Dresden Plate Blog Hop

I was the lucky recipient of the Island Batik "Peach Blossom" bundle to use for the November Dresden Plate Blog Hop. It is a very pretty collection with yellow, green, beige, peach, brown, tan and gray batiks.

I used the Layer Cake Dresden Plate template by the Missouri Star Quilt Company. The largest size dresden plate on the template is 10", so I decided to make the 10" size. I cut 10" strips from the Peach Blossom fabrics.

Next, I alternated the template along the strip and cut out my dresden plate pieces.

I pressed the pieces in half lenghtwise and chain pieced them. I sewed from the raw edges toward the fold. If you iron the pieces in half, you will be able to line up the point to the crease line later.

Give a little snip in the seam allowance on the fold side to help reduce bulk. Then turn the dresden plate piece right side out. I used a plastic pointer tool to make my point.

Next, I randomly chain pieced two dresden plates together; then the sets of two to make four. I sewed a fifth plate onto the sets of four. I needed twenty dresden plates to make one block. I cut my two background fabrics in to 24-1/2" squares.

For my centers, I used the Bigger Perfect Circles templates by Karen Kay Buckley. I traced the circles onto Bosal Stitch 'n Peel. I used a glue pen and my purple thang to wrap the raw edge to the back of the circle. I used Roxanne's Baste It glue to adhere my dresden plate and circle to the background fabric.

As I was working, I decided that I wanted to make the quilt nine blocks by nine blocks (72" x 72") because the dresden blocks were so large. I did not have enough background fabric, so I am ordering some more, so that I can finish my quilt top.

I zig-zagged the edges of the dresden plates and the circles. I used Aurifil #2326 and Schmetz needles. I also used the Oliso iron.

This is a really nice block to make. Have you seen the other Island Batik Ambassadors' Dresden Plate block projects? They are all so beautiful and creative. Remember, to go over to the Island Batik blog and enter the weekly bundle giveaways - you could win your own Peach Blossom bundle. For December, the ambassadors will be creating anything they would like! My idea is already percolating!

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs

Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting

Megan Best ~ BestQuilter

Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts

Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts

Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts

Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting

Kim Jamieson-Hirst ~ Chatterbox Quilts

Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Connie Kresin Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River