Originally Posted by
DogHouseMom
First ... they're very pretty!!
Second ... I'm sure you know that the important part of the plate to match is the outside tips, and those look great!
Third ... your centers are not that far off, and will be covered by the center circle.
But I'm guessing that you are striving for even better, and there's nothing wrong with that!
One thing I noticed is that you were cutting several pieces of fabric at a time. When you do this the fabric on each successive layer is larger ... just a bit. It's also easier for the template to slip (and templates are harder to hold in place than our longer 6x24 rulers! ). Perhaps reduce the number of fabrics you are cutting through.
The other thing I noticed is what Jingle pointed out. If that first seam across the top of the blade is not at a right angle to the blade as a whole ... the blade will be off. Also, when folding the tip out and pressing, it's very easy to get that tip just slight off. If the tip is off and you are using that to match the tips together, the bottoms are going to be off.
As I said though, it looks fantastic and you won't have a problem setting the center circles ... which will take care of the whole problem.
Thank you so much for all the great info-just what I am looking for! I am not "unhappy" with my results, but I know I should be able to do better. As you said, the tips are matching just fine. It's those pesky inner ends that aren't lining up quite as well as I'd like, and you have given me some more insights into what I might do to improve. The other thing I am noticing is that by "pressing to the dark" the darker blades appear a bit narrower, especially at the bottom because of the space the folds take up. It is really noticeable on the dark green blades; that fabric is a little thicker than some of the others... Next time I'll try pressing all one direction and see how that goes, unless there is a compelling reason not to.
This is my first attempt at a Dresden plate, but probalby not my last. Thanks again!