Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Dare to Dresden! {D2D}

I'm on the blog hop today, for the Dare to Dresden Challenge on Sew We Quilt hosted by Christine of Quilt Monster in my Closet.  I have not made a dresden plate before, so this was my first attempt at it.  After playing around a bit I printed out a template for a 9" block from EQ during my "cut week", and I pulled out some white/black, black, and orange from my stash.



I took the blade pattern and just cut them straight rather than pointed at the top.  Folded the blades in half and, using my 1/4" foot, stitched them straight across the tops.  After that I clipped the corners/points and turned right side out, making sure to get the blade points out, nice and neat.  Press!






When I'm sewing curves or angles I like to use starch  - any help I can get to keep things from slanting or getting wobbly :)

These go under the presser foot - two by two!  Pressing seams open as I go - than eventually all together.



As, I said earlier - haven't made any of these before so . . . I'm sure there's a better - proper way of doing this.  After I finished with the center, I did a tiny zigzag to stitch fan and back together.



I made 16 blocks,
placing them in four-by-four layout.  I wanted the Orange petal for a little punch on each block.  Almost makes me think of a caterpillar.
I did struggle a little, and I have to admit I did quite a bit of tugging and pulling to get things square.  Hopefully my next dresden won't be a struggle.  I still have to quilt this, and I'm not really sure what I'm gonna do . . . black thread? in the ditch? a design?  I have no idea!  But looking at it - I really do love the black/white and orange. :)

Here are the other participants for today's hop.  Stop by and check out their dresdens & show some love!



105 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Sorry about that, horrible spelling! Great tutorial and I love how you used orange to make your Dresden pop! Super layout, but I can't figure out how you got pointy ends on both ends of some blades. I guess I will go back and re-read your tutorial. Thank you for sharing you lovely Dresden.

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  3. Beautiful! Love that punch of orange with the B&W fabrics and your design is such a fun take on the dresden block. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Stunning! Love the punch of color and I am usually not an orange fan!!! But you have Converted me!!! I hope you post the finished product once you decide how to quilt it!!!

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  5. Oooh great colour combination there - I love the orange it really does make it pop doesnt it - love your design too - very striking. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. It is gorgeous, very modern, lovely!

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  7. holy moly Sarah..if you struggled at all , the results certainly are not evident..I am quilte partial to this palette, so kudos to you...it is gorgeous..

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  8. Wow, that's a very striking quilt, it's lovely.

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  9. This is stunning, and the orange just brings it all together, amazing job :)

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  10. Very very pretty. I love the arrangement.

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  11. Great job! The orange pop is perfect!

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  12. What a wonderful Dresden project. I love the black and white with orange.

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  13. What a fun way to dresden things up. Congrats on being one of the top today! Well deserved. :-)

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  14. Reminds me of the hungry caterpillar. :)

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  15. If there's a better way to make this I have no idea what it would be because this is stunning! blessings, marlene

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  16. I like the liking to a caterpillar is a very apt description. The orange pop certainly makes the quilt with the black and white. My daughter would love to have that to go with the orange, black, and white OSU (OK State) fabric for backing for a quilt for her. I'm thinking of backing her t-shirt quilt from her sorority - when I eventually get around to it. Your Dresden plates are amazing. I like the unique shape you gave to the center of the Dresden, too! Very creative and no one would ever, ever think this is your first Dresden. Thank you for participating and sharing for creativity with us.

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  17. What a beauty! I like the way you placed the dresdens! and that Orange really makes it pop! Hugs and THANK YOU for participating in the HOP!

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  18. Turned out fantastic!! Love the orange punch

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  19. Oh wow! What a fantastic design. I am thinking I really need to express some creativity.. it seems to be stuck somewhere deep down inside me..

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  20. Oh my gosh -- you should have seen my face when I saw the finished photo! I really love it, what a beautiful design!

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  21. Yes, the orange does the trick. And such a great display with the waves of Dresdens.

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  22. Just amazing. The colors melt together, and then we have the orange....
    Congratulation with todays choice.
    regards from Sweden

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  23. Beautiful! I love the black and orange. Wow!

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  24. The colors and design are so beautiful...love it! It does look like a caterpillar. :O)

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  25. I love the colours you used - the orange is just perfect!
    Thanks for sharing!

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  26. I think this is just perfect - I have a saying that I often use
    "Iron it into submission" and make it what you want it to be. Thanks for sharing your wonderful creation - Judy C

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  27. What a wonderful quilt, I love that you thought outside the box with your design :)

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  28. Wonderful quilt! I love your setting.

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  29. Wow! I have to admit, I was reading along, not too overly impressed, and then I saw how you put it all together. It's strikingly beautiful! The orange adds just the right touch! Great job!

