Question-Precision Piecing a Dresden Plate
 

Hi All,

I've been working some dresden plate blocks and am getting ready to assemble them into a quilt top. As I am sewing on the centers I am noticing that the inner parts of the "blades" don't all point exactly toward the center of the circle. I'll complete this quilt top as it is, but would like to figure out how to be more precise with them next time.

I'm hoping some of you can give me some suggestions as to how to do better next time....

I cut all the blades, using a Marty Michele template with the straight/lengthwise grain running straight down the middle of each blade, and I tried to be accurate with my seam allowances, but the inner opening is not anywhere near round in most of my blocks.
I chain pieced and pressed as I went along, but I suspect there was something more I should have done at that point to make sure they laid better...

After the plates were complete, I spray-basted them to the background squares and hand stitched them on.

Here is a thread with some pictures that I posted long ago when I was piecing the plates: http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ip-t89035.html As you can see, some of the blades don't really quite line up...

I'd really like to figure out where I went wrong and how to improve my process; suggestions please???

I went to your others, I think they look great. Jenny Doan on Missouri Star Quilt Company has a youtube.com a tutorial on making them. I press mine down the center before turning the points right side out. Matched the little seam on the underside with the pressed line turned out just right. I made three Dresden Plate quilts this year. My posted pictures on here should be easy to find.

I would think that the only way they could be off kilter is that the ruler slipped when cutting and made one side of your angle different from the other, just a guess. I love to make this pattern. Your earlier thread is wonderful and looks great.
hope you fine your problem.
peace

Well, that's a really interesting thought, Jingle, thank you...I hadn't considered that the point might be a tiny bit off, causing the problem I am seeing on the other end of the blades...

ube quilting~ I'm pretty sure my cutting was accurate, but possible different weights of fabrics where the seams are pressed to one side might be part of the problem too.

I am not an expert at this, but have done some. I went to your previous posting and I think the blocks are wonderful. I did notice a stylus that I assume was for making the points sharp. When I tried a pointy thing, they were wonky. So I made a triangle out of cardboard that was the depth of the turned back part. Then I inserted it and lined it up so that the edges were flush with the cardboard and the tip was "squared" with the rest of the block. Pressed it well. Next time I will use a more sturdy template, but cardboard worked for me that time. Then I sewed the blocks together and they all matched up lengthwise and came out evenly where the notches meet. Hope this is clearer than mud. But as I said, I thought the ones on the other post looked pretty spiffy to me and I think you will have a great project.

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.

I have done several Dresdens and yours look wonderful!

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!