Sunday, January 8, 2023

Project Quilting 14.1: Dresden Plate Pillow

Project Quilting is here again!  I've enjoyed participating in the last two years of challenges.  It's a series of one-week projects, creating whatever comes to mind with no worries on how it turns out.  My creativity seems to work best when given small parameters or when using stuff I have on hand.

This week's challenge was The First One.  For me, that meant trying a new pattern or technique.  I dug through and rejected several paper pieced patterns before I hit upon my Dresden plate ruler.  I bought this at Swanson's more than two years ago, because who can pass up a $4 quilting ruler?  It was brand new - still had the protective paper on it.  Using it would be a first!  Then I decided the quilt needed to be one color.  I discarded all my blues and reds to pick brown (beige/cream is a brown, right?).  I never know what fabric is going to speak up.  Excellent.  I've covered both the words first and one.

I've never done a Dresden plate before.  Silly me - I dove right in without looking at any tutorials until I had the two rings finished.  Then I read all about how I should have pressed seams, snipped corners, and the like.  Oh, well... things to do next time.  

The plate came out bigger than I realized - about a foot in diameter - so it wasn't going to be another mug rug.  Table topper?  How about a pillow?  I threw on some borders for a finished size of 16" square.  I had intended to free motion quilt the pillow, but ended up with straight-line quilting echoing the edges.  I'm pleased with the result.

I thought I had enough of the dark brown fabric to make an envelope back and binding, but after assembling the binding it was a half inch short.  So close!  I could not find a single scrap long enough to finish it off.  Luckily I found a bit of espresso fabric long enough to bind the edge.  I like it a lot better than my original choice.  Happy accident!

Squeaking in with hours to spare!  (Including freezing my feet getting photos.)

Sharing with:
Persimon Dreams - Project Quilting 14.1
My Quilt Infatuation - Needle & Thread Thursday
Wendy's Quilts and More - Peacock Party



11 comments :

  1. i love making circles, and DP's. I put them in borders a lot. Your story was fun, the thoughts behind the making. Using a purchase ruler.... yep, I get it. I just used finally my Gyleen Fitzgerald pineapple ruler finally. It turned out to not be that satisfying but I used it! Your pillow is very pretty, the quilting is pretty, the whole piece is a nod to the tradition of quilt making the way it's sitting on the chair. Yea! a challenge met!

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  2. That's really pretty in the browns, Sally! I did the same thing when I made my first Dresden Plate - just jumped right in without any tips on making the process go smoothly. But yours look great! Did you use a pillow form inside, or stuff it?

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  3. So pretty! And I love the colors :)

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  4. It seems the happy little accident of the espresso fabric is perfect! A fabulous pillow showcasing the dresden plate design Such a great buy the ruler was. Love the straight quilting, too.

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  5. LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I have dresden rulers but never made one either. This pillow is the perfect opportunity to try. Congratulations on your finish.

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  6. I love that you jumped right in and tried something new. It came together beautifully!

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  7. What a beautiful pillow! And the quilting looks great.
    Gabi from TheQuiltingSpace

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  8. Yea foe week one done! I really want to participate, but being away from my “stuff” is hard. I’m going to note the prompts and try to do some when I get back home. Soon I hope. Anyway,I love your pretty pillow! I am a girl who likes brown….some people don’t!

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  9. Marvelous finish! I've not done a Dresden plate ever.

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  10. Lovely project for the challenge. Kudos for using that ruler for the FIRST time!!

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