Rhonda Dort

Are you thinking of making a Bits and Pieces quilt of your own? Today I’m going to load up the blog with pictures of some of the blocks and talk about several of them.

Incorporating both old and new this block began by covering the muslin base (the stabilizer for the laces and trims) with both white and off while laces. The top right piece is from a dresser scarf, I added the diagonal machines decorative oval stitches AFTER the piece was stitched to the block. The butterfly, the string of 6 white flowers and the white bottom and right side trim is new.

This block base is a piece of an off white vintage commercially produced tablecloth. The old hand crocheted doily (white) needed some “pizzazz” so I added the outer edge ribbon woven, the off white hem tape ribbon with streamers. I fussy cut the 3 center flowers from vintage lace and added the 5 white commercially produced daisy flowers.

This block, while I kind of like it, it may not make the cut as it will be a challenge to longarm.

Oh Lily of the Valley! This brings back childhood memories!

This block did not grow on me. I dismantled it yesterday with the thought: I can do better. I’ll keep you posted.

Talk about a mish-mash of vintage, this block fits the bill!

Hum…at his point in my project this one, in my mind, is boring. Expect changes next time I blog…

Have you noticed I am partial to hearts, butterflies and the white daisy-like flowers?

The visually heavy top motif, using a matching color thread I decoratively machine stitched around the outer edge of the large flower. It is hardly noticeable. Using a darker color thread I did a different machine decorative stitch on the inside of the outer flower. It serves to give the motif just a tiny bit of visual depth.

Goodness, where do I start describing this one, it’s jam packed with so much! Can you easily see the off white hem tape ribbon?

I should have mentioned earlier, I’m also smitten with ribbon bows with long streamers.

Vintage shamrocks appliqué stitched with pale blue 40 weight thread. This stitching gives them definition.

A portion of a white vintage doily with loads of white decorations stitched to the front.

How the block began…

And how it finished. Below you’ll find a few close-up pictures:

The block above is the first of 10 pictures showing step by step start to finish.

Using this wonderful vintage lace I fussy cut lots of flowers.

The diagonal piece? Maybe a child’s garment cuff?

The ivory leaves were cut from vintage eyelet trim.

A tiny zig-zag with matching thread firmly attaches the fussy cut flowers.

In order to give the petals interest I appliqué stitched them in place using a pale green 40 weight thread.

The piece above the cuff, a child’s lace collar?

Another lace bow with streamers! Are you surprised! This bow is made from quarter inch wide very fragile ivory lace.

Did I intend for the stained part to fall at the center? No! But in my mind I couldn’t have planned it better!

Finished!

While I like everything in this block it remains rather boring. I initially appliqué stitched the off white hearts with matching 40 weight thread.

Rather than removing the appliqué stitching, I just put a darker thread in the sewing machine and stitched right over my original work.

I’m happy with the results and will apply the same procedure to the remaining 2 hearts.

Initially began as a project to use up whites/off whites/ivory vintage pieces to create a utility “throw” sized piece, I’m still thinking that will be my plan. What has changed since I began is the idea of doing a bit of hand embroidery stitching on the blocks as well as some beading.

I have no time frame in mind, that’s how I work best. 🙂

Blessings and happy quilting,

Rhonda