The vintage flower blocks

Do you remember the big tin of flower appliques that I showed with a journal quilt a couple of weeks ago? I couldn't forget them. I was thinking of them while I was at my quilt guild meeting a couple of weeks ago. I need a travel hand project. It's difficult to work on those bright flower blocks away from home because of all of the colors of thread and I need reading glasses to see the extremely tiny stitches that Dot (master appliquer from the guild) taught me. If I'm wearing the reading glasses I can't see anything else. At home I actually wear both of the and I look like a kook.

See where I am heading? I thought it would be a brilliant idea to start another handwork project specifically for travel!

I will applique these to 8" finished blocks using a blanket stitch. The project has a rule: Don't buy anything new to do it.

First I had to prepare the appliques. These blocks are so perfectly prepped! But they are kind of musty.

I tried soaking them in some soapy water but it wasn't enough to get the smell out. I added a few tablespoons of baking soda and that helped a lot. I only put in a little soap and I mostly let them soak. I didn't want to disturb the basting stitches. After they soaked in the soapy water for a while (30 minutes or more) I put them in a rinse bin for another 30 minutes or so.

You know how we always hear warnings about leaving starch in things? These blocks have been heavily starched and they are at least 40 years old and they are fine. I suppose that in some climates that it may attract bugs but these blocks are in great shape. A few are stained but I'm just setting those aside because I have about a million to choose from!

After the rinse I am ironing the dry on a cushioned surface with a pressing cloth on top. No colors are running. Can you see how the maker fussy cut these? There are several blocks with the kaleidoscope effect and you know I love that!

I will have to make centers for the flowers but I have a nice collection of solids for that!

I also have a big bag of floss that I can use for the stitching. But there's the first dilemma.

My plan was to do all of the stitching in black. I have a big cone of thread that is about the thickness of 4 strands of floss. But it was too heavy in my sample. I don't have enough black floss but I have lots of colors. Do I embroider the blocks with colored floss or do I break the rule and buy black? Black would make the travel project easier.

I think I will need about 50 for a twin sized quilt and I believe I will be able to come up with 50 different ones. I think this lady must have traded fabrics like we do charm swaps because there is an incredible variety of fabrics in these blocks. See all the blocks in this photo? That's what's left AFTER I remove the 50 I want!

Under the blocks are all of these petals yet to be put into flowers.

What would you do with them? What would you do about the thread?

 

Comments

[Joy Voltenburg]

oh those are just beautiful!! Hmm. I guess I'd use my stash of floss and try to match each flower. Yes, it would take longer, but hey! Look how long these blocks have been laying around waiting to be used! Can't wait to see it finished. Another option would be to be beg black floss from all your friends - that way it wouldn't be new!

[Summerset]

I'd beg, borrow or trade friends for the black floss. I'd use the other petals to make a vine border for the whole thing once you get the center done.

[upstatelisa]

aren't these fun? I would use black thread.

[Mary Anne]

I think my vote has to go for black, but not the full six strands - perhaps 2 or 3. Using black would give cohesion to the quilt and help draw the multi-coloured flowers together. MHO, of course!

[Yvonne]

I would use black also.....loved the idea of the petals for a vine border. If your deadset against buying any, I would gladly send you some. :)

[Becky in VA]

I'd use black for all of them and do as summerset said - make a vine border with all the other petals. I may have missed something: what background fabric(s) are you using?

[Liz in Kansas]

Hmmm. I guess it would depend on what color you are using for the background blocks. If they are all the same I think you could get away with using multiple colors of floss. The background will tie it all together. Otherwise, you definitely want the stitching to be all one color. I love the idea of using the loose petals in a border, too!

[Cindy Is Crafty]

I hear some spitting and swearing coming on! LOL!

OH and Kathleen, the scrappy scarf class teacher said to say hello and that she has not seen you forever! :O)

[Wanda]

I loved the black floss stitching on the old 30s quilts and if you want it to look traditional, then black is the choice. If you want to modernize it I'd use differnt colors.

[Katina]

You could always dye the floss you have black! And I agree with the vine of petals as a border, that's the first thing I thought of when you asked for ideas.

[Linda]

Those little flowers are so pretty. Maybe bend the no buy rule for the black floss and use a light hand with it, only 2 or 3 strands, to keep it as dainty as the flowers. I hope you give us progress updates. This project makes me smile.

[Mary]

I prefer using perle cotton to strands of floss for doing the blanket stitch by hand. I would go to Joann's and buy some balls of DMC - either size 8 or 12 depending on how thick you want.

I like the idea of the appliqué border for the extra petals.

[Mary]

I forgot to say black perle cotton - definitely black!

[Frauke]

Hm - does the no buy rule cover something like thread? I mean - when you're short on sewing thread for your sewing machine (yes I know - just pretending, it could happen, after all!) - you would buy it, or not? therefore I think, if you need more black floss, get it ;-))
But I think I would go for a variety of colors. If you prepare the blocks you would like to carry around, you can easily pick a matching floss for each block. In my opinion, that would make those wonderful blocks sing even more!
(And I like the idea of using petals for a border!)

[elle]

Amazing project. Luv the vine idea. I'd use petals to make a strippy quilt. The vine with the leaves running up and down the top. Black would unify but different colours would keep me interested in what to chose next! lol

[joan]

these blocks are so scrappy and vintage looking that I think using a variety of floss colors would be so appropriate. To make it easy to travel, just wrap a small amount of floss around a piece of cardstock. I prefer 2 strands of embroidery floss when I do a blanket stitch.

[quiltdivajulie]

Black is by far the most "traditional" for blanket stitch like you're planning ... but a huge part of me hopes you will choose a different color - like green (in all various shades). That way, the fabulous vine border idea above could include more greens and unify the project ... OH, the possibilities!!!!!!