In Nancy’s comment on my Seven Sisters blocks, she noticed that the Seven Sisters pattern is very similar to the Tumbling Blocks pattern — basically just 60° diamonds with a different coloration. TB is a pattern I have always loved, and planned to make one day using 19th century scraps so I could take advantage of my light value shirting prints. I didn’t think it was possible to make a TB quilt using Depression or mid-century fabrics, but then I remembered these photos I copied in 2003, probably from an ebay auction page.
The quilt was pieced with bright colors and pastels in a set that groups 9 “blocks” with a path between each group composed of hexagons. The shading on a few of the groups seems wrong to me, but who knows — maybe that was the look she was going for. Because of the separation between the groups, it’s actually not too noticeable. I especially love the way she added the little individual blocks at the top and bottom, and the wonderful scalloped edge.
Maybe my scraps would work with this pattern, although I wonder if I could get the same effect by replacing the solids with dominant color prints. I’d also like to try a an embroidered Tumbling Blocks crib quilt with a letter on one side of the block and a tiny embroidered picture on another side — sort of like the painted wood blocks I had as a child. Too many ideas — too little time!
This is a nice pattern, but I think you stars are stunning!
Very pretty quilt. Love the idea of making them look like the old letter blocks. I had a few, too and so did my boys. I like the plain blocks around the print but I too wonder how they would look with a bolder print or a darker one maybe one that looks like grass, hum….. You have great ideas.
Yet another delicious quilt – what I love about them is that they have a different appearance close up and viewed from far away. A lovely choice of colours too
Best wishes
Jenny
Thanks for your feedback on my previous comment and your posting of this lovely pastel tumbling block quilt- another variation I have never seen before. One of the best things about quilting is the infinite variety of pattern and color combinations which allow the quilt artist a vast playground with which to experiment and have fun. Happy Halloween Martha!