mainlylady

I am new to quilting myself, but have been collecting old quilts for some time. I am facinated with quilts from the 30's....crazy quilt, double wedding ring, dresden plate. Well, i've discovered ebay sells some of those as quilt tops or even the blocks. To make a long story short, I am the excited owner of 24 fancy dresden plates. I have purchased my cotton muslin. So my question, how do I attach the plates to the muslin squares? I want to do this by hand as I'm trying to keep with the integrity of the plates. Also, how is the center attached? I've found a source for feedsack reproduction fabric, so have purchased the fabric for centers. Thanks so much for the expected help!!! I need all I can get!!!!

Marcia

Congrats on your recent purchase of Dresden Plates.

If you want to applique them onto the muslin by hand, you need to cut your muslin squares an inch or so bigger than you want your finished block to be. Then fold the muslin in fourths and press. Lay your plate onto the muslin square using your pressing creases as a centering guideline. Pin, pin, pin!!! I use tiny applique pins, but you can use regular straight pins. Use a thin needle and silk thread to match. Turn about an 1/8" under on the outside of the plate and stitch down.

For the center, decide how big you want your circle to be-it has to be larger than the hole in your Dresden Plates. Next cut templates out of freezer paper the size you determine your circle to be. Then iron the shiny side of the freezer paper onto the fabric you purchased for the centers. Cut around each circle, about 1/8" bigger than the circle. When you have your center cut, leave the freezer paper in place and press the seam allowance onto the circle, using the edge of the freezer paper as your guide. Center on your Dresden Plate and stitch down by hand.

Here are a few websites that may help you too. Also check your local library for quilting books. I hope this helps you some.

http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/sizzling-dresden-plate/
http://www.quilterbydesign.com/lesso.../dresdens.html
http://www.mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_703/
http://www.quilt.com/FAQS/AppliqueFAQ.html

Up North

I hand sewed mine onto muslin squares but for the centes to get them nice and round I had my son cut me a piece of metal flashing into the appropriate size cirle, I stitched around the edge of my piece by hand, put my metal cirle on and pulled the thread to make it a snug fit, then I pressed it and removed the metal piece, I tried other methods but this gave me the crisp edges I wanted. Depending on your center size you could use a canning lid or some other flat metal piece. hope this helps, I am ready to put my sashings on, Mine are only about 8 inches across so I had to make 72 for a queen size quilt. I assume yours are larger.

vicki reno

I am working on one at the moment that a girlfriend gave me. These were her mothers and the fabric is definitely 30's and 40's. I pinned them to my unbleached muslin and am doing needle turned applique. The centers are already sewn to the plates. There is one cneter that was too far gone to use and I will have to make a replacement for it. It is a circhle but there are little ovals pieced within the circle. Kind of like robbing Peter to pay Paul only its a cirlce instead of a square. I have a little over half done.

JCL in FL

When I made my Dresdan plate I cut the center circle larger than the opening and I used a piece of thin cardboard for a shaper, I then ironed around it with about a quarter inch turned back to make a good circle. then I pinned it over the plate and basted it with very tiny stitches. The same went for putting the plate on the muslin. I cut the back of the plate out to make it easier to quilt. It's important to iron the plate real well first to get the shape correct.(I've seen some where they are not circular and somewhat pointy). I pinned mine to the muslin but you could use the spray adhesive or the glue stick for that. The stitches should be tiny catching only a thread of the back and the plate. You will have to cut the curves with small slices almost to the edge to get it lay down correctly. You may want to try a sample first to master the technique. It's a beautiful pattern and I'm sure you'll do it justice.

quiltsRfun

I also have some Dresdens I got at eBay. The fabric looks like 30s or 40s. They were all hand sewn but some were off a little on either the cutting or sewing and don't lie flat. So it will require a little re-sewing. I plan to applique mine using a machine blind hem stitch. Might use the invisible thread. They were turned under at the edges using black thread but I might just consider this the basting and pull it out after I aqqlique. Haven't decided yet. I also have to get some fabric for the center circles. This is a project I'm excited about but it's down the list a bit. I have at least three other quilts that I really need to get done before I can start. I'm thinking I might work on flattening the plates as a hand stitching project before I start the actual quilt construction.

vicki reno

i just did a swing cushion in the Dahlia pattern, very similar to the Dresden plate. It has a cneter circle also. I sewed around the edge of eachcircle and pulled the gathering thread up so that ti would cup and the raw edges were turned under. Then I pressed it and slip stitched to the quilt. (swing cushion)

Elizabeth A.

Patrice, our wonderful moderator created a Desden Plate pattern herself, it uses paperpiecing, but it is very very clear on where and how to sew. She also shows you how you could be sewing by hand.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/4260.page

I always thought it was an amazing, but not up to what I could do pattern, but I was blown away by Patrice's very clear directions. She even has photos for every step of the way so you can SEE it while you do it.