thank you so much for for this wonderful presentation. I simply love it.❤️❤️❤️

[@paulaneary7877]

ROB! Great video! GREAT tutorial, I am definitely going to try this. Loved the tips on finding the repeat pattern and of course the quilt is gorgeous! THANKS!

[@virginia7191]

Love this quilt! The “Stack and Whack “ was the first quilt I learned to make in a class from my local quilt shop. We did it in large octagons and mounted each on a square of fabric with sashing that coordinated with the octagons. Can’t wait to try your version! .

[@SewPerky]

This is above my pay grade...lol! But maybe one day...... *whistfully imagining*

[@ChristineKrannich]

Thanks, Rob! This is almost perfect timing for me. I’ve been wanting to make placemats with kaleidoscopes as the base.

[@mary-ruthflores4107]

Well done, I’ve done 5 stack-n-whacks, now I’m going to do the one block wonder. Thanks for demystifying it!

[@angieodonoghue9626]

I am a garden designer and when I design I feel ut should be like a symphony with crescendos and rest periods in the landscape. I never thought to do that in a quilt but that is exactly what you did!! So cool and thank you for showing me that what I love to do with living plants can be transfered to fabrics 😃

[@AbbyNN8]

Heavy starch is your friend! It can help keep the bias edges from wanting to stretch with handling.

[@notesfromleisa-land]

STS method. Starch the s**** fill in the last to suit your sensibilities and refinement

[@joanneferec3851]

This is, by far, the nicest quilt I've ever seen. Well done Rob!

[@marilynlautner2454]

You fascinate me with all this fun!

[@jackietucker8942]

Great tip on using the numbers in the selvage! I may revisit the pattern.

[@jenihansen7201]

THIS FABRIC IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL I HAVE EVER SEEN

[@daisy8297]

VERY caffeinated host! Great quilt though🤗

[@valeriesuttonpayne7413]

It’s been a rough first day of 2023. Thanks, Rob, for always encouraging and inspiring. Happy New Year to you and your family.

[@lindawhitver4740]

Thank you!!! I have made two of these and did not understand what I was doing. Now I get it!!! Awesome! Thank you!!!!!!

[@maggiewatte7911]

Your explanation helped me tremendously. Thank you!

[@lorijacobs7341]

Rob, great demo, great tips! Thank you!

[@katehull4649]

Mind blowing on how to construct it so easy!!

[@beverly9325]

Love the tip on finding the repeat with the selvedge!

[@heatherwatson7692]

That was an excellent tip! I can't believe I've made two of these, and no one has ever shared that information before!

[@MajClanger]

@@heatherwatson7692 it's worth watching the video by Donna and Matt Jordan - they make lovely videos

[@heatherwatson7692]

@@MajClanger during covid I watched every single video that the Jordans had uploaded to youtube. It was very soothing and eye-opening. I'm on their subscription list so whenever they send out a new one I watch it. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@billiejo6475]

Ok I am getting ready to start cutting for this quilt and I am using the exact same fabric by Michael Miller. The 9nly problem i'm finding is that from the start of one spot to the repeat of the same spot, it's only measuring just over 23 inches, not 24. I've watched Donna Jordan and it has to be 24 inch repeats

[@ingfig1]

@@billiejo6475 .. it might work better if the repeat were 24” .. but it doesn’t HAVE to be 24”. It just means that you will not get 6 repeats of 4” out of one full pattern. You still need 6 layers of fabric, and you can still cut your strips (whether 3.5”, 4”, 4.5” .. depending on what you want and what size looks best on your fabric - check this by using the mirror trick, where you hinge two mirrors at 60 degrees and move them around the fabric to see what patterns emerge.) . If the pattern repeat is not divisible by the width of your triangles then you will have a leftover part of each strip which can be used for setting the edges of the hexagons into a straight edge. Or you could use those leftover bits at the end of the strip for the backing, or for another project. I hope this helps.

[@wendyshill2]

I’ve learned a tip when using triangle rulers: place your fabric strips vertically and you can easily cut as easily on both sides. Love your chsnnel!

[@BrendaH289]

Beautiful job ♥️

[@Stoffmonster467]

This is such a pretty quilt🌺

[@collettepage5458]

Love it!

[@BakedandCooked]

I have this fabric it is my favorite holiday print. It's great for any holiday project, but this is particularly good use of the fabric.

[@KeyserTheRedBeard]

nice content Making It Fun with Rob Appell. I crushed that thumbs up on your video. Keep up the awesome work.

[@debbiegreen759]

Fabulous Rob, you are very inspiring. Thanks from downunder, Victoria Australia

[@rubyhaze1]

Have never seen you before Rob- what great energy and fun! What a beautiful quilt- and helpful techniques.

