Chubby Dresden Quilt Block - a tutorial

In this tutorial, I used the Accuquilt Baby Go Cutter with the tumbler die.  I made a 12" finished block.  I have called it the Chubby Dresden.  I like this name.  It's warm and friendly.  It's nice to be chubby.  As always, if you have a go at this block, please let me know by posting a pic of it in my Flickr group or emailing me a pic.  If you would like to have a go at making this block but do not have a Baby Go, you can cut tumblers straight from your cutting mat.  You need to cut a shape 3 1/2" tall,  3 3/4" wide at the top tapering to 2" wide at the bottom (click here for a printable template for anyone who does not have a Go Cutter).  


I am going to start off by saying something about the Accuquilt Baby Go Cutter.  I have been dubious about this gadget since it first hit the market.  I did not think it would suit me as a quilter as I love to make new designs and come up with new ideas and not work from other people's ideas.  Anyway, I got my hands on a Baby Go this week and I am a complete, total and utter convert.  It is quick, easy and, for some reason I can't quite put my finger on, a whole lot of fun.  I think it's something to do with the fact that you can grab a handful of scraps from your scrap box, cut them very roughly to some kind of shape that you can fit over the die, roll 'em through and have an instant pile of 18-24 HSTs, tumblers, hearts or whatever shape dies you have, ready to go.  


If you want to find out a bit more, why not sign up to Accuquilt's mailing list.  You get sent regular emails with information, tips and offers.  Signing up also gives you 22 free patterns instantly, right after you've signed up.   Click on the button here to take you to the sign up page:

1.   OK, on to the tutorial for which I used the Baby Go and the tumbler die.  First grab 12 scraps (I chose 12 scraps making a rainbow) and cut each into a 5" square (roughly, accuracy is not relevant here).  


2.   Lay 6 charms so that they cover one of the tumbler shapes and six covering the other.  


3.   Roll the die through the cutter and BINGO you have all the tumblers you need for this block.  


4.   Sew them into a circle, sewing them first into pairs and then sewing the pairs together etc.  Flip the circle right side down and press the seams anti-clockwise.  


5.   Lay the circle right side up on your cutting mat and round off the corners of the circle with your rotary cutter - you are not aiming to make the most perfect circle here, just round them off as best you can, by eye so that the dresden is more circular shaped around the outside than dodecagon (12 sided shape) shaped.  You must think I'm very clever dropping that word in here, casual as can be. Actually I googled it first to give the impression of being very clever.  I'm mediumly clever but I'm no rocket scientist.  


6.   Now you need to cut out the inner and outer circles for this block.  But first we will make a newspaper template for those.  I use newspaper to make all the templates I need that are bigger than a standard piece of printer paper.  Fold the paper in half and in half again then cut the folded piece into a 7" square to make a 14" unfolded square (taking care not to cut through the sides where the folds are).  Although the finished block will be 12" (12 1/2" unfinished), piecing circles can distort a perfectly square piece of fabric so we need some waggle room to trim to size at the end.    


7.   Using a compass, mark two quarter circles onto the newspaper, one with a radius of 3" and one with a radius of 5 5/8". 


8.   Cut these out.  Use these templates to cut out the fabric for the inside circle and the outside section of your block.  


9.   You are now going to piece the inner circle and the outer section to the circle of tumblers and, to do this, I am going to refer you to two blogposts, during the Big dresden QAL, where I showed you how to do this step by step.  Go to this blogpost for a tutorial on how to piece the inner circle.  Then go to this blogpost for a tutorial on how to piece the outer circle section.  Please feel free to come back and ask me questions if you get stuck at this stage.  



And if you would like a chance to win a Baby Go Cutter, go to Accuquilt's Facebook page here, click "like" then go to the ‘Bust My Stash’ tab under their profile picture and upload a picture of your fabric stash.  Submit your photo by Friday, July 22nd and you’ll be eligible to win a GO! Mix & Match 12” Starter Set. The photo with the most votes by July 31st wins.  Photos will be voted on by viewers and fans of the AccuQuilt Facebook page using the following criteria: relevance, creativity, and originality. Share with your friends during the voting period to increase your odds of winning.

