A while back I showed you the Dresden Plate blocks that my grandmother had done in 30’s fabrics. My grandmother passed away at the age of 96 in 1992. She lived a very modest life and had such a wonderful spirit and faith. My aunt who lived with my grandmother after her husband passed away, had the blocks in her side of their duplex. I am sure my grandmother made the blocks with her mother. My grandmother took care of my great grandmother in her later years.
I had no idea what I was going to do with these blocks because the center was so large and the plates were not exactly uniform which I attribute to my grandmother and great grandmother both working on the blocks. I finally decided to machine embroider the center using the daily chores of the week theme. There were a lot of challenges because Mamaw made her own templates out of paper sacks and newspapers and the blades were a little skewed. It is okay though, because she never would have claimed perfection nor do I. Her quilts were not “show quilts” but utility quilts made from fabrics people gave her or from wherever she could find fabric to recycle. I love her quilts because I know they were stitched with love, prayer, and purpose.
I am in the process of designing an appliqué border to add. The sashing fabrics are reproductions but the fabric in the dresden plates are authentic to the 30’s.
The best thing is I have something to pass down to my daughters that was created by their great grandmother and great great grandmother. Even though she has been gone 20 years, she is still an inspiration to me. Our family was really blessed by her.
If this has inspired you and you would like to do a Dresden Plate, go to Inklingo and download the Dresden Plate shape collections. It would be much easier and more accurate than making templates. Your plates will be uniform too!
Hope you day is full of stitches.
Charlsey