Want to try one today but want to make my own template. I've tried to find some measurements on here this morning with no luck. Want to make the pointed one. Something for about a 12 or 16 or 18 inch block (am not picky). Can anyone give me the height, width at top and bottom measurements. Thanks, Margie

My Dresden Plate quilt has 8" blocks. The plate is 7" across. I wish I'd made the back pieces larger. I did a tutorial on the DP --- Here's the measurements for the blades.

3 1/2" across the top
1" across the bottom
total length of this ruler is 10" -- for the 3 1/2" blade (7" plate), you make the total length 3 1/2" - Cut your template 10" and mark it every 1/2" inch across. Then lay the bottom of the fabric at the 3 1/2" mark.

Thank You so much. Now I'm off to play!!

Another way to think about this: how many blades/petals do you wish your completed block to have? Once you decide on this, just about all the work is done, really, because the number of blades/petals determines the width at the center of the block ... and the diameter of the block determines the width at the top of the blade/petal, and in the end determines the final diameter of the center circle of the block.

Pick a ready-made block with the number of blades/petals you want and print one out. (The 12-blade block pattern is tough to come by for some reason, they're "all" seemingly 8 or 16 blade blocks). Tape or glue this ready-made block onto a larger piece/sheet of paper or template material and use a ruler or straight edge to extend each of the blade/petal lines outward until your eye says "STOP." This will pretty much be your final block size. Determine the final blade length and then decide whether to make it a rounded or pointed blade/petal. Then audition different center circle diameters to ensure that the center circle is proportionate - or pleasing to YOUR eye - to the blades/petals. You could even have some fun fussy cutting the circle fabric, embroidering or appliquing something special in the center of each circle.

I hope my suggestion was helpful to you and not too confusing - PM me if you have any questions!

To make custom-sized blocks, do the Folding Paper technique. First cut your desired size block from paper. Do you want 12 petals? 4 x 3 = 12. Fold your paper square into quarters. This determines your centerpoint. Determine the desired size of your plate, then using a compass or a dinner plate, draw two circles, your outer maximum dimension, and a small circle for your center. Then cut one quarter, and fold it diagonally into 3 equal radial sections. The 90 degree angle divided by 3 equals a 30 degree angle. Each section will have the proper angle to make a perfect circle when 12 are connected. At this time decide if you want rounded, or pointed, or a combination of both. Cut your paper template, Add quarter inch seam allowances on all sides. You may want to cut another full size paper block, drawing in your center circle, tracing your 30 degree angle template, so you can visualize your block. Follow this technique to create 16 segments, or 20, etc. Good Luck.

Nice geometry lesson. For a 12 section plate I'd draw it out with a compass and ruler.

Start with a center point. Set your compass to the radius of your inner circle and draw your inner circle.
Without changing your radius put the point of your compass on the circle you just drew.
Mark from that point to the next on the circle. It will take 6 marks to go completely around the circle.
Draw a line from the center of your circle thru one of the marks you just made out past where your outer circle will be.
Now set your compass to the radius of your outer circle and draw your outer circle using the same center point as the first.
Start where the line you drew from the center crosses your outer circle and mark around your outer circle just like you did with the first one. You now have your inner and outer circles with 6 evenly spaced sections.
To get 12 petals put your compass point on one of the marks on the outer circle and make a short arc outside the circle. Move your compass to the next section and cross the first arc with another arc.
Draw a line from the center of the circle thru where those two arcs cross.
Now move your compass to where your line crosses the outer circle and mark around your outer circle again 6 times. Draw lines from the center of your circles thru each of those marks and you will end up with 12 evenly sized sections for your plate. From there it's a simple matter to add seam allowances to one of the sections for your template.
Easier to do than to type out or read about.
Clear as mud?
Rodney

Thanks for the geometry lesson......been a long time......but I am going to save this example

I googled and found a whole bunch of free templates.

https://www.google.com/search?q=dres...w=1138&bih=554

And here is a tutorial that will show you how to make pointed plates from a straight template.

http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/10/...our-table.html

I always make 4 or 5 inch Dresden blades and appliqué them onto a 14 or 16 inch square. Twenty blades to each. Sometimes 5 different colors or patterns repeated, and sometimes only two.