A tip from the old days
Dresden Plate and Grandmother’s Fan are both pieces that need to be applied onto a background, be it in the centre of a square or in the corner, which means that there is lots of fabric to quilt through, particularly, if you have used the modern pointed top design, which is so quick and easy to sew.
Well, a tip from the old days, when applique was layered up, is to cut away the backing, after you have sewn the fan or plate into place leaving a ¼” seam. This will not fray and will not weaken your quilt. It is best to do before sewing the blocks together, and makes for much easier quilting.
If you would like to enjoy and learn more about the Dresden Plate patchwork and the Grandmother’s Fan patchwork there are full workshops on both.
Featured in this video:

Grandmother’s Fan
Dresden Plate
Traditional quilting

Click here to learn more about Valerie Nesbitt.