Wow, great tutorial and amazing quilt. I think should be able to do a one color tumbling block. But I think you may have to test the value of your fabric and make sure they are distinct enough against each other. If your piles are sorted by light medium and dark there may be some fabrics between the medium and dark that may need to be switched.

This is where one of those red pieces of plastic work great to determine what fabrics will really be of the same value.

I find that when I start a project not feeling completely sure about it I is a struggle so keep reading until you feel comfortable.

http://www.myquiltfabric.com/pdf/Tumbling_Blocks.pdf
In this tute are they suggesting 5 1/2 yards of tone on tone or 5 one half yard cuts of fabric = 2 1/2 yards total for the tone on tone. Anyone done a larger one than crib size. If so do you have fabric amounts.

wash, dry til damp, spray with starch. press...then decide what you want to make with them!

Great link/tut
Thanks

I think I would add white/off-white/very light grays and use all the blues for your medium & dark if this is supposed to be a bed size quilt.

That sounds like a good idea. that way the grays would blend in more? but give added dimension?

All the advice was great. I think I am going to put it away till June. Just found out that my husband will be gone then and i will be able to concentrate better on it, plus I will have a little bit more money to go buy some added fabric to get a better contrast. MY son will not be happy that I am putting it off for another week and1/2. But I have my oldest graduating on the 3rd of June and I know I am going to have to make some kind of design wall and leave it up till done. Since I sew in my kitchen nook and family room I don't have a spare wall but I think I will put something on rods and hang it up in the living room where there is plenty of lights.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I feel my courage building, and building.

I have been wanting to do a tumbling block quilt for a long while now with this wonderful tute, I think I will not be so aprehensive about doing it. Thanks to the tute and all of comments,
Pat

Since tumbling blocks is all about value to get the deminsional effect another way to check value is take a picture of your fabrics then view it as black and white. I really liked the idea of adding in some white, beige or grey since all blue would lack a wow factor. Also remember tints and shades in blues like Navy (almost black) or whites with a blue cast to them.

I think the blues will be beautiful. I watched this tute and so want to make this. I've wanted to make one for years, but hate y seams.