What Size Block for Tennessee Waltz Quilt? **Completed!**

[speckledhen]

I'm considering a Tennessee Waltz quilt for my next one (yeah, I know, I'm not even finished piecing the current one yet). The Tennessee Waltz quilt is a combination of two different blocks, the 54-40 or Fight! and the Snowball block, which, when combined alternating, they seem to form a circle, but there are no curved pieces. I have an old Scrap Quilts book that has templates for the 9" block, but online, found good instructions for the 12" block for both of them. I'm having trouble deciding! The Snowball Block would have a fancy motif quilted in it and a 12" block would mean more intense quilting, I'd guess.

Here are some examples of the Tennessee Waltz quilt below, taken from various websites, so hope their owners don't mind me showing off their work--helps to show them all together. I want to do the star points as a dark solid, maybe black or dark blue, the snowball centers as a lighter color, perhaps beige, and the checkerboard corners in various scraps. The center of the stars would be a solid color or a checkerboard 4 patch, but that's another decision yet to make. Must decide on 9 or 12". Nanakat? What do you think? Fellow quiltaholics? What say you?

In the first pic, the center of each star has a 4 patch, whereas, in others, they used one material. My Scrap Quilts book shows the center of the star as a 4 patch checkerboard.

 

[goldenluver]

I think if you do 9" you get to use more blocks, which gives you more circles to see in the over all quilt, depending on how large you are making it, if you decide to make a large one then do 12" blocks.

 

[speckledhen]

Gosh, I'm not really sure how large I'm making it--probably a full size. What size block do you think would look best for a full?

 

[goldenluver]

9" is good for a full or smaller, a 12" is good for queen/king sizes.

 

[speckledhen]

Excellent suggestion! Thank you. That makes sense, but I really hadn't thought of the size of the block in relation to the size of the quilt. You're right, though. With 9" blocks, there would be more circles. See? This is why I ask you folks! I never do curved piecing, but this is so cool, to look round when it isn't.


I'm going to be so darn busy, but that's a good thing! I have Ellie's watercolor quilt to do, then goldenluver, I'll be working on your lap quilt kit, then I want to do the Tennessee Waltz, then..then...then.... busy, busy, busy!

And NanaKat sent me some small samples of fabrics that she gets at Thousandsofbolts.com and they are awesome! Thank you, Kathryn. I know where to get my fabrics when I need them, without being limited to just Wally World and expensive quilt shops. I'd probably not considered getting them online if she hadn't showed me how wonderful the quality and prices are there.

 

[verthandi]

I like 4, 5 and 7 where the light color continues from the snowball block and makes a diamond to showcase the circular design of the quilt. 5 is striking and also scrappy. The border on 2 would be interesting done with scrap pieces too.

 

[speckledhen]

I also like 4, 5 and 7. There were others, if you search "Tennessee Waltz Quilt" on Google Images, you get tons of them. I think I like the center of the star being one fabric and the corners of that block being scrappy. Seems that the scrappy star center with the checkerboard corners may be a bit too busy for me.

 

[NanaKat]

Photo 1 is actually the Bird of Paradise pattern with the four square in the center. If you used it, the "wings are done in two tones of the same color and would give you a 3rd pattern in the quilt top. Each tone is used on the diagonal so you would have a diagonal line running across the length of the quilt.....makes your head spin doesn't it

I really liked photo s 2 and 7.

The 9 inch block lets you use lots of little pieces, but using an assembly line the blocks go together quicly...just get in the groove.

I agree with Goldenluver about the size of the finished quilt and the size of the block used....12 inch for the bigger quilt. The snowballs will need more quilting, but it will be striking!

I also think the use of borders is attractive on this quilt. And we know you like to use borders to frame the quilt.

Have you already thought of color combinations yet?

 

[speckledhen]

Kathryn, my head is spinning trying to settle on the colors! I'm not at all sure about that yet, but I just know this is going to be one of my next projects for sure. What may happen is that I see fabrics that will just click in my head and that the color combination will take shape and just click.

Yes, I love borders, as you know. So many decisions to make on this one! Just have to get that watercolor one right. I've done about 23 blocks (well, I did a few more, but removed them since they didn't "flow" at all well) and am getting some new fabric to continue with. BTW, I loved the sample snippets of flannel you sent me! Feels like excellent quality flannel they offer, as well as the nice cottons. It's great to know I have a good source now and don't have to be so limited here in the boonies!

 

[halo]

Oh my those are gorgoues! Love that pattern.