Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

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A Little Hand Work

 

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Finish something new, pick up something old, that should be my motto for this year.  I was so happy to finish up The Madness (my black and cream half square triangle experiment), and decided to return to an unfinished project that has been neglected for some time.  Remember a couple of years ago everyone was making a Dresden Plate quilt? 

Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill organized a Scrappy Plate Sew Along, complete with tutorials and had such a huge following.  I jumped on the bandwagon, using a collection of scraps from leftover Fig Tree projects, but got distracted by something and put the project aside.  The instructions and loads of links to photos of finished blocks and quilts is still on her website, you should check it out if you are interested.  There are downloadable pdf files for making the quilt top, which you can print out and reference as you make your own version of the Dresden Plate quilt.

I think this quilt will be the prettiest addition to my front porch this summer, with its vintagey faded colors and the old fashioned block design.  I want to make twelve blocks and have three of them nearly done.  I think it was the applique that was holding me back on this project.  Sometimes I drag my heels at doing hand work, even though once I get into it I enjoy it.  This applique is super easy and really does go very quickly.  The project is a great scrap buster and very fun to work on.  Those little plate blades are quite addictive!

36 responses to “A Little Hand Work”

  1. I love this. I usually have a handsewing, a piecing and a machine quilting project going. I’m short on the handsewing part. I need to find some background material for this. Great way to use up scraps.

  2. I love this. I usually have a handsewing, a piecing and a machine quilting project going. I’m short on the handsewing part. I need to find some background material for this. Great way to use up scraps.

  3. I love this. I usually have a handsewing, a piecing and a machine quilting project going. I’m short on the handsewing part. I need to find some background material for this. Great way to use up scraps.

  7. Looks lovely Nicole. Mine has been a spasmodic project for over a year now. Like you, once I pick it up it is enjoyable but the problem is remembering to pick it up. I am using Glace by 3 Sisters so hope to finish it by next Christmas which is doable.

  8. Looks lovely Nicole. Mine has been a spasmodic project for over a year now. Like you, once I pick it up it is enjoyable but the problem is remembering to pick it up. I am using Glace by 3 Sisters so hope to finish it by next Christmas which is doable.

  9. Looks lovely Nicole. Mine has been a spasmodic project for over a year now. Like you, once I pick it up it is enjoyable but the problem is remembering to pick it up. I am using Glace by 3 Sisters so hope to finish it by next Christmas which is doable.

  10. How sweetly pretty this quilt will be and I love your selection of fabrics and colors! I have a stack of similar colored fabrics and want to make something with that stack soon. It’s been waiting for years …
    Do you plan to do needle-turned applique or do a buttonhole stitch?
    I hope to get to a quick project for winter today but have been derailed for weeks by the cold house, and now by workers installing our new heat pump – in time for a snowstorm or ice tonight. Come on snow!
    Hugs!

  11. How sweetly pretty this quilt will be and I love your selection of fabrics and colors! I have a stack of similar colored fabrics and want to make something with that stack soon. It’s been waiting for years …
    Do you plan to do needle-turned applique or do a buttonhole stitch?
    I hope to get to a quick project for winter today but have been derailed for weeks by the cold house, and now by workers installing our new heat pump – in time for a snowstorm or ice tonight. Come on snow!
    Hugs!

  12. How sweetly pretty this quilt will be and I love your selection of fabrics and colors! I have a stack of similar colored fabrics and want to make something with that stack soon. It’s been waiting for years …
    Do you plan to do needle-turned applique or do a buttonhole stitch?
    I hope to get to a quick project for winter today but have been derailed for weeks by the cold house, and now by workers installing our new heat pump – in time for a snowstorm or ice tonight. Come on snow!
    Hugs!

  22. Love doing the Dresden but I use mono-poly thread and sew them on the background! Doing one in reds/whites!

  23. Love doing the Dresden but I use mono-poly thread and sew them on the background! Doing one in reds/whites!

  24. Love doing the Dresden but I use mono-poly thread and sew them on the background! Doing one in reds/whites!

  25. I never would have finished my Dresden quilt if I hadn’t machine appliqued it. I used Kimono silk thread in a neutral color and followed her tutorial for machine applique. The stitches are invisible. I love your muted color palette. Have fun.

  26. I never would have finished my Dresden quilt if I hadn’t machine appliqued it. I used Kimono silk thread in a neutral color and followed her tutorial for machine applique. The stitches are invisible. I love your muted color palette. Have fun.

  27. I never would have finished my Dresden quilt if I hadn’t machine appliqued it. I used Kimono silk thread in a neutral color and followed her tutorial for machine applique. The stitches are invisible. I love your muted color palette. Have fun.

  28. Thanks for the reminder. I started the same quilt-a-long but never finished. I completed all of the Dresden plates and need to applique them to the background fabric. Since I LOVE applique this shouldn’t take long; however, other stuff just keeps getting in the way. Good luck with your quilt. I’ll try to finish mine, too.

  29. Thanks for the reminder. I started the same quilt-a-long but never finished. I completed all of the Dresden plates and need to applique them to the background fabric. Since I LOVE applique this shouldn’t take long; however, other stuff just keeps getting in the way. Good luck with your quilt. I’ll try to finish mine, too.

  30. Thanks for the reminder. I started the same quilt-a-long but never finished. I completed all of the Dresden plates and need to applique them to the background fabric. Since I LOVE applique this shouldn’t take long; however, other stuff just keeps getting in the way. Good luck with your quilt. I’ll try to finish mine, too.

  31. I started mine about the time Anne was hosting the quiltalong. I made my dresden fans but stalled there and never made them into plates. I am using Sweetwater’s Sunkissed fabric and need to finish it because I love love love that fabric and refuse to see it wasted on a UFO. I guess that is one way to avoid having a project become a UFO. lol!
    I like your strategy to make a new project then an old one. I have several works in progress now (unusual for me) so I am refusing to start a new one until TWO of my WIP are done. Good thing is that they are all on the last stages (pieced borders) so maybe I can pull this one out before the end of the year.

  32. I started mine about the time Anne was hosting the quiltalong. I made my dresden fans but stalled there and never made them into plates. I am using Sweetwater’s Sunkissed fabric and need to finish it because I love love love that fabric and refuse to see it wasted on a UFO. I guess that is one way to avoid having a project become a UFO. lol!
    I like your strategy to make a new project then an old one. I have several works in progress now (unusual for me) so I am refusing to start a new one until TWO of my WIP are done. Good thing is that they are all on the last stages (pieced borders) so maybe I can pull this one out before the end of the year.

  33. I started mine about the time Anne was hosting the quiltalong. I made my dresden fans but stalled there and never made them into plates. I am using Sweetwater’s Sunkissed fabric and need to finish it because I love love love that fabric and refuse to see it wasted on a UFO. I guess that is one way to avoid having a project become a UFO. lol!
    I like your strategy to make a new project then an old one. I have several works in progress now (unusual for me) so I am refusing to start a new one until TWO of my WIP are done. Good thing is that they are all on the last stages (pieced borders) so maybe I can pull this one out before the end of the year.