Thursday, January 24, 2013

Dresden Plate Quilt Flimsy and Applique Tutorial

I signed up to participate in the Dare to Dresden blog hop hosted by Sew We Quilt, and here's my dresden top!  This is still on the design wall, and above the quilt is a pillowcase...I wanted to finish this up but with the new long arm arriving I was distracted!!


I still am going back and forth as to whether to add some of that purple fabric around the quilt itself or just use it for the binding.

Here's a closeup...



The applique tutorial I have been promising!!!  Here it is!!!

I used Eleanor Burns dresden templates from her Egg Money Quilts book.  I used the 4" wedge and the 12" block circle for the center.  I found the circle to be just shy of what it needed to be to cover the unfinished edges of the dresden blades, so I added 1/4" all the way around the circles.  I traced them all onto freezer paper - on the dull side.


Then I ironed the freezer paper templates I made on to the RIGHT side of my fabric.  I snipped all the way around just a few threads shy of the freezer paper.  These sort of helps to turn it in "bites".

 
To glue baste the edges down you use just a regular old glue stick.  I like Elmer's glue best, but this was all we had laying around - I actually very literally grabbed it right out of my 7 year old's book bag!


On the WRONG side of the fabric add a little glue to the outside edge.


Using a stiletto, your fingers, or do as I did and use the pointy tip of your seam ripper and turn the pieces over.  You'll have a few seconds before it dries into place to adjust a bit and smooth out the edge so it's round.


See how it's turning under?



Continue to do this all the way around the circle (or whatever applique piece you are doing).  NOTE:  You don't need to snip like this for straight pieces.  I really don't usually snip this much but it seemed to help turn this much more evenly.


Once you've turned the edges and glued down the edges all the way around your piece you can remove the freezer paper.  Glue baste into place and just stitch down!


For the dresdens I used a polyester invisible thread made by Superior Threads.


Here is another project I'm working on that I showed a little bit of last week.  I traced these petal shapes onto freezer paper and followed the steps shown above.


Here I used Gutermann silk thread - they didn't have the right dark purple color...but the thread is so fine look how it melds into the fabric and still can barely be seen!


I hope everyone is enjoy the blog hop - I visited several of the participants from yesterday and WOW I'm blown away by what a creative group of people there are out there in blogland!

Thanks for visiting and please visit the other hoppers and comment on their fabulous posts!  There are giveaways and tutorials so check everyone out!

January 25th, 2013

It has been SO fun seeing what everyone is making - thanks to CHRISTINE from Monster in my Closet and Mdm Samm from Sew We Quilt for allowing me to take part!  :)

74 comments:

Thearica said...

This is really gorgeous! How do you plan to quilt it?

Kim West said...

very pretty!!! I would have been distracted if I had gotten a new longarm too!

Die Butjenterin Abschnitt said...

Beautiful Dresden Plate.

Farm Quilter said...

Oh, cool! I really like your colors!! Are you thinking about how you are going to quilt a quilt you are piecing?? Beware, it's an occupational hazard!!!

Sunshine Girl said...

Lovely quilt - such vibrant colours! and I enjoyed your tutorial too. Thanks for sharing.

Theresa said...

oh that is lovely, such pretty colours - how exciting to have your own long arm.

charlotte said...

Very pretty. Use the purple for binding. The top is great as is.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Lovely quilt - pretty color and fabrics. A large quilt in the middle of all the excitement - I wouldn't even get that far!

Gill said...

What beautiful dresdens!
Thank you for your tips re glue sticks. Does the type of glue affect the machine needle when stitching??

Jeanie said...

Love the purples in your dresdens and thanks for the tips!

Betsy said...

Valarie, it is stunning!

Eileen said...

Beautiful colors in your Dresdens. Wish I had thought about glue sticks when I made mine.

Sowing Stitches said...

I like your idea of the purple fabric as the binding! :)

Britt-Inger said...

Thanks for sharing your wonderful Dresden and the wonderful tutorial.

Sparky said...

lovely hues of lilac, purple, mauve...great tips too...thank you so much

Charlene S said...

Life sometimes sends us on different paths than we planned to take. I agree that a little purple would complete the quilt.

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

Thanks for sharing your tips and your lovely work. Great colors in both projects

Barb Neiwert said...

Love the colors in your Dresden quilt. Thanks for the little tutorial.

Daryl @ Patchouli Moon Studio said...

Beautiful dresden quilt. I would use that purple for the binding only as I think it is too distracting to add a border of it, since it's such a bright and busy print and would take away from the lovely dresdens.

Linda said...

Your quilt is beautiful! The purple binding will just finish it off perfectly!

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures said...

Love your color choices ! Beautiful.

tubilinha tiacarminha said...

A sua combinação de cores ficou perfeita,com este tom(que eu chamo de malva)verde deu maior iluminação em seu trabalho.Obrigada por dicas preciosas também.

Scrapatches said...

Very pretty quilt and pillowcase. I find sometimes I just need to leave a project on my design wall and study it awhile until it tells me the finishing details. Thanks for sharing ... :) Pat

Patty said...

very pretty.

Cecilia said...

These are beautiful! I would love to see a picture of the quilt after it is quilted. Thanks for sharing.

Calicojoan said...

Ohhhh my favorite color!! Beautiful.

Judy B said...

That will be one stunning Dresden quilt! Enjoy your new long arm.

Rosemary B❤️ said...

Rosemary B here: Good grief! this is gorgeous! Love the colors sooo much. Thank you for the tips! I need all the help I can get lol
Thank you for sharing everything

Agnes B. Bullock said...

