Anyone tried quilting with an embroidery sewing machine?
 

I use my Brother Innov-is 4000D for free motion quilting, piecing and embroidery. I just have to remove the embroidery unit to sew on it (more comfortably)

I have also made quilt blocks using my embroidery machine, then quilt as you go to put them together, I quilted the blocks as a whole sandwich (top, batting, backing) then did the quilt as you go to put it together, it is now hanging up as my headboard in my spare room.

This is the front of the quilt,

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and this is the back, I used white bobbin thread on purpose to get that faded look on the back,
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I am new to the embridery machines but love some of the quilt blocks a person can embroidery. What I have been wondering is: does a person emb. the blocks and then put it all tgether or does a person put the pieces all together and then embroidery as part of the quilting process? I am not crazy about the" quilt as you go" method so want another way. Love to hear what all you have to say. Mary M

WOW, Carolyn!!! What a gorgeous quilt. Thank you so much for the information. In my research on embroidery machines, the "Brother" brand keeps cropping up. I have never used an embroidery machine, but am considering getting one.

Your quilt is beautiful! I love blue and white. The scallops add a nice touch too.

I have also embroidered the quilting on a quilt.....basically I pieced the quilt, batted, backed it, then before I bound the quilt I embroidered stars in the columns (it was a red/white/blue quilt) Basically, I hooped some tacky stabilizer, then laid the quilt on top, held it in place while it stitched, then moved it and repeated. It was a very long and tedious process, but it works. As someone else noted, you MUST use very open stitching, not the dense designs.

I have also embroidered blocks, then pieced, batted/backed, then stitched in the ditch (did a baby quilt like this) and it works well too, you can use denser embroideries. Mine was an applique monster trucks with minky wheels. Was adorable, but will caution, your blocks need to be small, if you are not quilting on them after the fact, due to batting requiring 4-10ins between quilting (depending on batting type).

I have 2 brother machines, the embroidery/sewing combo and a little one for piecing/classes. I have had no major issues with them. My mother uses babylock machines, they were a little too pricey for me. I would recommend if you are planning on getting one, take classes at your local dealer, they are invaluable to learning all the ins/outs of a machine

Thanks everyone! Good tips about using open designs for overall quilting. I have taken a few classes on machine quilting using a home machine and have books on the subject, but I have yet to practice. Read an article in a recent quilting magazine about using an embroidery machine, and this piqued my interest. I'm thinking an embroidery machine may be a good alternative to a more pricey long-arm quilter. There is also no room for a long-arm even if I could afford one.

Also, you are right, Carolyn about buying from a local dealer. Good place to take advantage of free classes, support, and service - not to mention helping the local economy :).

I quilted a lap quilt with my Bernina embroidery unit. I have a 440, and my largest hoop is approx. 6" wide by 10" high. The quilt top was sandwiched and spray basted. I hooped the quilt directly, with no stabilizer. I embroidered a 6" x 6" design in the middle of each 12" block. Then I outline quilted 1/4" inside and outside of each block. I used decorative stitches through the border - I friend has a Bernina that does 9mm wide stitches. I was not thrilled with the finished look however (6" in the middle looked too small) and in the future would not use this method for a larger than 9" block. If I had a Bernina 830 with a Jumbo hoop I could do a larger design to fit the 12" block better. I think I could use a Hoop-it-all but it would mean moving the quilt around to do different parts of the block. Since you hoop the layered quilt, you could just do whatever design you wanted anywhere. I used open "quilting" embroidery designs. You can get these in collections that are multi-formated for different brands of machines.

When I took a class in quilting with an embroidery machine, I did a table runner. I had a spray of leaves that I enlarged in my software to fill half of a 12" block, then I hooped the other half and mirror imaged the design. Then I just SITD around the block. I liked that one a lot better. I gave that one to my Mother or I'd post a picture of it.

Your table runner sounds lovely, Skyangel. Good advice about hoop size and embroidery proportion in the block. I just took a look at a bed quilt I had professionally long-arm quilted and the design filled the space (open design) of an 11" x 11" square. From what I've researched, hoop size is important, so I appreciate what you said about the Bernina 830. Now to find an affordable machine . . .