Last Christmas I embroidered all the family names on white snowball blocks. As I didn't want my knots, tails and joinings to show through the white material, I buried them in the batting. I was using Hobbs w&n and it wasn't hard to do. Hint: depending on your colors, use as light an embroidery thread as possible. Even matching your background might work as the names would be there, but not change the original look of the quilt. Post a pic, if you ever get it done!