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  30. Really love this dresden project you created. The colors are vry vivid and modern. You did a magnificent job...
    conn_and_vans_mom(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  31. VERY COOL! I love it - and congratulations for being in the top 3 today - I can see why! Your quilt is awesome!

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  32. That is quite the quilt! I can see why you made top 3, it is fantastic! And don't tell anyone it is your first crack at a dresden, you look like a pro with this quilt!

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  33. Amazing!!!! Your project is stunning!!

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  34. Stunning quilt Sarah, luv the orange slices!! Thanks for sharing and congrats on making the top 3 of the day...it's a beauty!!Happy stitching, Pauline

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  35. For a first timer doing Dresden, you have done a most fatastic job. Looking good. Does't just make you want to creat more Dresdens.

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  36. Great design! Great job! It is stunning. I love the orange that you added in there. It really pops. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  37. I love your fabric/color choices. I have seen that quilt setting with the Drunkard's Path block and have always liked it. Even better with the Dresden's.

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  38. I really like that wandering path and your choice of colors.

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  39. I love those orange pops ! Very pretty. Your blog name is super cute!

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  40. Thai is just lovely. The fabrics and colors are fabulous and deserving of top prize today.

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  41. Love your color choices and design. Congrats on a top choice today....well earned!

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  42. Love it! The orange adds just the right touch! And i love the different layout. Great job!

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  43. Sarah, for a first time Dresden block, you absolutely blew it out of the water. I love black and white. Now I have to rethink orange. Stunning. Thanks for sharing, Robin

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  44. I like the black and white. Very pretty.

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  45. So cool! Perfect color arrangement!

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  46. Love it! the black/white is awesome and I even like the orange too. I'm normally not a big fan of orange.

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  47. Your quilt top is amazing and stunning. Thanks for sharing your creativity

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  48. It does look like caterpillars. Very cute.

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  49. Oh wow, I am in love with this. the orange does add a nice pop.

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  50. I was wondering how you made a path, thank you for showing how!

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  51. what an awesome dresden! love the pop of orange... :)

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  52. Wow, beautiful and so different.

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  53. I think you did a wonderful tutorial! I really think the placement of the dresdens with the black is WAY cool! =)

    hugz,
    annie

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  54. Your color choices are working well together. The orange really sets it off. Great pics as well. Thanks for sharing!

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  55. Lindo!!!!!!!!!Adorei!PARABÉNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  56. I love your approach to dresdens especially the way you placed them on the quilt. Ohhh, the colors are fab!

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  57. I made my dresden from EQ7 too, mine was the four blade. I always find it so amazing how people can take the same or almost the same pattern and do something completely different. Absolutely fantastic! I love it! Thanks for sharing!

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  58. This is absolutely wonderful! I have to keep this for a future idea!

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  59. Stunning! Love those fabrics together and your layout.

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  60. It does look kinda like a caterpillar. I love your colors and design!

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  61. This is fabulous - the orange was a perfect choice. Great job!!

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  62. wow, never saw this before. Your quilt looks great, thanks for sharing.
    Liebe Grüße
    Bente

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  63. I love the black and white with the orange.... I would never have tried that.

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  64. Rosemary B here: Dear Sarah, your project is super wonderful. I love the black patterns, and the orange is perfect!
    Thanks for all of the cute photos of the work in progress. That is great to see.
    Thank you for sharing today

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  65. What a beautiful quilt. I adore the fabric and the way you choose to put your Dresden's in that order.

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  66. Your Dresden is awesome. I love it. Since you aren't sure what you're going to do for the quilting, I've seen some like yours that have quilted using an echo design that looked really beautiful.

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  67. I love this! The colors, the way it crawls across...and I agree with the above poster that an echo design could be really cool.

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  68. Beautiful! I love the colors you selected! I love everything about it! Thanks for participating and inspiring us today!

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  69. Love your dresden project, especially the bright , classy colors.

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  70. Oooooh! Gorgeous! What a great job! thanks for sharing.

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  71. Your dresdens are amazing! How clever! I love how you only used one orange blade in a set, so cool! Thank you for sharing with us, awesome job!

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

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  72. Very beautiful project! Thanks for all the instructions!

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  73. Very nice! I love the orange with the black and white. Thanks for sharing.

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  74. this was your first ever Dresden? Wow, you did an amazing job! I love those random orange blades, it works so well!

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  75. Wow! What an interesting design. Something to bookmark for future reference. :-)

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  76. Hi!! WOW!!! WOW!!! Amazing!!! Love it all!! Thank You

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  77. Awesome! Congrats on being one of the chosen.

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  78. I love your colour choices and layout!

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  79. I love the layout..definitely different!

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  80. So very unigue. Love the orange pop of colour.

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