Another Tennessee Waltz Quilt, This Time in Spring Colors--ATTN: goldenluver!

[speckledhen]

My first TN Waltz quilt was in 9" blocks, shades of blues and browns. I wanted to do another one of these, which is a combination of the 54-40 or Fight! block (variation Bird of Paradise) and a Snowball block. I saw a completely different slant on the TN Waltz using a Churn Dash block in place of the snowball block, which entails more piecing, but less quilting in that block, generally. Barbara (goldenluver) sent me a drafted pattern for a 12" Bird of Paradise block and directions and I set it aside until now. The lovely floral print in the small squares is one that she sent me, among others, when I was doing a watercolor quilt for my friend, Ellie, in California (Ellie on BYC). So, thank you so much, Barbara!

Here is the start of my queen size TN Waltz variation. I will be doing the stars in two different purples; was going to be three, but the #3 I'd chosen was too dark, more autumn then spring, so had one to dissassemble. The churn dash blocks will be mostly in shade of pale green and pink and a few yellows. I just adore the secondary circular pattern that emerges when you alternate the blocks.

Note: the bottom star is supposed to be in the same tonal purple as the one on top, but I just haven't made anymore of those yet.





ETA: This is the first one I made awhile back.

 

[Kassaundra]

Very nice, they are both beautiful, but have to say I really love the new one best.

 

[FeyRaine]

WOW!
Those are amazing. I'm really going to have to watch some tutorial videos or something to up my skill level; those are an inspiration
Thanks for sharing.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you both. I am ready for spring, can you tell, LOL?

 

[Happy Henhouse]

Absolutely gorgeous! The new one is my favorite, too. The colors are fabulous. I'm used to getting chicken envy when I log on here, now I have quilt envy, too

 

[Kassaundra]

Thank you both. I am ready for spring, can you tell, LOL?

I am ALWAYS ready for spring!!!!!!!!!!

 

[wyoDreamer]

WOW!
Those are amazing. I'm really going to have to watch some tutorial videos or something to up my skill level; those are an inspiration
Thanks for sharing.

What is neat about patterns like this, is they really aren't that difficult. It is two fairly basic blocks, that when put together create a really beautiful showpiece.
I will admit that the points of the stars are hard to do and get the points perfect. Anything sewn on the bias of the fabric (diagonal lines) are somewhat harder because teh fabric will stretch if you are not careful.
And color selection is so important. Notice how the colors of the second one create that circle effect! It is still there in the original quilt, but you have to look for it. The new quilt, it just jumps out at you!

Beautiful job, SpeckledHen!

 

[speckledhen]

What is neat about patterns like this, is they really aren't that difficult. It is two fairly basic blocks, that when put together create a really beautiful showpiece.
I will admit that the points of the stars are hard to do and get the points perfect. Anything sewn on the bias of the fabric (diagonal lines) are somewhat harder because teh fabric will stretch if you are not careful.
And color selection is so important. Notice how the colors of the second one create that circle effect! It is still there in the original quilt, but you have to look for it. The new quilt, it just jumps out at you!

Beautiful job, SpeckledHen!

Thank you! I'm all about lots of bang for the buck! I don't do hard stuff, no applique, nothing like that. I didn't even relish doing this particular star with the narrow points on it, but I love the effect so much, I had to do one more quilt with this particular pattern. It will probably be the last one of these I do-way too many other things are calling my name!

I took a day or so off to work on a runner for my neighbor's cedar chest she commissioned. And we had a family tragedy that distracted me a bit as well (my DH's oldest younger sister's house burned to the ground on Christmas day-they lost everything, though thankfully, no one was hurt, including the dogs)

 

[FeyRaine]

I actually did go watch some quilting how to videos, & I learned a few things as well as got validation on some things I had figured out on my own already.
So I think I'll be watching a few more of those. Self-taught has gotten me 6 year of decent quilts but I think I'm ready to try something with some of those narrow points, or eventually make the quilt that got me started. (I fell in love w/ a dresden plate varriation on the cover of a quilting book 7 or 8 yrs ago, finally decided after mooning over the book in the bookstore for months that if I could sew I could quilt, bought the book, and shortly realized it was way out of my skill level and set about making simple quilts to teach myself how. 6 years and 10 quilts later I have yet to make one for myself, although I've been setting aside fabric for it.

Speckeled Hen -- I'm sorry to hear about the house fire! Glad nobody got hurt! One of my first few quilts was for some neighboor's who's house burnt while they were out of town, I made it w/ fabric donated from ppl on our street & a little help cutting out fabric, but I did all the piecing and quilting in 72 hrs between when it burned down and when they got back (2,000 mile cross country drive to a burnt out house). I got pretty bleerry eyed working on it, I made it King sized so their family of 5 could all wrap up together in it. The middle panel says "Home is where the <heart> is".





As far as skills etc. this one was definately in the "It is the thought that counts" category!

Here is the last one I did - for my sister's graduation & her moving to Alaska (It is 100% recycled wool fabric, the design is my own)

 

[speckledhen]

Love the log cabin block and dark colors on that last one.

Quilts, like chickens, don't have to be show quality to be beautiful and useful. It was super nice of you to make an entire quilt in 72 hours for that family in need. I bet they treasured it.

I can't sew a lick, only quilt-to me, quilting is fabric art, not sewing. My SIL whose house burned started to teach me to crochet when we were there on Sunday. She gave me a hook and three skeins of yarn and told me a site to try online. I don't care for most crocheted things, but I do like the loose scarves that drape like a cowl and the fingerless gloves and I'd like to learn if only to make those. I'm not really a crafty type person, generally.