Dresden quilt block tutorial starts with cutting 5 inch charm packs. In this tutorial a dresden ruler is used. If you don’t have a dresden ruler you make your own template from a pattern. Using the 5 inch charm packs you can get two pieces from each charm pack. That requires 10 five inch squares for one dresden block. After the pieces are cut, fold each piece good sides facing each other, in half, lengthwise. Then sew a 1/4 seam on the wide end of each piece. Press open the seam and turn it rightside out to form a point. You now have your first of 20 pieces, called blades, ready to piece together. The blades, a center circle and backing form One Dresden Plate Block.

Carolyn Beam from Quiltmaker Magazine starts off by showing us a Nine Patch made with Light Color Tone on Tone 5 inch squares to make the background. Using a Dresden Ruler cut the Dresden individual pieces and stitch them together. Place the dresden plate unit on the background 9 patch. Center it on the background and sew it to the background. You can machine stitch or hand stitch. Use a 4″ circle of freeze paper and place in on a 5′ charm pack. Cut the circle and place it in the center of the dresden plate and stitch it in place using the stitch of your choice.