LindaM49

I finally have everything cut for my Christmas table topper. Before I jump in and do it wrong...famous for that...I need a little advice. The Fons & Porter book that has the pattern that I am using assumes that you know how to put this thing together. There are no sewing instructions except...sew the wedges together. I did some searching online yesterday and found something about making the Dresden plates so I just need to know if I should sew these wedges together just like that. For my pattern it's simply sewing them together in a circle as cut...not points etc. It said to start at the wide bottom and sew toward the narrow top using 1/4" seam. That sounds easy enough. It says to sew them in sets of 2. After making all sets of 2 (I have 32 wedges) sew 2 of those sets together to make 4 etc. Make 4 sets of 8 wedges and then sew those 4 sets together to make the center ring. After that you add binding and the 10" center circle. You bind the bottom of the wedges and then sew this to your 42" diameter circle. When you quilt you do stitch in the ditch between the wedges...and then top stitch your 42" circle to make it look like they were precut wedges too.

I hope I explained this that someone will understand...lol.

I guess my question is...is this the best way to sew the wedges together. Start sewing, stop sewing and clip the threads for each set of 2 ???

pocoellie

The way you're describing from wide to narrow is the best way, but I would chain stitch the sections. The other thing that I don't understand is binding the bottom of the wedges.

LindaM49

Thanks, I've never tried chain stitching before. I do things the hard way...lol.

You bind the bottom of the wedges to get a definite break between them and the 42" solid piece of fabric (not solid color). It's a real thin binding...cut strips 1" wide and then do the bias tape type binding. Their fabric is NOT Christmas but they used a real thin red/white stripe between the sections. I found red/white/green stripe at Joann's

Arleners

I agree with pocoellie - What you describe sounds like the way to go. This way any uneven matching is hidden by the center circle.

How are you handling the center circle? Eleanor Burns has a method that uses fusible interfacing. You put the circle fabric on the bumpy side of the interfacing, sew totally around the edge. Then carefully cut a slit in the interfacing and pull the fabric through. Use a pointy thing to smooth the seam. This way you have a perfectly turned center circle that you can fuse to the wedges of your "plate"

If you are worried about the fusible messing up the ironing board where there is a hole in the wedge, place a piece of freezer paper in the gap. It will peel off when cooled. Then you can use that to help place the completed wedge on your background fabric.

Jingle

Lots of good help here, these people are very knowledgable.

gramajo

The only thing I'd add is to press the seams of the wedges open--less bulk at the center.

thimblebug6000

Also keep your seams a consistent ¼" or it won't lay flat once it becomes a ring. You can go in & make small adjustments to the seams to help it lay flat before applying it to the background. Sewing the wedges into pairs first will help you keep it from getting "wonky".

scraphq

Just a little FYI: If you intend to quilt in the ditch, don't press the seams open, you lose your ditch.

LindaM49

Oh my...just got back to see if there were any more replies. Thank you all SO much.

I like that Eleanor Burns way of doing the center circle. Now to see how much fusible interfacing I have left from other projects. It's a 10" diameter circle so I SHOULD have a piece that size.

I'm still too new to at quilting to think about other/or better ways of doing things. This board has been and WILL be the best of the best for tips and techniques.