Comments

  1. Lynne! You are brilliant again! What a fabulous use for the go cutter! You are making me wish I had gotten the tumbler die. I'm pretty sure I'm going to want them all. ;)

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  2. Love this... My Go is on its way and I'm expecting it next Monday! Like Angela, you're making me wish I had ordered the tumbler die!

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  3. I love your chubby dresden block - wonderful lateral thinking for the tumbler die. A new quilt or cushion or orphan block?

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  4. Now I know you dn't sleep - spotted the time of your post.
    Dodecagon - haven't heard this word since maths class.shivering with the memories.
    Chubby - it can only be good to be chubby if you are thin, believe me.
    Lastly - great tute, going to rethink my thoughts(??) on the Go Baby - oops, Baby Go.
    I like Go Baby........Go Baby!!

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  5. Lynne, I properly love this tutorial. Not just because I got a tumbler die for my birthday and couldn't think of anything interesting to do with it!!

    Thankyou for being inspirational, once again.

    Also, have you seen that episode of the simpsons where Lisa tries to teach Maggi to say dodecahedron? (its a 12 sided 3D shape). Its hilarious. And I can't say that word without thinking of how she says is. Do-dec-a-heeeeee-dron! Love it!

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  6. That's a great idea...and I have the tumbler die. Woo hoo!

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  7. Now I wish I had chosen the tumbler die too! LOVE that circle!

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  8. Thanks, this is a lovely tutorial!

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  9. I love Aurifil thread & would love to get my hands on a color card. The colors are fabulous!

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  10. Am I the only person in the world to not have won/been 'gifted' one of these beauties!?
    I'll pop a 'chubby' on my To Do list!

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  11. Did I mention that I won a Baby last week? Now I'm really happy to see that such a creative quilter likes it a lot. I can't WAIT for it to get here!

    Of course, your project is beautiful.

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  12. Mmmm, love your chubby Dresden! I'm thinking cute cushion to go with the big Dresden quilt :)

    I wouldn't enter 'Bust my stash' as mine is hidden in my wardrobes! Disappointed to see it's only open to US residents though when Accuquilt are so heavily promoting internationally right now (moan over).

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  13. Medium clever, indeed. Great use for a tumbler block!

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  14. Love your block! Thanks for sharing the tutorial!

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  15. Your generosity in sharing your knowledge knows no bounds. Thanks for the tutorial - the rainbow stash is beautiful and so is the chubby Dresden. Chubby is good but then I`ve been trying to convince everyone of that for years!

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  16. I think I entered every accuquilt giveaway out there with no luck--now its on my Christmas list. This block is cool and I'm going to give it a go sans Baby!

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  17. Great tutorial!... Unfortunately I don't have the Go Baby, so would love to have a printed template. Thanks!

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  18. Recently, I used your tutorial for creating an outer circle for my Wheel of Fortune (a.k.a. Buttons & Bows, Octagon Star) blocks. Like you, I rounded off the corners of the blocks just by eyeballing it. My blocks would fit within a 10" square, but were about 11" on the diagonal, so my outer circle fabric did stretch and doesn't lie exactly flat--I had cut out a 9 1/2" outer circle, 1/2" less than the inner block. I learned that I should have used a rounded off outer square, rather than a circle. Live and learn!

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  19. And if you make this block in Christmas colors with a solid background, add a bow and you have a Christmas Wreath! I just won one of these Accuquilt Go! Baby machines this past weekend, and am dying to get my hands on it. I can't wait!

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  20. thank you for an unbiased review of this product--I appreciate it. And by the way, "a chubby" is also slang for an erection. You're like a magnet for turning innocent quilting fabric into phallic-y things, huh? have a nice day.

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  21. I ordered that die and am going to try this block soon. Thanks for sharing

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  22. Mediumly clever is a great place to be in the world. lol Smart enough to know when what you're doing is going to earn you brownie points or a bit of hot water! You are so funny! But this is a great little tutorial, even if I don't have a Go Baby.

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  23. Chubby is a definite compliment in this case.

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  24. Hello,

    I like to give it a try. Is there any Template I can Use?? I have no Accuquilt Baby Go Cutter.

    Greeting Guilitta

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  25. I don't know how I missed this post. I love the look of this. Mr Random No Generator has not seen fit to let me win a go so I've printed out the template and so I'll have no excuses I went to the supermarket and bought a compass from the back to school aisle.

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