A New Dresden? For Me Yea.

I have always wanted to do a Dresden plate block or quilt, but have always stayed away from it because I am that lazy.  I do not like to sew all those round or pointed Dresden down.  But being the person I am (who am I?), I will not let a block hold me back, if I make it once, I might just make it again.  In the Craftsy BOM Dresden was one of the blocks, so in order for me to complete this block I thought I would go purchase me a template (I do not like cutting cardboard templates or thin plastic).

I love gadgets, and anything that has a template I most likely will buy.  Week before last I attend the Original Sewing/Quilting Expo in Chantilly, VA (sorry I did not post about it, but will show you some pictures later this week).  I went to my favorite booth, The Gypsy Quilter-Lanette Eden, she sales a lot of rulers and gadgets that make sewing fun and easy.  I went looking for a Dresden ruler and pattern, I was not disappointed when she showed me a Cheryl Phillips book, Dresden Flowers which came with a Dresden wedge tool (I paid $12.99, on line it was only $5.00, shoot me now why don’t you).

So here is how easy this was, and I love it.

I cut out 12 wedges from a 4-1/2” strip of fabric and then cut 12 2-1/4” x 3-1/2” insert piece.  As you can see you have about 1/4” of the insert sticking out from the side that is good.

 

Above is the back and front version before pressing.  I pressed all the Dresden in one direction.  Then I opened up the wedge and pressed them down.  Doesn’t this look cool, I have points, I love the colors I picked out, this is just my sample block, put if it comes out alright, I might use it for my BOM and since I having such fun, I just might make a couple of more.

As you can see from above, after pressing the wedges down, I turned it over and did a basting 1/8” basting stitch, then cut to even out the round.  Now the next step might seem hard for most of you, it was one of the things I have always stayed away from, how to fit a round into a square.  I have seen it done, I even have Cheryl Phillips Circles Around book, but never tried it.  It just looked like to much work.  My thinking is just cut a circle with fusible on the back and stick it on a square.

 

I folded a 13 x 13 square into 4 folds and using a circle template and cut out the circle, laid the circle and square face up turn the inner circle towards the Dresden outer edge and Walla!!!! the Dresden is complete.

 

Pressing out, trim to 12-1/2 square. It might look like a lot of work, put this was soooo easy.  I enjoyed doing the block and when I get home from work tomorrow, I am going to try the round tip Dresden.

So what do you think, those of you who have done Dresden plates before using different methods, how do you like this one?  Do you think it is easer or too complicated or too much work?  Let me know how you feel about this.

Loving The Dresden

The Slow Quilter