Crazy quilt stitch along Tumbling Block 14

Tumbling block 14 sits third row down on the right hand side of the Diamonds are forever quilt. This month we will make four diamonds as there is a dark diamond sitting on the right that is a continuation of the tumbling block pattern. In other words we are making 1 and half tumbling blocks as for this section of the quilt.

You can download the patterns for the three diamonds that make up the block. Here is light tone diamond, the mid tone diamond, and the dark tone diamond. This month there is an extra diamond that sits on the side of the quilt. The pdf for the second Dark toned Diamond Tumbling block 14 is here.

Please Note! These pdfs have NO seam allowances but are to scale. Set your printer to print to the actual size. Do NOT use the ‘fit to page’ option as it will reduce the diamonds by half an inch or so. When you print them out, they should have 6-inch sides. I advise you to use Adobe Acrobat™ as a PDF reader (it’s free).

Tips for Crazy quilt stitch along Tumbling Block 14

When embellishing, feel free to follow what I have done, OR adapt my ideas to your liking. Embellish the blocks as you see fit and have fun and there are no rules in Crazy Quilting!

If you need a tutorial on curved piecing take a look a tutorial written by Allison Aller. You can find Curved Foundation Piecing here

Light toned Diamond on Tumbling Block 14

The Light tones diamond has a half doily on the block and some very wide crochet lace! These two elements meant it was a fun block to tstich but also it was a bit of a challenge. The PDF for the Light toned Diamond Tumbling block 14 it is here.

To secure the doily section to the block I ran a line of stitches inside the seam allowance, then using a white machine sewing thread I used very small straight stitches to stop it flapping about. With a hand dyed cotton perle #8 thread I worked some long single chain stitches at the base of each scallop. In a return journey I added small pink seed beads. The other seam embellishment you can see in this photograph is a line of Alternating buttonhole stitch that is worked in a variegated hand dyed Perle #5 thread.

The seam between pieces 4 and 1 is covered by a commercial ruffled satin ribbon. It adds an interesting texture to block and balances the texture of the wide crochet lace and the doily. Along the edge of the ribbon I worked Detached chain stitches and straight stitch topped with seed beads.

Along the curved seam down the middle of the block I used a verigated hand dyed silk thread to work a line of detached chain stitches that had been arranged in a half daisy shape. In the middle of each daisy I added a seed bead. The vintage button cluster was added to the block last.

Mid toned Diamond on Tumbling Block 14

The pdf for the Mid toned Diamond on Tumbling block 14 is here.

The Mid toned Diamond has 7 pieces of fabric on it. Patches 6 and 7 were sewn together first then added to the foundation block as one.

The seam between patch 2 and patches 6 and 7 was covered in a hand dyed lace. Using a hand dyed silk buttonhole twist thread I added straight stitches and detached chain stitches. The lace and thread was dyed in the same batch.

Using my stitchers templates, I traced the curved lines over the seam of patch 1 and, using a water-dissolvable pen. I then worked the line using Stem stitch. I used the same green gold hand-dyed silk buttonhole twist thread as I added to the lace. At the end I used a black daisy shaped sequin secured with a red bead in the middle. The Seam between patch 1 and 2, I decorated with Sheaf stitches.

I covered the seam between patch 3 and 4 with commercial braid, then using red stranded cotton floss I added Buttonhole wheels . This is a very simple treatment for the last seam between patch 4 and 5. I simply covered it with lace and added some seed beads and it was done!

Dark toned Diamond on Tumbling Block 14

The pdf for the Dark toned Diamond Tumbling block 14 is here.

The Dark first toned Diamond was quite quick to work. Using a water-dissolvable pen I traced the curves from my stitchers templates, then using a hand dyed cotton crochet thread I worked the lines using Portuguese stem stitch. I added the hand dyed lace flowers securing each flower with seed beads.

I covered the seam between patch 2 and 3 with a green commercial braid. Then, using my stitchers templates, I traced off the scallops using a water-dissolvable pen. Next I worked then in Stem stitch in cotton perle #8. I used Detached chain stitches to further decorate the scallops before adding small gold bead. At the base of each scallop I worked a Fargo Rose in silk ribbon

Second Dark toned Diamond Tumbling Block 14

This month we are making 1 and half tumbling blocks as for this section of the quilt we have an extra diamond that sits on the side of the quilt. The pdf for the second Dark toned Diamond Tumbling block 14 is here. If you want to make a light triangle to fill in the space where half a light tone diamond would go feel free to do so. On my quilt the area is the same plain burgundy fabric that I used on the border but some people might want to continue the tumbling block pattern.

The Second dark toned Diamond is all in shades of blue. On both sides of patch 3 I worked a line of Oyster stitches in hand dyed silk thread that is about the thickness of cotton perle #5. On the return journey I added straight stitches in a cotton perle #5 thread before topping off with a seed bead.

At the base of the two rows of Oyster stitch I used a commercial braid to cover the seam that runs along the edge of piece 5 . I then added some black daisy shaped sequins and secured them with a seed bead in the middle. As you can see some of the daisy shaped sequins have snapped. I have yet to find replacements!

The seam along patch 6 is simply chain stitch. The curves were created with my templates. I used cotton perle #5 thread to stitch the Buttonhole wheels that run along the edge of patch 2.

For the last detail I simply covered the seam along the edge of patch 7 with vintage hand dyed ric-rac. I then added bugle beads and clear beads at the case of the detached chain stitches.

If you are stitching along please share what you do in either of the Crazy Quilt Divas and/or Crazy Quilt International groups on Facebook.

The quilt is on the front of two of my books: The Visual Guide to Crazy Quilting Design and my new book Crazy Quilting for Beginners Handy Pocket Guide. You do not need my books to join in on this stitch along, but I strongly recommend that you have at least the pocket guide, if not the full Visual Guide to Crazy Quilting Design.

Previous blocks in the series

Guidelines and general information about the series:

Tumbling Block 1;

Tumbling Block 2;

Tumbling Block 3;

Tumbling Block 4;

Tumbling Block 5;

Tumbling Block 6;

Tumbling Block 7;

Tumbling Block 8;

Tumbling Block 9:

Tumbling Block 10:

Tumbling Block 11:

Tumbling Block 12:

Tumbling Block 13:

Tumbling Block 14:

Tumbling Block 15:

Tumbling Block 16:

The next tumbling block in the series will be on March 14th. (I publish a block monthly, usually it’s the second Thursday of the month)