Dresden Making

There are few quilt blocks I love more than the Dresden plate. You might have noticed, I make them quite often. To fuel this obsession even more I’ve decided to dedicate a whole page to them. On this page you will find how to make them from beginning to end, different styles, and lots more helpful tips. If you are looking to learn to make Dresdens or just need a bit of inspiration, you’ve come to the right place.

Supplies

Dresden ruler – this is extremely helpful. My patterns usually come with a template if you don’t want to purchase a ruler, but that ruler is gold. It will make cutting your Dresden blades SO. MUCH. EASIER.
Circle templates – I don’t use these. I prefer to get my circles from things around my house like: bowls, cups, saucers, or anything round. However, you may prefer an actual template.
Fusible Adhesive – You only need fusible adhesive if you are going to be doing a raw edge applique for your Dresden center, the easiest way. Here’s a tutorial for this method.
Charlotte’s Web Fusible Thread – My new favorite raw edge applique method. I have a tutorial for this here.
Hand sewing needles – You only need these if you are going to needle turn applique your Dresden center. These are my favorite needles for hand applique.
Cereal box and aluminum foil – You only need this item if you are going to be doing hand applique. Here’s a tutorial for the hand applique.

Custom Quilt Labels

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Getting Started

How to Cut blades with ruler or template

Tips:

Cut a strip of fabric to the height you want your blades.
While cutting blades, alternate the direction of your ruler so that you can get the most Dresdens from your fabric strip. Stash the ones you don’t need in a box labeled “dresdens”. Save these for a future scrappy quilt.
Moving that fabric strip just a little from the Dresden you just cut, helps to get the ruler flush with the fabric on the opposite side you are cutting from.

Making the Plate

Step 1: Getting the blades ready

Fold each blade in half along the length. Sew 1/4″ from the edge of the ‘longest’ short side.
When putting the blades in your machine, put them in folded side first. This way the frayed edges won’t get caught up in your needle and cause you sewing machine distress.
Turn blades inside out. Use a blunt point to push the corner out.
Press, making sure that the seam on the back of each blade is centered.

Step 2: Sewing the blades together to form the plate

Sew blades together. There will be 20 blades per Dresden plate when using the ruler I mentioned above.
Turn Dresden plate upside down, and press all seams to one side. Tug the plate just a little as you press so that your seams won’t get pressed with a fold. Turn the plate right side up and press again.

My Quilt Patterns

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Adding the plate to your quilt block

Center plate on your background square.
Top stitch around perimeter. Be sure to back stitch when you start and when you finish to secure your stitches.

Custom Quilt Labels

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Adding the center to your Dresden plate

Raw edge applique – the easiest and most simplest method
Sashiko stitches – using a basic running stitch and fusible adhesive
Needle turn applique – the cleanest, most traditional method

Quilt Patterns With Dresden Plates

A Dresden Quilt – This is my simplest Dresden plate quilt pattern and it’s a free one!
Bad Girl – This pattern features quarter Dresden plates and I consider it the yummiest.
Morning Sun – This pattern is fun! Also, you can dip your toes into Dresden plate making without getting bogged down by so many of them.
Sunset Quilt – This is a crib pattern that features a half Dresden plate as the sun.
Anthologie Quilt – A very cool sampler quilt that I ran as a quilt along. Features a handful of Dresden plates.