Drummer Boy Dresdens: Week 1
Welcome, welcome!
Let’s officially kick off the Drummer Boy Dresdens Sew-Along. I know a bunch of you have already gotten started, judging by your photos at #DrummerBoyDresdens. I see you couldn’t resist!!!
…Ok, I couldn’t either. I had a little cutting party with my girlfriends before leaving the states. We cut all 500 wedges from my scraps before I packed up my fabrics. Now I’m traveling with a drawstring bag full of wedges ready to be transformed into dresden fans. Nice!
Were you patiently waiting for the sew-along to start? Now’s your chance. Each week I’ll post the sew-along goal. If you keep on track you’ll complete a throw-sized dresden masterpiece in 9 weeks time. Let’s go!
This post is part of the Drummer Boy Dresdens Sew-Along! See all posts.
Week 1 Goal
25 Dresden Fans
What’s a dresden fan? It’s a cluster of 5 dresden blades. Together with the quarter circle and background square, each fan becomes one quilt block. But don’t worry about the other parts this week. We’re going to pace ourselves and work in batches to keep things simple and efficient.
This week, cut and sew 25 dresden fans.
Step 1: Cut Dresden Wedges
Using the template from the Drummer Boy Dresden quilt pattern, cut a total of 125 wedges. I like to layer fabrics as I cut, to save a little time.
Don’t forget to consider fussy cutting. A few fan blades with centered motifs show off well in this quilt. Keep in mind that once sewn, the top portion of the wedge is mostly hidden. Center your motifs about 1/3 down from the wide edge of the wedge for best results.
Step 2: Sew as Dresden Blades
Follow the pattern to sew your wedges into dresden fan blades. At this point, order doesn’t matter. For speed, you can chain piece one after another. To chain piece, feed the wedges into your sewing machine one after another, without cutting threads. Leave a little gap between them, sewing through nothing to create a tiny thread chain. Chain piecing saves thread and time!
Check out Ann Christiansen’s progress. She’s chain-pieced a ton of dresden wedges! How many meters is that, Ann? Yes, I am trying to learn to think in meters, lol.
Step 3: Turn & Press
One by one, turn each dresden right side out and poke out the point. Press each one, admiring their sweet, scrappy selves.
I made this batch today!
Step 4: Join as 5-blade Fans
Once you have a nice pile of fan blades, sit down and spread them out. Make clusters of five, joining as described in the pattern. I like to make little color stories that help the scraps shine. Since each fan will be set off by background fabric, they can have distinct color schemes without competing.
This week, complete 25 fans and you’ll be on track with our sew-along. But, heh, if you prefer a faster or slower pace, have at it. Freedom to enjoy!
Come Sew-Along!
Join the community by sharing your progress photos on Instagram with hashtag #DrummerBoyDresdens. Every image equals a chance to win a prize. The first prize will be drawn randomly sometime next week. Make sure you follow @StitchedinColor and my cohost @TheMakingsofJoy to be in the running for some fabric fun!
