The Dresden Plate template is something you can give yourself a try at making!
They are fun to sew ….but what if you don’t own that special ruler? Are you out of luck and can’t give this fun block a try?
No way!
Today we’ll go over a quick way to make your own dresden plate template.
Materials Needed:
card stock paper or something else that will work for a template
pencil
ruler
Dresden Plate Template Instructions:
1) Measure a line along the bottom 3 1/2″ in length. No matter how tall you want your dresden to be, this is a pretty standard size along the bottom. This actually turns out to be the ‘top point’ of the dresden, just to let you know.
2) Measure and mark the center of the 3 1/2″. It is 1 3/4″
3) Measure and mark the height of your dresden that you’d like. I made mine 5″ tall.
4) Measure and mark 1/2″ from each side
5) Draw a line lining up the 1/2″ marks at the top to the bottom corners
6) Cut out template
Quick notes about the template.
- The skinny part is actually the bottom of the dresden.
- The wider end will be sewn together and make the point at the tip of the dresden.
If you’d like a chunkier shape, make the 1″ at the top wider! You can practice a few different sizes with fabric scraps until you get the shape that you are going for.
Now that you have your template….. head on over and find out how you can sew the dresden!
And- here are some fun quilts to make with them!
20 + Dresden Plate quilt tutorials
All about dresden plates– hints, tips, templates and projects
Do you have any dresden plate tips or hints? What works best for you?
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Hi there Becky just found your Dresden template thank you so much love love your website
Januk
Thanks so much, Becky. Any tips on how to make smaller ones? I was never any good at Math. ;D)
Any suggestions on making it bigger? I want a finished template of 24″ & 36″. Tia
Hi, Great tutorial, Thank you sooo much!!
I have a tip for getting the points of the “blades” centered. After they are sewn and turned right side out, I finger-press the middle of the blade, while it’s still folded in half (long ways), then when I go to fold the material to the back, to make the point of the blade, I separate the seam so it’s open, and center that sewn line on the “fold” I made in the center of the dresden blade, then I press it. This way I know that the point will be centered.. I hope you understand what I mean..
Thank you very much for your guide to making our own templates for a dresden plate whatever we want. For me it is a large cushion. In my home town a small template 8″ costs $15 and a wedge plate ruler in two pieces cost $45.00 standard but that does not include postage as well. So basically Becky, you just saved heaps of money. How can I thank you for your helpful teaching tools. I know this is not the answer you requested but I felt compelled to write a thank you note anyway.
A dresden plate is a circle. The math must therefore be based on 360 degrees in a circle. If you want a plate with 20 blades, which is pretty standard, you divide 360 by 20. That equals 18 degrees. To ensure that the blade is correct draw a straight line for the center of the blade. Your angle of the line from the base of the blade to the top of the blade FROM THE CENTER LINE must be 9 degrees. The greater the measurement from the center line, the greater your circumference of your finished plate will be, but the angle must be 9 degrees from the center line of the blade on both sides (9+9=18, 18 x 20 = 360)
So lets change this up. What if you want fewer blades? 360 divided by 10 = 36 degrees, or 18 degrees from the center line. And so on.
I have a tip…..I cut a piece of cardboard, shapes like a triangle. When I turn my blade inside out I press the seams open. Then I insert the triangle into the tip of the blade and press. I always have perfect points every time I use the cardboard triangle. Hope this trick helps others!
Thank You so much for sharing this! Already have in use!
you are welcome!
If I want a 30″dresden plate ruler what would the measurement be ? thank you Rahel
i want to make a large blade, about 16″. how would i do it. it is for a table topper.
My Husband cut a dresden plate and tumbler patterns from cheap stiff cutting board plastic…the kind you can find at Ikea…it’s flexible, but very stable.
I’m glad others are figuring out that they don’t always have to buy, buy, buy..! 🙂
Wow ! So many helpful tips! I can’t wait to try my hand at some mug rugs using these tips.
Thank-you for sharing !
>Measure a line along the bottom 3 1/2″ in length. No matter how tall you want your dresden to be, this is a pretty standard size along the bottom.
I’m a little confused… shouldn’t this vary depending on how small or big you want the dresden to be? Sorry if it’s a dumb question, I’m a bit new to all this…
what size should the center circle measure?
The circle should be large enough to cover the center gap- It can be smaller or larger, depending on the size of gap and what you are going for. I use different sized circle lids or plates to audition the size.
Thanks for the great tutorials on Dresden Plates! Using the templates you showed how to make, how many petals do you need for one Dresden Plate and what size block would you applique it onto?
So much useful information, should have found this years ago. I am no good with math and was forced to buy the tools but thanks to you that’s over. I am finishing a table topper using neck ties for the Dresden Plate blades. Thank you for your help, it was a blessing.
Hi dear, I can’t seem to figure out how to make my templates for snowflakes Dresden plates? Please help, and thank you for your very well explained tutorial, blessings from BC Canada