Embellishment Question
 

I have never made an embellished (beaded) quilt before and have a basic question. Embellish before or after sandwiching and quilting? The quilt will not be heavily beaded, just in the outermost border and I am not sure how to do this. Do I sew the beads on first and risk breaking beads (and needles when quilting) or put the entire quilt together and then try to catch only the top when I put on the beads? I don't want the bead stitches to show through on the back, so I guess I have to put them on before. Suggestions please!!!

Thanks, thanks, thanks for ALL your help! QB members rock.


Anita

I have just finished Mexican Stars wall hanging and embellished it with hot fix crystals after it I had sandwiched, quilted, bound and washed the quilt

A friend of mine quilted an embellished quilt. He did quite a bit of embellishing, but I do remember he put the beads and "flat to the surface" embellishments on first, and then covered them up with a bright blue painter's tape so when he went to quilt it (on just his home machine), the solid embellishments were perfectly highlighted, and this kept him away from them while quilting. He also did a bit of hand stitching of motifs on it after it was quilted, and for this, he didn't let the stitch go through to the back, and sometimes the motif covered up a bit of quilting. Anyway, the whole quilt was just awesome!

If you were sending it out to a long arm quilter, I'd check with her/him before I added embellishments, just to see how they would (or could) handle an embellished top.

I think I would put them on after, but I am realy a chicken! LOL

They are usually done after the quilting. If a bead or jewel were "hit" it could also damage the quilt.
peace

Same here!!!

I'm embellishing a panel and will put the beads on after it is quilted.

Okay, then. After it is...THANKS for all your help!

Anita

I put my hot fix crystals on AFTER the the quilting. Working on a panel project right now.

sandy