How to quilt embroidered blocks
 

I’ve always been a little fuzzy on what process we are supposed to use to put together our embroidered blocks with backing. How do you put them together?

I was in a shop last weekend where someone had done one of the Hoop Sisters quilts (a whole cloth design) using two colors of thread. Talk about giving an embroidery machine a real workout!! Blocks were hooped with top/batting/ and backing. The woman used Hobbs 80/20 batting, and (of course!) there's some gizmo to trim blocks to make joining blocks together "easy" and exact. Anyway, the blocks are seamed on top with 1/4" seam, then the batting and back are trimmed so the edges line up precisely next to each other and a 1/2" bias strip is serpentine stitched in place both edges of the bias strip using monofilament in bobbin (which doesn't show on embroidered top) and color to match the bias strip . I don't think I'm explaining this well, but it was a lovely piece of work. I'm doing a small Christmas wall hanging right now using blocks from Molly Mine just so I can practice the technique without the edge trimmer thing.

I put my quilt together in the usual fashion. Quilt as usual, starting and stopping at the embroidery.i never quilt over the embroidery. Either that or stipple around the embroidery.

I echo quilt around the embroidery in a matching thread to the background. If the embroidery is large and I think there needs to be some attachment in the center, I sometimes quilt beside a "line" if it is consistent in the design. For example, I once made a little houses embroidery. I quilted along the bottom of the roof and along the ground and the wall.

You can sew all the blocks together including borders. Then sandwich with batting and backing fabric. Stitch in the ditch. Check the batting recommendations. I use the Dream poly and quilting allows up to 10" spacing. There is usually a little bit of play in the backing fabric with this method even though the quilt sandwich is tight.

You can also use this method without the second layer of batting. I like the added thickness with two layers of batting.

Another way is to EMB the quilt blocks without adding batting in the block. Stitch blocks together. Then layer the quilt sandwich (quilt blocks, batting and backing fabric). Quilt with desired technique.

I use no show mesh when making EMB blocks. Trim to 1/2" seam allowance and join.

The last quilt I made, I alternated EMB blocks (no show mesh, batting and background fabric) with plain fabric squares (no batting). Then layered the quilt as usual. I hooped in the area of the plain blocks and added machine stippling to hold the layers. I will add pictures for you in another post.

Here is one of the design vendors I use for most EMB. If you sign in to site (free) there is information you can access. They also hold events through dealers that are fun to attend.

https://www.anitagoodesign.com/

Hope that helps. Feel free to ask more questions as needed.

Here is the one with the plain EMB blocks with the plain fabric squares. The plain squares (aqua fabric) were done in the hoop with a design sized to fit in the block. Hope that helps!


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Beautiful quilt Rhonda!!!

Thank you Maggie Sue.

It was a UFO for a long time and one day I got the urge to finish it finally!

Thank you Rhonda for sharing the link to anitagoodesign. Did not know they now offer online collections for purchase. Had really forgotten about anitagoodesign even though I own quite a few of the collections. The nearest dealer is over 50 miles away, and don't get there too often. Attended one of their events several years ago and do highly recommend for anyone doing machine embroidery.
Again, Thanks
Murphy

Murphy,

You are welcome. Their designs stitch out well. Plus the tutorials are step-by step and easy to follow.

I just did a embroidery block quilt I did it on my longarm I used flannel on the back and 80/20 batting. I used a light grey thread it blended really well I used a pantograph it was a large panto so not dense quilting. So just followed the panto and quilted it. I think it turned out good.

Can you show us a picture of your quilt?

Sounds interesting! Twice that mardilee said, could you please share some photos with us?