Dresden Plate Block

I think this one has several names.  I believe if you make the entire circle its a Dresden Plate, but if you make it so its a partial circle, set in the corner of the block, its a Grandmothers Fan.  I imagine the names change according to whether you have pointed ends, curved ends. or straight ends to your pieces also.  I've also seen highly complicated looking versions where the constituent parts have been subdivided so that it makes a starburst effect with longer and shorter pieces...which looks fabulous but is probably hugely complicated to achieve accurately.

Anyway, this one allowed me to use multiple fabrics on one block which was fun, and I used some of the scraps from other blocks for some of the pieces so it was economical on fabric.  These make fabulous scrap quilts, done as the same block all over.

I've kept any scraps that are 2 inches square or larger when I've cut blocks out and am keeping all the scraps in a small basket, so I can rummage through for bits to do the smaller areas on some of the blocks. 

This one was another that didn't go quite according to plan size wise.  I used a template that mum had in a file from her quilting course.    I didn't even consider the size, I just set off.  Sadly, although it did fit the size of square I was aiming at, it did so without leaving room for a frame.

Not one to be beaten by a bit of fabric, I took it all off the square again, sewed all the seams an eighth of an inch narrower, and this brought it in so it just fit the square, though only if you lay it the way you see it here.  It won't quite fit if you have the long pieces horizontal up the block.  Made a new template for the circle in the middle (which is added last to cover the centre hole in the pieced plate), and used the original circle piece.  Sadly this means that the carefully placed motif on the circle is no longer readable.  The original circle had the cupcake advert centred quite neatly in the circle and all of it fit on.