PJ's Crafty Creations: Kaleidoscope Dresden

Supply list and fabric suggestions

for class at
Aunt Judy's Attic

for
Fussy Cutting Kaleidoscope Dresden Plates,

Instructor: Paco Rich
Class is now complete!
Don't forget to check out the class photos below.
Click here to download your Kaleidoscope Dresden Template.
Technique adapted from Rhonda Woodsmall's Dresden Kaleidoscopes

***Please read through, there is a lot of information to help you pick fabrics, find the repeat and select how many yards to purchase/find in your stash. PLEASE contact me with any questions you may have or if I am not clear. Chances are, someone else has the same question! My contact info is at the bottom of this post***

Fussy Cutting vs Stack N Whack

Fussy Cutting fabric is a way to cut a specific print out of fabric. This technique is great for small projects such as table runner, hot pads and wall hangings, as this technique allows you to use less yardage. One draw back is the waste created.

Stack n Whack is a way to cut fabric so you can have multiple repeats with little waste. This method is not recommended for small projects such as a table runner, but intended for large quilts.

In class, we will be walking through, step-by-step, on how to fussy cut our fabric and piece it so that we can end up with ten repeating blades for a dresden plate. By the end of class you will have completed at least one Dresden Plate using fussy cutting technique.

Basics:
Sewing Machine
Sewing Notions - thread, scissors, flat head straight pins
Cutting Mat
Rotary Cutter - with a new blade - makes life easier!
Ruler- about 6" any larger would make it awkward
Fabric marking tool - I like FriXon pens, but if you are using a dark fabric, white chalk might be better.
Fuseable web - I prefer Heat n Bond Lite (about 1 yard) OR if you are making hot pads, bring some insulbrite
Template will be provided in class

Fabric: picking fabric for the fussy cutting dresden plates is really similar to picking fabric for stack n whack.

When picking your fabric, look for these things:

Medium to Large Print - the size of your palm or slightly larger

Contrasting Colors

Geometric shapes - lines, circles, squares...

Fabric that is often considered "busy".

Yardage and Finding the Repeat:
I can't give you an exact number of yards because all fabric has a different size of repeat.... BUT, I can tell you how to find the repeat and figure out how many yards you will need.

Finding the Repeat:

Slightly different with finding the repeat for a stack n whack, we are going to find the repeat across the width of fabric (not the selvage). We want to count ten repeats total and add 1/4 yard to that.

Example:
Open up your fabric, and find some distinctive image/print in your fabric. Here in this image below, I chose the blue flower with 2 green leaves and a smaller darker blue flower behind it. In this fabric, there are 3 repeats across the width of fabric. Moving down, there are 3 more repeats - you will need 10.

In my half yard cut, I do not have enough repeats - there are only 6 repeats - I need 10 repeats, plus 1/4 yard.

You should be able to get 5 to 7 dresden plates out of this amount.

Background Fabric:
There are a variety of ways to show off your fussy cut dresden plate: table runners, hot pads, wall hangings. Consider 1/2 yard to a yard of background fabric. It is best of this fabric is a solid or a blender fabric so it does not take away from your dresden plate. Here, I used a red blender for my background fabric.

You will also need fabric to cover the center of your dresden. For these two projects, I appliquèd an odd shape over my dresden center - a fussy cut leaf and some strawberries made out of red fabric.

What not to use for the Dresden plates:

Blender fabrics -

Fabric has large print, but when you step back and look at it, this reads as a tan fabric. There is not any high contrasting colors.

Reads as a blue solid.

Small print -

Print is too small.

Contrasting colors, but the print is too small.

Panels -

Large print, but no repeating pattern.

No repeating pattern.

Additional ideas:

If you would like to make a large quilt using the dresden plate, consider combining the stack n whack method with the fussy cutting method. You would need to purchase fabric similar to the stack n whack fabric selection, but you would need 10 repeats instead of 8.

If you're not sure if you like a certain fabric, download the camera Kaleidoscope app and audition your fabric. Click here to download the app on your Android.