Dresden Plates

Recently, while browsing the web, I came across an idea to make dresden plate placemats.

I love my Studio cutter...
after pressing several fat quarters I quickly ran them through the cutter and in a matter of minutes had enough blades cut for 13 plates!

I quickly pieced together six  plates.  Then I layered batting, backing. and the plate face-down and carefully stitched around the zig zag edge.  I birthed through the center hole, but couldn't get the points to lay flat. (sorry didn't think to take a picture of the mess!)




My back-up plan had me reverse-birthing (yikes!) and then stitching around the edge and cutting off the points.  When I birthed it the second time I had a nice 10inch round plate.

I'm not sure if a 10inch round matt is big enough for a placemat.  I may have to applique the plates onto a larger square or rectangle before layering. 

 Maybe I can just round out the points and stitch them on rather than fuss with applique-ing the points.   What do you think?

Projects

I have been working on several crafts the last few weeks.

I joined an online yahoo swap group to make hand-pieced POTC blocks. (I don't remember exactly what POTC stands for... I think its something like points of the cross.. but I'm not sure.) After an incorrectly-sized home-made template and false start, I am finally on track and have completed my first block.

It's a little bit wonky in the picture because I removed the template papers from the top.  I should have left them in until connecting it to the next block.  I'll leave it for now and fuss with it later.

I have also begun making some dresden plate placemats for sale at a couple of upcoming craft shows.  These are still a work in progress.

Last, but not least, I pieced this little bag from scraps for my grandson to carry some books to church in.  He is now big enough for Sunday school and the last few weeks he has been able to sit through mass without fidgeting too much if he has some picture books to read.   The shopping bags I had on hand for him to carry his books were way too big so he asked me to make him a blue one that was just his size.  How could Nana refuse?!   As you can see, he was very pleased. 

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But now, I must add some red to the bag!  (why, I have no idea, but that is what has gotten into his head this week).  So I will be fusing his initials onto the bag ... and maybe the outline of a little car too, just for fun!