I have seen smaller dresdens "birthed" the way tesspug described and they turn out very nicely.

You might want to check out this old thread on a dresden plate that was birthed. The member goes into detail on how she did it.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...r-t118942.html

That's a really pretty dresden top, I remember that post. Only problem is, those wedges are rounded and the one I'm thinking of making has pointed ends. I could sew right sides together, but given the fact that the tips are already doubled, I think there would be a lot of bulk at the end of each wedge. Hmmmm. what to do, what to do!!!!!!

I would think the rounded ends would work better than points.

Can't you just sew the Dresden plates to the background fabric? That is what I did when I made my first Dresden plates. I sewed them by hand to the background fabric.

You can use facing to finish the edges - demo here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwPe_84GBfY

Thank you for posting this link! I thought I wasn't a fan of dresdan's but after seeing this one I am now a fan and plan to try making one soon.

Without actually seeing it, I'm making a guess. From what I am understanding you are making a table topper from one single, huge, Dresdan plate circle with pointed tips. Can you layer batting and a piece of fabric on the back, quilt it (but stay away from the edges), and trim and turn the edges of the backing, hand-stitching in place to fit the circular part of the plate, leaving the points to hang free kind of like prairie points? Do I make any sense?

Thanks for that tute.... what a great way to bind uneven edges. I have to bookmark this one.

I have made one similar and quilted in the ditch, radiating out from the center circle to the edge of the block. The tip stays down ok, but i decided to just tack it down anyway.