Thanks so much for calling this to my attention!! I had never taken the time to look at this!! I did get a great idea from one of these quilts!! Gonna try it and see what I think with my quilt. thanks again!!!!

I did not know to check this out either. Thanks for the tip.

Check out the free patterns at http://www.quilterscache.com...look under the 15" block size...she might have something that will work for you (or look in the 12" section and add an 1.5 mini-border to bring it up to 15).

a basket block

Have you seen X0X0X quilt tops?? (Hugs and Kisses) Since the Dresden resembles the Hugs (0) you could create a simple X block. Sashing and Cornerstones sound like a great setting for your Dresdens.

I made a dresden plate and set the blocks on point. I then alternated a plain background fabric block between them on point.

I have become such a fan of scrappy string blocks, the smaller strings the better.

I use doodle pad paper, cut to larger than you need, if I was doing a 15" block I'd make 5" squares, sew strings on the diagonal. Use anything. 1.5" & down, wonky, sew strips together. Neutral strings are great. Bonnie Hunter has quite a few on her group Quiltville.com. Put together they look like a medallion.
Judi

@misoop I don't know if you're looking for an alternate block because you don't want to make more DP blocks ;-) or want something different to fill up the space.

Maybe an alternate setting might achieve the same purpose:

I, too, like the idea of an on-point setting. It fills up the space nicely, and doesn't look like a standard straight grid pattern (not my personal favorite ;-) ).
http://www.rickrack.com/quilt/pdp.html

Here are a couple of other pictures I stumbled across:

The basket really compliments the plates:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pz8eid7Sg_...atch.co.uk.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pz8eid7Sg_.../Dresden+Plate,+Jenny+Reynold,+at+www_qldquilters_com.jpg

Here's the 9patch cornerstone layout option:
http://www.robertkaufman.com/quiltin...dresden_plate/

MTS----thank you sooooo much!! I LOVE the one with the center basket....everything set on point. It is perfect. Yes, part of my thinking was I just didn't like making that many dresden plates for a queen size quilt. Plus, I really don't like the look of everything being lined up in a row...row after row...like ducks in a row....each row....know what I mean??? I just like some variety. Again, thanks everyone who contributed.....everyone had great ideas....some I just couldn't do because of fancy quilting issues. But, I will have no problem quilting this one, I can even do some feathers in those half squares, I believe. (I have learned to do feathers...hehehe....and some pretty stippling and loops.)

I think the perfect alternate block would be a Dresden Plate. If you want a different arrangment, how about doing the Dresden Plate the you make into quarters and put in the corners of a plain block? There is also a nice one that makes fans in the corner and I have even seen one where you use a quarter fan in the corner and applique a umbrella handle.