Piece a Dresden Ring Within a Ring – Block #2

by LeahDay · Published February 8, 2022 · Updated March 7, 2022

Now let’s stitch our blocks up a notch and piece a Dresden Ring within a Ring!

Click Here to find the new Dresden Template Set – This new set of templates can cut dozens of Dresden Plates and now easily cuts Dresden Rings as well. They are redesigned from the original template set I created in 2017 and are now much more functional!

Find True Grips for the back of your templates here – I place these little grips on the backs of my templates to stop them from sliding when cutting. One pack of True Grips should be enough to cover all 6 Dresden Templates.

Find the microtip glue bottles here – You only need a thin line of glue on the folded edges of your Dresden Ring. Too much glue will really make a mess! I put Elmer’s school glue in a bottle and can easily dispense a thin line exactly where I need it.

Best Scissors ever! I absolutely love these scissors for applique and general sewing. They are super sharp, have nice sharp tips, but when you put the blades together you can poke out the points of your Dresden Ring petals.

How to Follow Along

Remember – This is a Block Along, so we’re going to work block-by-block. No, there isn’t a pattern, fabric calculation, or picture of the finished quilt.

The purpose of this project is to use up scraps or your favorite fat quarters. Working on one block at a time makes this a lot less stressful and encourages you to shop your stash for material. I’m planning to use up my stash of 1930s reproduction fabrics, which I’ve been saving for over ten years!

Preparation to Piece Dresden Ring #2

To make this 8-petal Dresden Ring within a Ring, you’ll need the following materials:

Fabric A – Purple – 3 x 21-inch strip

Fabric B – Pink – 3 x 21-inch strip and 2 x 21-inch strip

Fabric C – Blue – 2 1/2 x 21-inch strip

Background square – 13 inch square (roughly) – we will trim this down to 12 1/2 inches when it’s time to piece a quilt together.

Now follow along with the video cut out your petal shapes. You will need 4 petals from each fabric strip and it’s VERY important to cut using the correct edge of Dresden Template #1.

How to Prepare All Petals

All of the petals for this Dresden Ring within a Ring are made the same way:

Fold the petals in half, right sides together, and stitch along the short straight edge. Backstitch at the beginning and end of the seam to reduce fraying. Follow along with the video to see how I trim and turn the petals, and press them flat so they are symmetrical.

To finish the inner edge, fold the bottom edge of the petals up 1/4 inch and press.

Next, piece the Dresden Ring together in sets of 2 petals. KEY! You MUST align and begin piecing from the inner edge of the petals.

Align the bottom, folded edge of the petal and stitch to the pointy edge. This will ensure the mini ring comes out looking right like the photo above.

How to Secure Your Dresden Ring

Fold your background fabric square in half and press to create crease lines running through the center in both directions. Center the larger Dresden Ring on the fabric with the points of the petals aligned with the crease lines. Using a Microtip Bottle, glue the points and the inner folded edges of the ring in place and press with a hot, dry iron to heat set the glue.

Place the mini ring inside the bigger ring. Align the points with the crease lines on the background fabric too. The bigger petals of the mini ring (blue) should just hit the inner edge of the outer ring.

Finish the Dresden Ring with a bit of stitching around the inner and outer edges. I like to use a straight stitch, 1/8 inch away from either the raw or folded edge of the fabric. I’ve decided to use white thread throughout to make securing the 1930s fabrics down quick and easy.

So that is it for how to piece a Dresden Ring in a Ring block, which is the second block in this Block Along! We have many fun Dresden Plate and Dresden Ring quilt blocks to come in 2022. I can’t wait to show you all the fun shapes you can cut with the new Dresden Template Set.

Let’s go Quilt,

Leah Day