First Quilting Project: Dresden Plate

I finally finished my first creative project of the year! My dresden plate!

Dresden plate made from Moda April Showers fabric

I've had kind of a peripheral interest in quilting that began when I viewed the Midwest Folk Art exhibit at the Peoria Riverfront Museum in Peoria, Illinois, several years ago. I found the quilts in particular to be beautiful and fascinating. They are a cozy and somewhat haunting grip on the past, since people tend to hang onto them for so long!

Fast forward to March 2014. My husband's mom is an avid quilter and she noticed me asking more and more questions about her quilts when we would be at their home. She invited me to her quilt guild's biannual quilt show. It was there that I really got a taste of how much precision and skill this craft really takes, yet at the same time how it allows people to be incredibly creative and expressive. I have always had an interest in fabric arts, yet it was always the first thing to fall away when something else came up. And, going through high school, college, dating/being engaged to/planning a wedding with/buying a house with Tim, I've been pretty busy for the last...oh, ten years.

So, anyway, at the quilt show, after viewing a hundred quilts and a hundred more patterns for quilts, I saw the pattern for this little thing. For the first time that day I thought, I can make that! 

However, I was not convinced I really wanted to try until I spotted Moda's fabulous April Showers fabric charm pack. April Showers is TO. DIE. FOR. I mean, it has tiny umbrellas on it, for heaven's sake!

Moda April Showers. (Photo by Missouri Quilt Co.)

With the help of my mother-in-law, I started learning how to measure, use a rotary cutter, sew a standard 1/4" seam, and strip-piece. According to my Instagram records, I began this project on March 18, 2014.

After creating each of the little arrow pieces, I had to sew them together into a circle. The center piece was created with a perfect circle template, which was a fascinating process that involved starch spray and drawstring-style stitches. I attached the center circle to the arrows with invisible stitches. Finishing the dresden plate was a triumph in and of itself! But then it was time to do the rest.

I attached the dresden plate to navy blue wool felt with more invisible stitches. This was the most time-consuming part, which took a few episodes of Mad Men, one Boardwalk Empire, and almost the entire Star Wars Episode IV to complete. Phew!

The stitches around the edge were by far the most frustrating part. I had to resort to YouTube and WikiHow tutorials, but I managed to master the blanket stitch and get it done.

Close-up of my careful blanket stitches. Those stitches were b....

I completed this little project on May 25, 2014. So, it only took me a little over two months. Not bad since I work full time and have a million other things going on!

But, what is it? I have no idea... it's pretty. And has tiny umbrellas on it! The pattern calls it a "candle mat," so maybe I will put it under a candle, or possibly just dress up my night stand. I briefly considered making a matching set. HA.

I am now making a chevron-patterned baby quilt out of the confidence gained with this project. More on that another time!