How to Piece a Dainty Dresden Plate
Check out this video to get tips on piecing this new block:
Click Here to find the pattern for Block #6.
The first step to piecing this Dainty Dresden Plate is to cut out your petal shapes. Make sure to print the cutting template page in the quilt pattern “actual” size with no fitting or shrinking on a US letter size page.
Every once and while a quilter will email to say that the 1-inch box measures 1 inch, but the template isn’t printing properly. Every single time I send her back to measure the 1 inch box and it actually is measuring 7/8, which means the printer is shrinking the page in some way.
Yes, this is an annoying technicality, but that 1-inch box needs to measure exactly 1-inch! That way you know all of the pages of your pattern have printed exactly the right size.
Why am I harping on about this? Because with 16 petals form this Dainty Dresden Plate and if the template is off, it’s just not going to work. An alternative to printing is to pick up the Dresden Plate Template Set and use Template #5 to cut your petals.
This just happens to be my favorite template in the set for ruler foot quilting as well!
Creating this Dainty Dresden Plate quilt block isn’t hard if you piece the petals in sets of 4 petals. This way you can square up the edges so the plate will piece together perfectly and lay flat on your block background.
Once you have the block positioned on your background, pin or glue it down. I like glue because it sticks to the block and stays in place, rock solid, as I stitch over the edges.
Yes, I use Elmer’s Glue that I put into a little glue bottle with a tiny tip. I’ll look into carrying that tiny tip bottle this month as it really works great for applying just enough glue to do the job.
After gluing, you could machine stitch the appliques down or hand stitch them in place, it’s totally up to you. I really love the look of hand applique, but rarely have the time to do it. And besides, we’re going to stitch over the block quite a lot to quilt it so what’s a little more machine stitching on the edges of the petals?
I hope you enjoyed this new tutorial and are excited to create this Dainty Dresden Plate quilt block. Have questions about this process? Make sure to post in the comments below!
The best thing about making our 6th block is our Flower Festival quilt will be half finished! I’ve been busy connecting the blocks together with sashing and cornerstones and I love the look so far.
Are you looking for all the posts we’ve shared so far on the Machine Quilting Block Party? Click Here to check them out.
Let’s go quilt,
Leah Day
