Dresden Test Block And New Fabric

 Most you know the Dresden quilt block makes makes my little ole heart go pitter pat.  Every once in awhile the urge it hits me to make one for no reason other than they are a joy to make and they make me smile.  But for this one I had a reason.

All of my Dresdens up to this point have had pointy blades, like the one below that I made last month.

Two or three years ago, I decided it was time to expand my Dresden making skills. A few quick clicks on Amazon, and a day later, the new templates arrived. And like I do all too often... SQUIRREL!!... the plan was pushed aside for the next great quilt plan.

Well, last week, my quilting buddy Melissa and I were talking about Dresdens when we realized we both had the same templates and had never used them. Her templates didn't come with instructions, so I made her a copy. She's never made a Dresden and was looking for advice and tips. Since she'd be using these templates, I decided it was time to read through the instructions and whip up a test block.

For my block, I used the smallest round top yellow cutting template. The instructions for the round top Dresden suggested using freezer paper to make a turning template, but I decided to use quilter's heat-resistant Mylar template plastic instead. That way, I can use it for many quilts for many years.

I used to buy Mylar sheets on Amazon or at the quilt shop. I bought mine years ago, and that particular brand is no longer available online. However, if you search for quilter's no melt Mylar sheets, you'll find several different brands.

TIP... Make sure the sheets are clear so you can easily trace the shape you need.

It's hard to see in the picture below, but trust me, the clear plastic template is there. And it worked perfectly.

The instructions called for a fabric circle to be made using the circle templates provided. Again, I opted to go a different route.

I want the center of the Dresden to be white, and since I plan to put the Dresden on a white background, I saw no reason to add another layer of white fabric on top of the Dresden. I wasn't sure my idea would work, and I didn't want to waste any template plastic, so... I layered three small pieces of freezer paper together and ironed them until they fused. Then I cut out the circle you see below.

I snipped two or three threads at each seam in the center of the Dresden, then used my paper template and an iron to turn the center edges under.

Now I have a plan for a new Dresden quilt in the new year! That would be the perfect way to start another wonderful year of quilting. So, I’d better get busy finishing up a few more things before January rolls around!

Speaking of finishing, the blue quilt on the frame is finally nearing the end! There's nothing better for a quilting mojo boost than seeing the bottom of a quilt on the frame. Yippee! Binding a quilt is the best part of quilting. I hope to have it off the frame and bound by Tuesday evening.

The green Yo-Yo's are coming along at a slow pace, only 16 made last week.  

And last but not least, I ordered a fat quarter bundle of Special Delivery by Edyta Sitar for Andover. This is my first bundle of Edyta's fabric. I just couldn't resist, especially since I got a good deal on the Quilt in a Day website.

I have a few of her prints but have never purchased an entire bundle of her fabric. Now I need to find the perfect quilt pattern. I have a couple of her books around here somewhere, so hopefully, I'll find just the right pattern in one of them.

Until then, I'm going to leave her wrapped in plastic, sitting on the cutting table... sigh... So much fabric, so little time.

My back porch last week.  I planted morning glories 15 years ago.  One pack of seeds = a lifetime of trying to keep them from taking over the entire landscape.