[@cynthiastark7258]

Check out his other videos “Man Sewing” before he started with Michael Miller.

[@charlotteasell5732]

Great info! I try to learn something new every day…. Thank you! Never thought of using the salvage edge technique!

[@AMO.65]

Oh man, soo, soo nice! WOW! BRAVO!😏😍

[@pamelaallen6543]

This is an amazing quilt.

[@sandrapickworth5901]

I love this project, thank you Rob. I have looked for this Michael Miller fabric but it is very expensive in the UK, and postage etc from USA makes it an expensive project. However I will watch and wait. Thank you again from the UK.

[@ruthannmolyneaux478]

Always enjoy your channel!

[@nonyabidness1623]

Never tried a kaleidoscope patterned quilt top! You do so well at ×pl aining! Aaaya great job! Thanks!

[@normabumbaugh6929]

First time I’ve ever seen…48 seconds into the video and I’m ready for you to say “Sham-WOW”!!!

[@elizabethmcguire1702]

Beautiful!

[@joyinstitches456]

I don't know how but this pattern makes the poinsettias look more...well... poinsettialy. 🤣

[@user-lp5qi7ep4o]

BEAUTIFUL QUILT !!!!

[@cherylraposo6666]

New to quilting this is beautiful! Thank you!

[@JP-bv7bf]

I was always wondering what to do with all my flower fabric so now I will try this. Thanks. BC 🇨🇦

[@DoeMeNeek]

"bc I'm sure you're all designing your quilts and just listening to me in the background"... BUSTED!

[@lindadaelemans25]

Great show!!

[@beccalee8174]

You are soooo delightful!!!

[@kimlace3875]

That is absolutely gorgeous

[@gloriavilasboas3778]

Belo trabalho ❤️

[@romonaelrod7870]

Beautiful quilt. I don't like poinsettias but your quilt is so beautiful. I think it looks more like big red flowers than pointsetas. I will have to put this quilt pattern in my to do list.

[@Flatshader]

🎇. Thanks…..always entertaining

[@ravensmokedancer8242]

Rob! You need a rotating mat so you don't have to cut left handed! Thank you for doing this one! All the others I have seen on the stack n whack have been done with mirrors and I like this way much better!!

[@CatiSews]

Yes, or a smaller (ex: 18” x 24”) regular mat that you can turn around. Love your energy & your videos!

[@deborahemielita5949]

Thanks Rob for the lighting tip! Great idea! The best kaleidoscope fabric has a variety of sizes of each of the florals. Paisley in different sizes are also awesome. I like a cream or white background. Jason Yenter In the Beginning fabric designer has gorgeous border fabrics done in this technique although that’s maybe 8 octagon instead of 6 hexagon…6is a 60 degree triangle, 8 is 45 degree triangle done in the same way…just different triangle….because the border fabric is printed in sets of four, his quilts add the border too so it’s still a one fabric quilt! I made some very nice trivet style one block table centerpieces in this technique instead of batting used the metallic hot pad inner layer. In the sets, one can also use alternating repeats in the same block which is nice to know if you end up with some last sets not making a complete repeated set of 6 for hexagon, or 8 for octagon. I think you forgot to finish the video such that in final assembly it’s joined in rows which is why you don’t sew the halves together. Nice job anyway, great tips!

[@pathannan1368]

Fun and lovely

[@nnickerson7636]

Happy 4th Rob and merry July Christmas 😁

[@wandagail5802]

That is beautiful

[@edbalko3082]

YOU ARE TOTALLY AWESOME

[@bethsmith5208]

I love these!!! Paula Nadelstern is my kaleidoscope idol… don’t know if she’s the original instigator, but she’s my favorite

[@leahmccomas5646]

I was trying to remember her name. I have an older book of hers and they are truly masterpieces of kaleidoscope

[@frankieparks8819]

Wish Michael Miller put together fabric kits for this. I got to buy online and well I can't see a repeat. Sure love that quilt it is an eye catcher! Happy holidays!

[@lizhilton8831]

To make sure you pin and sew through center triangles. Open and see if both center points are correct. Then sew from one already sewn end ( center triangle ) to end of fabric then do other side. You will get perfect kaleidoscopes.

[@angiesewtherapy6628]

If you are right handed, place the length of the strip set to your right so you aren't cutting over your wrist.

[@rochellearellano7135]

GREAT REPEAT TIP

[@angelikaimnaehglueck]

Kaleidoskope nähen - meine absolute Lieblingstechnik im Moment - aus Altkleidern oder Bettwäsche

[@kathyderouchey544]

Sorry to be sound so picky, but I've made a bunch of these. Don't forget that because you have an equilateral triangle, you've got 3 different design choices from each stack. Just turn them all. And turn them all again. Find your favorite.

[@Keepsake_Business_Academy]

❤ thank you