Color Wash quilt .... how hard?

I've done the Watercolor Heart pattern from "Pink Ribbon Quilts". My blue & yellow "Trip Around the World" is sort of colorwash, too; there are photos toward the bottom of

It was easy in that it is all squares -- no points or anything to match. It's not a technique that someone can give you a "recipe" for. A lot of the effect depends on fabric choices. Whether or not you need a class depends in part on how well you learn from books or articles; some people do well on their own -- others don't. In any case, reading about the technique will help.

Maxine Rosenthal has an interesting approach, combining stack'n'whack with colorwash. Her book is "One Block Wonders"

Julia > I want to make a color wash to use as a background for something else.

A beautiful, wonderful book is Colourwash Quilts by Deirdre Amsden. She goes from the very simple to the exquisite, and all are lovely. My own colorwash is probably a permanent WIP because I decided I'd give hand quilting a try. ( For no reason, just thought I would). Amsden explains how to choose and arrange your fabrics to create the effect you want. You will enjoy her book. Polly

Polly's right, Deirdre Amsden is top notch. The one thing I will say is that you really do need a hug variety of fabrics (and number!) and, from memory (so it's probably wrong), they need to be florals of varying intensity and scale. Try getting the book from the library, if you can (ask to order it?), in case you don't like the reality of the idea.

I had always wanted to do one, but have never had the right collection of fabrics. . In message , Sunny writes

PS sorry - that should be 'huge'! . In message , Patti writes

Sunny, I learned a strip piecing method of colourwash that's really easy and the results are wonderful. I made several of these, enjoyed them, and don't think I'll do more - so would you like the book "Strip- pieced Watercolor Magic" by Deanna Spingola and my box of collected fabrics, many already cut in strips?

Musicmaker

I did the heart one by Dina Pappas (I think - from Simply Quilts episode). Not difficult to do one you get the hang of sorting the squares into the various 'shapes' you need - rounded corners; 3/4 designs, etc. But Polly, I will say - good luck with hand quilting yours. I did that with mine with an all-over viney-twiney type pattern. Of course, I was doing a queen size. Like the current king size I'm doing, it was one of those projects that seemed to never end. Maybe just not enough variety in the quilting pattern for something that large - not sure. Since the one I'm working on now has

5 borders and I'm on #4 it's like this beast has 27 sides! But they are both gifts so I must continue. The heart one probably took me over a year to quilt cuz I just kept putting it down. When I had no others to work on it finally got done!

I don't think I'll do another of that type in a large size. I like the concept and the end result but there's just something about the process that just doesn't appeal to me as much as other traditional blocks and piecing methods.

Kim in NJ

Thanks everybody! Good advice and info. I've contacted Musicmaker off list. I think this might work. But don't be surprised if I pop on to ask for donations of small squares of florals. LOL

Sunny