Skip to main content

Dresden Plate Foundation Paper Piecing Pattern

Free to print · Advanced · 56 pieces · 24 sections · 16″ block

Open and print this pattern
Pattern diagram in the suggested fabrics. Every line is a seam.

Sixteen pointed petals in rose, sky, butter and sage circle a gold center, on white.

Opens in the free FPP tool. Pick your fabrics and block size, then print or download the PDF. No account needed.

Finished size
16″ × 16″
Prints at
4 to 18″
Pieces
56
Sections
24
Smallest piece
about 1.9 sq in at 16″
Fabrics
6
Skill level
Advanced
Price
Free, no sign-up
Using it
Use it for anything you sew, including quilts you sell. Please don't resell or repost the pattern itself; share a link to this page instead.

About this pattern

The Dresden Plate is a free foundation paper piecing (FPP) pattern from NiftyFifty: a 16-inch square block of 56 pieces sewn in 24 sections, using 6 fabrics, at a advanced skill level. It opens in NiftyFifty's free browser-based FPP tool, which prints mirrored foundations with 1/4-inch seam allowance at 4 to 18 inches. Every seam is a straight line, so the whole block is sewn with the flip-and-sew method.

Piece map

Letters are sections, numbers are sewing order. Dashed lines outline each section's foundation.

A3A1A2B3B1B2C1D3D1D2E3E1E2F1G3G1G2H3H1H2I1J3J1J2K3K1K2L1M3M1M2N3N1N2O1P3P1P2Q3Q1Q2R1S3S1S2T3T1T2U1V3V1V2W3W1W2X1

How to sew it

  1. Open and printOpen the pattern in the free FPP tool, pick your fabrics and a block size (4 to 18 inches), and print or download the PDF. Print at 100% and check the 1-inch test square.
  2. Cut the foundations apartCut each section's foundation apart just outside its dashed line. The dashed line is the 1/4-inch seam allowance.
  3. Sew each section in number orderSew all 24 sections on the foundation, piece 1 first, then 2, 3 and on. Flip, press and trim the seam to 1/4 inch after each one. When a section is done, trim it on its dashed line.
  4. Join the sections
    Show all 23 joins, in order
    1. Join section A to section B along their shared straight seam.
    2. Sew section C to the A+B assembly along their shared straight seam.
    3. Join section D to section E along their shared straight seam.
    4. Sew section F to the D+E assembly along their shared straight seam.
    5. Join the C+A+B assembly to the F+D+E assembly.
    6. Join section G to section H along their shared straight seam.
    7. Sew section I to the G+H assembly along their shared straight seam.
    8. Join the C+A+B+F+D+E assembly to the I+G+H assembly.
    9. Join section J to section K along their shared straight seam.
    10. Sew section L to the J+K assembly along their shared straight seam.
    11. Join the C+A+B+F+D+E+I+G+H assembly to the L+J+K assembly.
    12. Join section M to section N along their shared straight seam.
    13. Sew section O to the M+N assembly along their shared straight seam.
    14. Join section P to section Q along their shared straight seam.
    15. Sew section R to the P+Q assembly along their shared straight seam.
    16. Join section S to section T along their shared straight seam.
    17. Sew section U to the S+T assembly along their shared straight seam.
    18. Join section V to section W along their shared straight seam.
    19. Sew section X to the V+W assembly along their shared straight seam.
    20. Join the U+S+T assembly to the X+V+W assembly.
    21. Join the R+P+Q assembly to the U+S+T+X+V+W assembly.
    22. Join the O+M+N assembly to the R+P+Q+U+S+T+X+V+W assembly.
    23. Join the C+A+B+F+D+E+I+G+H+L+J+K assembly to the O+M+N+R+P+Q+U+S+T+X+V+W assembly.
  5. Finish the blockPress, check that the block measures 16.5 inches square with seam allowance (16 inches finished), then tear the paper away.

Fabrics

  • Snow White46% of the block, 32 pieces
  • Butter12% of the block, 4 pieces
  • Sage12% of the block, 4 pieces
  • Dusty Rose12% of the block, 4 pieces
  • Sky Blue12% of the block, 4 pieces
  • Mustard6% of the block, 8 pieces

Suggested colors. The printed pattern lists rough-cut sizes for whatever fabrics you choose.

Choosing a block size

Smaller blocks mean smaller pieces. Under about half a square inch, pieces get fiddly, so this one is most comfortable at 9″ and up.

Finished blockSmallest piece
6″ × 6″about 0.3 sq in
8″ × 8″about 0.5 sq in
10″ × 10″about 0.8 sq in
12″ × 12″about 1.1 sq in
16″ × 16″ (as drafted)about 1.9 sq in

A sewing tip for this block

A Dresden plate is usually appliqued onto its background. Pieced on paper, the background goes in with the petals, so there's no turning under and no hand stitching. Keep the four prints in order so no two neighbors match.

What to make with it

Dresden Plate was a big favorite in the 1930s, and soft pastels like these give it that look. One makes a pillow top or mini quilt; nine make a lap quilt.

Try it in other colors

Make every petal a different scrap and keep the center and background plain, the way scrap-bag Dresdens were made. Every fabric can be swapped in the FPP tool before you print.

Make it yours: every pattern is a starting point

These patterns are free and open to change. Think of each one as a starting point, not a finished rule: remix it into your colors, your size, your idea.

  1. 1Open itEvery pattern opens in the free FPP tool, no account needed.
  2. 2Change anythingSwap fabrics, change the size, move or add seams. The sewing order and sections update on their own.
  3. 3Save it as yoursSave your version to a free account and share it. Other quilters can then remix yours, credited to you.
Open and remix this pattern

Questions

What can I make with the Dresden Plate block?

Dresden Plate was a big favorite in the 1930s, and soft pastels like these give it that look. One makes a pillow top or mini quilt; nine make a lap quilt.

Is this dresden plate FPP pattern free?

Yes. The Dresden Plate pattern is free to open, recolor and print, and you don't need an account. It opens in NiftyFifty's free FPP tool, which prints the foundations or downloads them as a PDF.

Is the Dresden Plate block good for beginners?

It's best once you have a few paper pieced blocks behind you: 56 pieces in 24 sections, so there are 23 joins to line up. Printing it larger makes every piece roomier.

How many pieces and sections does the Dresden Plate block have?

56 pieces in 24 sections, using 6 fabrics. Each section is sewn on its own foundation, then the sections are joined along straight seams. The printed pattern numbers every piece in sewing order.

What size does it print?

It's drafted as a 16-inch finished block, and you can print it at 4 to 18 inches. At 16 inches the smallest piece is about 1.9 square inches; at 6 inches it's about 0.3 square inches.

Can I sell quilts I make from the Dresden Plate pattern?

Yes. Use it for anything you sew, including quilts you sell. Please don't resell or repost the pattern itself; share a link to this page instead.

Is there a PDF of the dresden plate pattern?

Yes. The FPP tool downloads a PDF with a 1-inch test square, a color key, an assembly map, the sewing order and every foundation drawn at exact size with 1/4-inch seam allowance. Print it at 100%.

Can I change the colors?

Yes. Open it in the FPP tool, click a piece, then click a fabric: over 600 real Kona and Bella solids plus thousands of prints. You can also move seams or add new ones before you print.

More like this

Part of: Free Classic Quilt Blocks for Foundation Paper Piecing. Or browse all free FPP patterns.

Want to draw your own? The free FPP pattern maker turns any drawing into a printable pattern, and the Pattern Designer builds pieced blocks on a grid.