Dresden Square

Welcome to Dresden Square!

This blog post is my "Journey to Dresden Square" as I find my way without a map, taking an occasional detour, encountering a few challenges, enjoying the adventure as I go.

I am adding this link on April 29th.

This is a favorite quilt that I have made this year.

If you are visiting from this test linky party,

thanks for stopping by.

Looking forward to the

Quilter's Favorites event in May ...

@ Geta's Quilting Studio

For my Dare to Dresden Project
I decided to try to put my own new twist on this classic block. 
I wanted to make a square plate block.
I designed this block myself.

following the fabric trail

First I found some fabrics in my stash.  These are mostly fat quarters, some of which have already been cut and sewn into other projects. They are all from an older Mark Lipinski line, Califon.  I loved the colors in this fabric line and wish I had more in my stash, but this is enough for my Dresden Square Project. When I was cutting, I did have to add two more colors, and aqua and a cranberry red to have enough fabric and to include two of the colors in the prints not in my fat quarter collection. 

I drew up a plan using my EZ Dresden Ruler from Darlene Zimmermann.  When I was a new quilter, someone gave me her  Quilting, The Complete Guide and it has been my go-to book anytime I need an easy reference to any quilting technique. It has good photos and I am a visual and hands on learner. 

 How I made the block



For each block I cut ...

4  each of five blade colors cut with my EZ Dresden ruler

into 8 inch blades

and

1 center square ... 5 inches square,

cut twice on the diagonal to make 4 triangles.

These are my Block One blade colors and center fabric

I cut the strip horizonatally

and the print vertically for added visual texture

here are the blades laid out on the center fabric

Sew the blades together into four fan sections

chain piece

sew the blades together

press the fan blades all in one direction

cut the 5" center square

cut the center square twice diagonally into four triangles

pin and sew the triangles to the fans

even the seam to 1/4 inch and trim dog-ears
and check to be sure the fan is squared

press to nest seams

nest center seams

half a plate

two halves

make a whole plate

cut the edges off to make a square this block is 14 inches unfinished  and my largest square is 12.5 so I had to use my large cutting ruler

Pillow Cover

My test block also was my practice quilting block and I turned it into a pillow cover to go with my quilt.

Scrappy Dresden Square Baby Quilt

Cutting Requirements for the quilt:

180 blades 8" long

9 squares 5 " then cut twice on the diagonal to make 36 triangles

Making the quilt:

Sewing method as shown in my test block. 

Make 36 scrappy fans. Sew into 9 blocks.  Trim and square to 13.5" unfinished blocks.  Sew rows of three blocks, Sew rows together, matching blade edges. Square quilt.

When it came time to square my blocks to sew them together, I encountered this bump in the road ...

a little more waste than I like to see

When I have the time and inclination, I am going to have to find a use for these pretty scraps. I am thinking my Quick Curve Ruler may come in handy for this purpose. I do like the way this block design looks. With all the trimming, it is just not quite the larger block I set out to make. I have figured out how to "fix" this ... longer blades as I work toward the corners. Now I just need to find the fabric and time to sew and I will be off on a new adventure ... "The Return To Dresden Square!"

That post is for later time though. So please come back to visit me again.

  

Quilt top measures 40" square ... a nice size for a baby quilt.

For the quilting ...

It is so cold here in my quilty corner that when it came time to chose the backing fabric I went with a cozy and bright striped flannel.   We have had single digits with a wind chill below zero at night for several days now in the northeast.  I  love flannel backings for baby quilt. I used warm and natural quilt batting.  I smooth my top and backing very carefully over the backing and only add safety pins to the outer edges. I quilted the center block first and moved outward to the corners.  I do check the back after each block is quilted to make sure I have no folds or puckers in my backing fabric and I smooth the fabric and repin if necessary as I go.

I quilted lines to accent the triangles in the center of the block

then I quilted concentric squares around the center

Even though we have the heat up, it is so cold that wearing my machine quilting gloves felt wonderful,  I always wear these gloves for quilting as I like the way they help me grip the fabric.

close-up of the quilting and block details

this quilting has been quilty kitty inspected ...

... and approved!

My Finished Quilt!

~*~

Before I get to my giveaway,
I would like to share  ...

My First Dresden

I love the beauty of traditional Dresden Plates, too.

The first time I made a Dresden Plate it was a few years ago when I made these half-plates to set this lovely medallion from my friend Ann, in Nova Scotia, on point in a Round Robin. This one I hand appliqued to the setting triangles.  I also added the yellow and brown spacing strips. I learned a lot about quilting joining in these challenges and trying to find and create the right border for each visiting medallion.

I have also learned a lot about quilting from books, although I did not use this book for making my own projects. I learn a lot from reading and then I try to listen to my own quilty muse to create my quilts.

My Dresden Plate Book Giveaway!

~~~~~~~(This Giveaway Is Now Closed)~~~~~

Many of them have been from the library. Others I have found on quilt show and shop sale tables.  When my hubby finds one he thinks I might like at a second hand book store where he likes to browse, he brings it home to me.  All are well-read treasures.  I would like to share one of these books with someone anywhere in the world who would like to learn more about Dresden Plates.  So I am giving away this book from my personal quilting library.

To be eligible to win, please leave me one comment and be sure that I can contact you by email to let you know that you have won and to get your address.

For a second chance to win, please be a follower and leave a second comment telling me you are.

One winner will be chosen at random from all entries by midnight January 31st EST.

~~~~~~~(This Giveaway Is Now Closed)~~~~~

The winner will be announced here on my blog on February 1st.

Thanks for visiting me and be sure to check out all the great Dresden Plate projects today at these blogs ...

January 28^th, 2013

A Reformed Heath'n

Meadowbrook

Rosemary B @ “that Other Blog”

Stitch Duchess' Crazy & Sane Quilting World

Grammie Q’s

Bumbleberry Stitches

Sunshine Girl

Spiral

Butjenter Quilter

Blooming Where I am Planted

Quilting Lodge

The Tilted Quilt

Life in the Scrapatch (You Are Here!)

Pretty Bobbins
In The Boon Docks

Sew Much and More

Threading My Way
Pink Ribbon Quilts
Thimble Mouse & Spouse 

Thanks Madame Samm at Sew We Quilt

and
Christine at Quilt Monster in my Closet

for organizing this wonderful blog hop!

Someday my completed Dresden Square Baby Quilt and Pillow
will be  gift for a Mom-To-Be.

I love making baby quilts!

For now, waving "Bye"  from Dresden Square!

Have a happy quilty day!

<3