Question on Dresden Plate
 

I would like to know how you sew the plate to the backround fabric. Do you sew up and down each seam or do you go round the plate. I have been sewing up and down each seam and breaking thread but I don,t like the way it looks on the back. Is there another way? Thanks.:confused:

I sew the tips of each blade down by machine. The sew the center on. After all that is done I layer it and quilt it.

I'm interested as well, having just cut the pieces for my first dresdan plate today.

I'm paying close attention, too, to the suggestions you receive. Thanks for posting this question!

I hand applique the outside of the plate to the background and then hand applique the center circle on.

I hand applique the plates and the centers on. But I machine piece the plates, and I machine piece the squares and sashing.

Here's another decision point -- do you cut out the background fabric behind the plates and center circle, or do you leave them all intact?

RST

I'm using a blanket stitch on mine with variegated thread. I do the tips and go down each blade only on one side. Mine are turkey's

I hand applique all the pieces.
I also leave all the background fabric in place helps to make the dresden plate stand out a bit more after layering and quilting.

I sewed around the outside edges of the plate while constructing the top, then sewed the plate strips and center circle when I quilted it. Worked out great for me. I also left the center of the background fabric. I didn't cut it out. My background was white, so there was no "show-through".

I use a blanket stitch around the outside of the plate, then when I quilt, I go around the circle and up and down each strip. The last one I did, I let the background fabric on and it turned out nicely. I've also cut it out though. It just depends on what I think looks best on each project.

I made three this year. One I sewed the dresdens on by machine, was beautiful but the points stuck up after quilting. I didn't like that look, tried sewing them down with the machine, didn't like that. Took out some stitches and sewed them down by hand. The other two I sewed to background like I saw Jenny on youtube do. then quilted them. I did cut the back away from all of them. Leaving the background fabric would have made the quilts real heavy. The size is about a twin size.

I took a class with Susan Cleveland at IQF in Houston, and she does a double-pointed dresden plate, where she sews both the top and bottom of the pieces, then turns and presses both ends. That way, she doesn't have to have a center circle to cover the ends, and she can do curves with sections of her DPs like a drunkard's path. She said that she will SITD from the point where the blades are sewn together at the top to the bottom, then fold the point back and stitch UNDER the point. Then she stitches from the bottom to the top, folds the point back and stitches UNDER the point. This gives her DPs a little more dimension. I've never done a DP, but when I do, I will do it this way. Also, she does her SITD before she quilts, so none of the stitching is seen.

The idea of a double point dresden is intriguing. I'll have to play around with that.

I have made 35 dresden plate table toppers since August including some of the double pointed ones. I spray basted my backing to thin batting and background fabric--then spray basted the plate to background and stitched 1/4 or less around all the points. Did echo quilting around outside of plate and then some of the fancy machine stitches around edges of background between plate and binding. Most of these were octogon shape and rest were squares. Most of them were assorted Christmas fabrics for gifts and Festival of Trees donation. That means 700 little wedges to cut and sew and turn the points and press before you can even sew them into the circle--yikes!!!! Good thing I didn't realize that before I started. They've all delivered so can't even look at them--didn't keep even one for myself.

Blanket or zig zag around the points and the center piece. Then I sash them together and put cornerstones on. The come out nice. You can hand appliqué them on also if you have lots of time. Do a search on the board and you will see many examples on how to do it.

I hand baste around the outside of the Dresden laying on the background, then hand-baste the middle. Later I will quilt the whole thing. Haven't decided if I will remove any basting if it annoys me.

When hand sewing the plate and circle to the background fabric, do you work with a hoop, or just work loosely sew the DP and circle to the background?

I hand applique my plates onto the background but I really like hand work. I leave the fabric behind the plate on but can see where it would add weight to a quilt so might consider cutting it away on a larger quilt.

I use the blanket stitch as well. I think it looks better but every one is different.

I did a Dresden Plate quilt for one of our family reunions. I machine stitched the blades together, then pinned them to a background fabric, added the center, then sewed them down. You could also hand applique the plates down if you desire, but I was on a deadline, so I opted for machine applique.

I have only done two, but I appliqued them by hand to the background fabric. My instructions said to stabilize the middle by ironing freezer paper to them, so that is what I did. Cut out the circle and appliqued that on as well. I did the points and then sewed the blades together. Seemed to work out okay. Hats off to the 35 table toppers.

I don't know how others do it, but I found that by using small pieces of paper backed fusible web on the back of each point, then ironing it to the background, I could then hand stitch them down like an appliqué. I just like that look better. I do use quilters pins to hold the Dresden in place while I iron so nothing moves! This trick was especially helpful when I made a 47" center medallion Dresden quilt. It did take most of a day to sew it down, but I was very happy with the results. You could do the same trick when you machine sew them down.
I do trim the fabric from behind the Dresden, leaving a generous 1/4" or so for security.

I sew around the outside...and around the center.

I use wonder under to stick them to background fabric, then machine straight stitch just inside each blade, then wonder under circle on, and stitch around inner edge.

I have 72 Dresden Plates in my closet, waiting for my decision on what to do with them. At present, I'm opting for Quilt-as-you-go. I want to place the plate on a background with batt and back underneath. Then I would mark the place where the circle will be. I would stitch around the plate, stopping at the spot where the circle will cover. Then put the circle on and sew around that. I planned to use a decorative stitch and use black thread in the bobbin. That way I'll have a two sided quilt.

Now I have to figure out how I will join these blocks. I will need to know that before I start, because I may use blocks of floral that are an inch too large, sew the backs together rst, and fold the seam allowance back and stitch it down on the front. That is the technique used on Fun and Done.

Guess I need to think on that for another year or two. LOL