I know you are supposed to hand applique the top of the dresden plate but is it ok to machine applique it also? I just don't know if i'll ever make it if it needs to be hand appliqued.

It is your quilt so You get to make the rules dear.

Thanks for asking..... I have wondered this also. I love them, but have steered away from them because I have arthritis in my hands and can only to small amounts of hand work at a time.

I only machine applique. I have a hard time getting handstitching to look even, so, I always machine applique my dresen plates. Check out the Dresden Plates under The Gallery of Quilts in the Picture section. They are done both ways and all of them are beautiful.

As everyone says, it is your quilt your method. I have made one in the past using machine blanket stitch and it looked very rustic and very fabulous.

The stitch you use depends on the look you want and the fabrics you are using. I suggest you do some test peices with any odd blades you have left overso that you can find the look you like for YOUR quilt.

I have machine appliqued mine and it looked fine.

I machine appliqued mine and they look fine..

I just looked it up in the Quilters Rule book. And its says in Chapter 3and 7/8, page 2 1/2, paragraph 4.5, that all applique should be hand stitched....it goes on with more detail about stitches and such. Its my duty as a law abiding quilter to turn you in to the Quilt Police, of course I could be bribed with a little chocolate and lets say 2 fat quarters....?

I have just completed the last of my ancient (35 years) Dresdan plate blocks and I machine appliqued all of the remaining ones. I had hand appliqued the first two blocks, cut out the rest and let them sit in a shoe box since I took my first quilt class the first winter after I was married. My guild's challenge was to finish your oldest P.I.G. and although the quilt isn't done yet the blocks are and they look great!!!! My good quilting friend who loves hand applique thought machine appliquing them was the only solution for me if I ever wanted to get these blocks done.

I am machine appliquing mine!!!

I love the machine applique, and am in a BOM now, Sticher's Garden, where you use your decorative stitches to applique the edges..So many different looks we are getting...But the ever popular blanket stitch, which most machines have, is a great stich to finish off your edges, or you can just use your regular straight stich....It's your quilt, make it your own....I'm sure it will be gorgeous...Post a picture of your quilt when finished, we'd love to see it!

lol this made me laugh today. thank you!

awesome thanks everyone! i know i don't have the patience to hand stitch everything so I'll go ahead and machine applique them :)

I'm about to start one and I plan to machine mine....

awesome i just looked at the gallery of quilts and I think I will straight stitch them :)

I've seen a couple of machine appliqued dresden plates and they looked great. One was appliqued with a straight stitch and the other was appliqued with a machine buttonhole stitch.

I used a small zig zag on mine with a neutral thread. It looks fine.

Glad I could make you laugh. Dresdens are so pretty, I think a person could use kindergarten glue and yarn to attach them and they would still be beautiful. Cant wait to see your quilt. Eleanor Burns has video on how to do and easy appliqued dresden. Her applique method makes things alot easier IMHO. Good Luck!

A nice decorative stitch would just add to the individual look of your quilt - no need to be governed by too many rules unless your quilt will fall apart or rot.I suggest you just go for it.

I just finished doing mine on the machine. I used the blind hem stitch. Very pleased with the results.

Try using your buttonhole/blanket stitch around the edges. And if you don't want to do that...just stitch it....on your machine...and no, the quilt police won't be coming to your door!

I machine applique mine.

I made Eleanor Burns Christmas Wreaths two years ago which were large Dresden Plates and my machine has several blanket stitch options. I used the one I liked best and it looked really good.

I have the book from Elanor Burns and it directs you to attach the plate with a machine blind stitch

there are several methods to hand applique and if you want it to look like it is done by hand use your blind hem stitch adjust length and width use monifiliment thread on top neutral in the bobbin and it will look hand stitched practice first to get the right setting on your machine

At considerable sacrifice of quilting time, I have wracked my brain to figure out some of the acronyms on the board, but P.I.G. just won't come to me! I love the concept, but what does that stand for?

I made 2 Dresden quilt tops and only did machine applique. They turned out beautifully and I got them done.... I do love to hand applique but had I saved these two quilt tops to do by hand I would never have started them. One quilt is in many, many shades of purple. Saved for a long time to get it together. I covered the center with heavy white lace from fabric and did the applique stitch in varigated purple embroidery thread. The border on 4 sides is twisted vines with pretty purple flowers.
The second one is a bright all color quilt, just as pretty only different. I enjoyed making these tops so much. Got the pattern out of some magazine with a plainer looking Dresden plate quilt on the cover. Mine looks better, especially the purple one. These were so enjoyable I am thinking of getting pinks and burgundys together along with lots of greens for the borders.

It's your quilt you do as you like. I always do my appliques now with the machine, gopes much faster and if you use same colored thread or neutral thread you cannot see the stitching.Go for it.

I have been collecting fabric for a Dresden Plate and mine will definitely be machine appliqued. I admire those who do hand work but that is not for me.

I did a Hawaiian Dresden when I was in a postcard swap on another website. I also cannot do a lot of handwork so I used a buttonhole stitch.

I have made two Dresdan plate quilts, and machine appliqued them . I don't have the patience to hand stitch. They looked fine.

Why don't you do one on machine, and one by hand then you can see what you like better. I just finished a Dresden plate doing it by hand and it really didn't take that long to do. In fact I did one an evening while watching tv.

I hand appliqued the first two plates I did and then came to my senses. I use the featherstitch on my Janome and the plates look great. Just finished two projects and ready to go with more Dresden plates!

I'm new to quilting so this may sound dumb but if you put your dresden plate down with Steam N Sew, would you still need to sew around the edges?

I like to machine applique mine. :)

I have always wanted to do a dresden plate out of 30's fabric but put it off, because of the hand sewing..

Well last year I did some blocks using Hoopsisters Machine Pattern, I used 30's fabric with a black feather stitch and they look so nice. (my grandma would have been proud)

Go for it.

There are so many machine stitches you can use - I would machine applique it

I have done mine by hand, however, it is your project and if its easier and faster, go for it. I might try it myself.

Did anybody tell you that you can machine sew all the blades together into a circle first. Then sew down a circle over the center hole - you can fold the outside edges of that circle under and topstitch it down into the center.
Fold the outside edges under, Iron them in place, then pin it carefully onto the background fabric, and matching the thread for best matching invisibility, topstitch a short stitch very close to the outside edge all the way around. You can use a fancy decorative stitch if you wish. Experiment on a sample! (make a block for a pillow)
Otherwise the only applique is around the outside edges.

You asked about fused - If it is going to be used as a wall hanging, and won't be washed, then no - you don't have to.
but if it is going to be used on a bed and washed, the edges might fray, and you might want to topstitch it using a decorative stitch.

As others have said; it is your quilt. If there was a strict rule to follow in quilting I would not pass the exam. :lol: