Dresden Quilt Progress

This is the very first Dresden flower I made (minus it's circle center...I'm still looking for just the right yellow for the centers).  This week I cut a 14x14 square out of white fabric and fastened the flower to it.  I pinned it carefully making sure it was centered, then stitched the rounded tops of the petals onto the white fabric by hand.  Tucking the edges under as I went seemed to be the only way.  Surprisingly, the stitching went pretty quickly and I am happy with how it turned out!



Here is how I find the center of my block.

Start with the square of fabric.

Fold the fabric square in half.

Fold in half again and iron the center corner.  This will create a little x in the center of your material without having to measure with a ruler and mark with a pen.  This is easy-peezy-lemon-squeezy!

Then came the fun part!  I got out my box of 1930's reproduction fabric pieces that I got from my mom's friend, and cut one or two petals from each design.  I left some back and will do more later as my quilt grows.  

A happy, colorful little stack of petals. 

Petals on the right are my absolute FAVORITES.

It was a good thing Shannan was gone to Kansas City because I stayed up way too late playing around with different color combinations.  I'm having so much fun with all of the different designs! Each one is like a little piece of candy!!

All of my favorite designs put into color groups.

My favorite reds.

Favorite orange patterns.

Favorite yellows.

Favorite greens.

Favorite turquoise.

Favorite blues.

Favorite Purples.

Favorite multicolored and B&W petals.

Then it was time to piece a block. 

Here is the next block I will be working on.  I know there are a lot of pastel petals and flowers and nothing really "sticks out", but this block has many of my favorites.  It will be at the top of the quilt by my head so I can look at it while reading in bed.

The block is kept on one of my art boards so that I can just take it and all supplies from room to room.  I stayed up WAY too late one night sewing petals together while watching Smokey and the Bandit. heehee.  I sew them together by hand and plan to use my machine very little.

Sewing the petals together moves along pretty quickly and is very relaxing.

I'll do my best to keep up with the progress pictures.  Until later,

Have a happy, colorful day!