Beautiful! Think you should use the purple for both the border and the binding!

Christine L said...

Just Gorgeous! and THANK YOU for sharing a tutorial! Loved it! I will try that idea out on my next Dresden. Thank you for participating in the Hop. Hugs and Happy Hopping *wink*

Tammy said...

Goregous quit top. That is gonna be so beautiful when you get it all quilted. conn_and_vans_mom(at)yahoo(dot)com

Linda C said...

Wonderful top and pillow case you have going. You will probably have it quilted in no time since you have that long arm!

SpartanBabe said...

love love love the quilt top! I would be in a quandry too about the purple fabric, but from this perspective (beiong someone who hasn't lived and breathed the creation) I think just the binding would be perfect. Let the dresdens stand out on their own - the fabrics are great. Thanks again for sharing the top and the tips for the center piece :O)

Vicki H said...

Beautiful dresdens, thanks for sharing.
vlhill3459(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

Day before Michelle said...

Very Pretty!!

JudyCinNC said...

This is such a unique blog hop with all the creativity and inspiration. Yours are beautiful and thank you from Judy C in NC

Joyce Carter said...

Love your beautiful Dresdens. I think the quilt top looks great just as it is and would use the purple only to bind it with. I have made several Dresden Plate Quilts and used needle turned applique to do the center. It was hard to do and keep it in a perfect circle. So thank you so much for your tip. I am going to try this the next time.Thank you for sharing!

LJ said...

This is a great hop. Thanks for sharing your big project with us. Thanks, too, for the tut on the centers.

Vickie said...

Your quilt is gorgeous!

gpc said...

Really fabulous! I love those purples!

Betsy said...

thanks for the little "tut" on how to applique. New to it and any hints are surely welcome!
Beth

Sheila said...

Beautiful dresdans , thanks so much for sharing .

Quilter Kathy said...

A fabulous modern looking Dresden!

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts said...

So pretty, and I would have played with a new long arm too! You have me thinking, I have that book and did not know that was in there. I will go and pull it out of the bookcase. Thanks!

Lyndsey said...

That is so pretty. I think the Dresden block is really fun to work with.

DeAnna said...

Love your colors and design. Now you can quilt it on your longarm...Congrats!

Just Quilt It said...

Beautiful! Thank you for the tutorial. I found it to be very helpful. I really like your colors and fabrics.

lefuntz said...

Congratulations on your new longarm. I like your dresden but I'm more intrigued by your petals. Beautiful fabric!

Patty C. said...

Wonderful tutorial !!!

Michele said...

Pretty, pretty. I can't decide if I like the idea of the purple border on the quilt or not but I'm sure it will be great whichever you decide.

Carol Swift said...

A new long-arm would distract me, too...how fun for you! Your Dresden quilt is beautiful (I'm partial to anything with purple in it) and can't wait to see it finished.

Cathy's Chatter said...

I love your choice of color! Picking up the purple would be a great finish. Thanks for sharing

Jane's Quilting said...

You did beautiful work. Can't go wrong following Eleanor Burns, huh? Thank you for sharing. Hope you are having fun with the hop.

Diann said...

You made a very pretty Dresden top. I vote for the purple border!

Needled Mom said...

That is really lovely. Nice job.

Rachel said...

Beautiful!!

Simone said...

Very nice quilt top, and thanks lots for the tutorial. I am a beginner; I need all the help I can get. Thanks for sharing! Enjoy your new longarm!!

VickiT said...

Just gorgeous work. And about the purple around the quilt ~ can there EVER be too much purple? LOL I really love all the fabrics you have shown in this one post including those for the leaves at the bottom. Wonderful fabrics.

Thank you for the quick tutorial as well.

Pamela said...

Your quilt is very pretty. Will it be your first longarm quilt project? Looking forward to seeing it when you are finished. Thanks for sharing.

Bente-I like to QuiltBlog said...

Beautiful dresdens , thanks for sharing!

Nancy in IN said...

I like to use glue also for the perfect circle. Thanks for sharing.

Julie said...

Thank you for showing your method. The colors are strikingly beautiful!

evelyn said...

Love your bright colours. Thanks for sharing a tut with us.

Lyn said...

Very nice. Thanks for being part of the Dresden hop.

mtnquiltr said...

Your Dresdens look beautiful, thank you so much for the tips. I hope to put them to use!

Gina Loomis said...

Beautiful Dresdens! Thanks for putting the tutorial together and for inspiring us today!

Quilt n Queen said...

Beautiful Dresdens!! Love the different shades of purples, great job. Thanks for sharing in the hop!! Enjoy your long arm....Happy stitching, Pauline

Suze said...

Beautiful Dresden! I love the purple accent.

I own 1/2 a long arm. Unfortunately, it lives 60 mi away. So,...

Thank you for the tutorial. I've never seen it explained using freezer paper this way. This makes sense to me. Thanks.

Thank you for taking time to participate and inspire me and others.

carla said...

Hi!!!! Beautiful!!! I love the colors too!!! Thanks for the tutorial!!! Thanks for the fun!!!

Ellie Q said...

Great color palette! I love it!

Wendy said...

the quilt is looking lovely, love the purple!

Leah said...

Beautiful!! Thanks for sharing.

Teatime Creations said...

Love your color choices. Very modern. Glue stick in a neat idea. Thanks.

Katherine said...

Such happy colours! Your lovely dresdens have me smiling in delight.