Welcome to the wonderful world of ME (machine embroidery)! Since you want to have the blocks on point, they would need to be square and you need a little open space around them plus seam allowances. So if the design is ACTUALLY 5x7, then I would have blocks perhaps 12x12. Print your design and place a square on point and see what you think. All the squares need to be the same size (unless you are not doing a standard layout) so the largest design determines the size of your square. It does waste a little fabric, but the best thing is to cut your squares larger than you need and then embroider and then trim to the size you want in the finished quilt. So perhaps a 15" square on point, embroider and then center and fussy cut it so all the design is centered and pleasing. The embroidery does pull sometimes, especially heavy filled designs, and the one time you don't plan on a little waste is the one time the block will shrink and be unusable! Ask me how I know this?? the giraffes tail isn't in the quilt...on point, but no tail!
Because of my "tail" incident, I would advise finishing all your embroidery on pieces large enough to accommodate your largest design, and then and only then trimming the squares to size. No one will care if all the squares are 12 1/2" or 12" finished, but the might want the tail in the square! lol
Good luck, have fun!
Last edited by linda8450; 06-01-2014 at 08:44 AM.