The Dresden Plate quilt became popular in the 1920s and 30s. These gorgeous quilts also had names like — Astor, Friendship Ring and Grandmother’s Sunburst, to name just a few. Traditionally, the petals radiate from a centre ring. The petals can be curved, pointed, or a mix of both. Vintage Dresden Plate quilts made in feed-sack fabric and light solid colours were common.
Dresden plate blocks can be many and varied, and often have a circle of fabric in the centre that may represent a flower as seen in Coconut Ice and Kiku Blossom.
However, not all blocks have a centre. By leaving the centres empty a secondary pattern appears. Alternately, the centre can be filled with applique petals as in the Fanciful quilt.
Traditionally, a single block was made and repeated. However, Dresden Plate Quilts will look fabulous when set with another block. Again, the Fanciful quilt does exactly this, by surrounding the plates with Double Wedding Ring blocks. As a result, makes them the stars of the quilt.
Quilts on the go
There are advantage of stitching these blocks by hand. Firstly, they are completely portable, and consequently waiting for appointments, visiting friends and watching TV are all opportunities for quilting. The Dresden Plate quilt is a brilliant scrap buster so bring out your scraps and start busting.
The Dresden Plate Quilt is fun and making one is a joy. Moreover, there is a deep sense of satisfaction in continuing time-honoured traditions. Begin by choosing a well-written pattern with step-by-step instructions, then choose the fabrics. It’s that simple. The choices for making these wonderful quilts are endless. They can be traditional or made with a modern twist. Whether you prefer to piece by hand or by machine, there is a Dresden Plate Quilt to suit you. Click here to see what other quilters have done.
