Review   Les Nouvelles du Patchwork - June 1, 2006
Reviewed in this foreign language publication.

Review   The Midwest Book Review - June 1, 2006
Using simple piecing with no y-seams and innovative free-range designs to produce quilts which amazingly use only one pattern and one block for effect with extraordinarily easy, lovely results.

Review   QNM - September 1, 2006
These forgiving quilts have so much motion and energy that Maxine claims flaws are rarely seen--the perfect project for color and design exploration.

Review   Patchwork i Deen - March 1, 2006
Reviewed in this foreign language publication.

Review   Library Journal - August 1, 2006
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."

Review By: Gloria Balkwill,   Popular Patchwork (Australia) - November 1, 2006
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!

Review By: Sylvia Landman,   sylvia's-studio.com - December 11, 2006
At first glance, this book seemed to be another about stacking fabrics strategically and cut and pieced to create unique circular blocks cut from the same fabric. Visually, such quilts excite viewers and quilters alike. Positioning different portions of the fabric for each block, single motifs within the same fabric become whirling flowers, pinwheels and amusing little animals and birds seemingly marching circularly in each block.

However, this book is unique in many ways. In the Introduction, author Maxine Rosenthal says, “Instead of starting with a particular pattern or design and then trying to find fabric that will fit the pattern, this approach begins with the fabric: the fabric is the key element. Kaleidoscope blocks—each one unique—are produced by aligning the printed designs on several layers of fabric and then cutting and sewing triangles together.”

Her second chapter, “The Star Player” Fabric” is one of the best I’ve seen about observing, analyzing and selecting fabric for this technique or any other. Her instruction for isolating and cutting strategic portions of the fabric are easy to understand supported by good photography of a variety of fabrics.

Not only does she teach readers to work with hexagon shapes fussy cut from exciting, brilliant fabrics, but she moves to illustrate how to work with octagons as well. The book distinguishes itself from others in the genre when the author shows how to make those mysterious block motifs that seem to have transparent window frames cut out of each octagon reminiscent of Baby Blocks but constructed very differently. After that she does something that other stack books do not---she guides quilters to make squares approaching the appearance of folded Origami blocks.

Maxine shows you exactly how to choose a large-scale print, figure yardage, cut and piece these beautiful quilts. Big pieces and clever short-cut methods make these quilts go together faster than you'd think. Choose one of two projects or use the techniques in any size quilt. Best of all, construct them with ordinary piecing and no "Y" seams! If you have always been a fan of optical illusions in quiltmaking, this book will keep you busy appreciating and admiring your fabric while cutting, positioning and sewing.


Review    - December 1, 2006
"Make a quilt using just one fabric, letting the pattern on it determine the design... This is actually quite mathematical, yet the result, from a distance, looks very random. Followng the step-by-step instructions, you cut the fabric into either hexagons or octagons (templates are provided). From there, the pieces are stitched together to create a unique and interesting quilt. You'll find detailed instructions, which are easy to follow, from picking the right fabric and finding the repeats to finishing off the quilt."

Review   Patchwork-QuiltJournal - November 1, 2006
Reviewed in this foreign language publication.

Review   Spring Blossom Quilts - January 7, 2010
"I shouted myself three books from The Book Depository (UK) for Christmas and this is my favourite. I am absolutely loving it and reading every word. My husband was even sprung reading it on New Year's day! My friend spotted it in a shop in Gisborne VIC while we were "shop hopping" on the way to our annual quilting group retreat. It is "One Block Wonders" by Maxine Rosenthal and uses the kaleidoscope and "stack and whack" ideas together. Great economy of fabric as there is no fussy cutting and artistic way of laying out the blocks."