Finishing off a dresden plate

[piebaldbully]

I watched the Dresden plate tutorial and now have made 16 plates (measures 11.5 x 11.5)
and the white background is 14x14. I am note sure if I am going to leave the background that color either or even the center circle for that fact. My question is now that I know what I am doing what would be the best way to finish it ( top quilt) ? Now I know I can quilt as you go by doing all the top quilting square by square and than attach all the pieces later or finish off all the blocks by putting them together now and take it to a quilt shop and have them top quilt it for me. I have never done anything like this before so I am at a loss as to how to continue. By the way I am making this for me... something I never do ever. This will also be the first time I have attempted binding as well... Any input would be helpful... Wendi

[shell.scraps]

Re: Finishing off a dresden plate

That looks BEAUTIFUL!! I'm holding off doing one of these until I take a hand quilting class in April. Then I'll do one that I can hand quilt and do some embroidery work on.

Sorry I'm no help for you though...

TFS!!!

[piebaldbully]

Re: Finishing off a dresden plate

There will be no hand quilting for me. I have done too many sewing projects/jobs in my past that have resulted in me no longer being able to hold a needle for more than a few minutes. I am in love with this pattern too and I also have the ability to machine embroider as well.

[mrswindy4]

Re: Finishing off a dresden plate

NICE!! I love the soft colors, and the white background looks great to me. (I'm a newbie and dont know much about color coordinating, but I know what I like..and I like this!)

Its going to be a long time before I attempt the Dresden pattern....but its on my quilting bucket list.
I'll be anxious to see what other, more advanced quilters have to say about the quilting.

[magiemugins]

Re: Finishing off a dresden plate

Hi there

I am no means an expert but I did do a dresden plate quilt for my niece for christmas. There is a picture of it in the show and tell. I tried to do the hand stitching on some of the plates but my hands didn't like it either, as well as the time constraights I had I used the blind hem stitch on my sewing machine and attached them to the backgrounds. As for the quilting I think I should have just stitched in the ditch and then free motioned the rest of the block. I used a loop-de-loop on the whole square with varigated thread. But what matters most is my niece loved it.

I love the colors that you have on your plate and I think whatever background you pick it will look spectacular.

Maggie

[quiltingtrish]

Re: Finishing off a dresden plate

That is really pretty! I love the background color you used.
That sounds like a great idea on the quilting which Maggie mentioned.
I also like the idea when you said 'your bucket list'. I hadn't thought of my UFO's being on a bucket list, but they are.
I also loved that movie.

The binding - I make mine using the tube method and I am very bad in explaining how I do it. Some people just cut strips for the binding (I think they have to cut them on the diagonal) and then sew them together, and others buy pre-made binding. There is a tutorial on how to sew the binding on to make the mitered corners. I would practice on a scrap piece first though and then you won't mess up your quilt once you know what you are doing. I'd show you but I don't know where you live and I'm here in Central PA.

Can't wait to see your photos when you have it all together and quilted.

Hugs,
quilting trish

[piebaldbully]

Re: Finishing off a dresden plate

I am not good with putting colors together I love extremely loud/bold colors or pastels... My DD who is 13 picks my color options once I pick one fabric choice... She is an artist and knows colors.. and even shops with my friends who can't pick colors either... some say I should rent her out. She keeps telling me I need a color wheel and I said many times I have one and it just so happens to speak ( yeah she caught the drift) . LOL
I have watched a tube/square making ~ binding tutorial on utube which is fantastic as well. I just have never tried to bind a quilt yet. I really thought putting these dresden plates together would be hard as heck and it happens to be very easy which I am already a fan of. I love all the older style quilt patterns and am working also on a wedding ring quilt as you go wall hanging and I have to get the hubby to help because I am at the edges and I can't seem to figure out the edges... Grrr.....
Maggie, I am going to check out your photo... I have never heard of I used a loop-de-loop on the whole square ? I will also investigage that as well... I will do the in the ditch stitching as I do not think I would want anything on the plates themselves... thanks for all the input...

[Evelynquilts]

Re: Finishing off a dresden plate

Love your color choices...

[FunkiQuilter]

Re: Finishing off a dresden plate

I like the background fabric that you have in the pic. It looks nice to me. I am not one to know or follow the "rules" of quilting though. I say, if it looks nice, go with it. Simple as that. As far as the quilting goes, I don't know how to answer that one. I would probably stitch in the ditch myself for the plates. I have never tried one.

I almost bought one of those rulers on my order yesterday, but I figured that I already had too much to finish now. I don't want to start anything new at this time. I will eventually tack one onto one of my orders. I know I will have one by Thanksgiving this year. I want to make a "Tom the Turkey" apron for my step-dad. His name is Tom and he really sloped himself up preparing Thanksgiving dinner this year. He had to go change his shirt. I think it would make a nice addition to our celebration.