I have finished my Giant Dresden Plate quilt. Thank you for all of your suggestions with regard to appliqueing the Giant Dresden Plate Block onto a background fabric. For a while there I thought perhaps that this giant block may remain a work in progress, and I spent quite some time agonizing contemplating the most suitable applique process for me - the no hand stitching route.
I started by tucking under the 1/4 inch seam allowance of the center circle by first pressing with a hot iron and then using fabric glue to ensure the seam stayed firmly in place. I taped the white background fabric to the floor (in much the same way as when basting a quilt) and centered the circle on top.
I then used basting spray to adhere the circle to the background fabric. Now basting spray and I aren't the best of friends so I also basted the two layers by hand stitching long running stitches from the center out as well as right around the edge of the circle.
Once basted I top stitched the two layers (the white background fabric and the Dresden Plate Block) together by machine, stitching lines in concentric circles at regular intervals. Happy that the two layers would now not shift I basted the quilt top like you would a normal quilt - with batting and backing fabric.
I also made the decision to leave the outer tips of the Dresden Plates unsecured. They add another dimension to the quilt as well as texture.
The quilting involved a lot of turning the quilt, stitching up to the edge of the circle - underneath the loose tips - turning the quilt around and stitching back to the quilt edge again. Most of the quilting lines were marked onto the background fabric with a Clover Hera Marker as there were no existing lines on the quilt for me to use as a stitching guide. More concentric circles were also quilted on the Dresden Plate Block. I have used a walking foot for all of the quilting.
Dresden Plate Quilt - pre-binding.
Drying on a delightful Melbourne Autumn day.
For binding fabric I have chosen a sunny yellow fabric from the Carnaby Street Collection by Pat Bravo.
And for backing fabric I have used a floral print from the Posy collection by Aneela Hoey; this one is a favorite!
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| Finished Quilt size: 41 inches x 51 inches |
I have updated my Etsy Store and you will find this quilt listed here: Giant Dresden Plate Quilt.
If you have any questions, please let me know and if appropriate I will answer them in reply to your comment.
The tutorial for the Giant Dresden Plate Block can be found here: http://www.redpepperquilts.com/2013/04/giant-scrappy-dresden-plate-block-and.html
Thank you for stopping by,
Rita
