I am making four lap quilts for our four granddaughters (I hope) and want to have their names embroidered on the quilt back. I don't own a embroidery machine so will have to hire it done but my question is, do you have the embroidery done with the batting in or just work with the back quilt piece only? Thank you for your help!

A label can be embroidered on the back piece only, that way, when you put the quilt together, the stitching on the back of the embroidery design doesn't show.

You could also have labels embroidered and attach them to the back of the quilt with hand stitching after the quilt is done. Karenchi, Sewbusy, gail-r (she actually is in the business of making quilt labels) all belong to this board and do labels, as I'm sure there are others.

You might try PM'g them.

Thank you lalaland. Actually this would be just each of the girls first names sewn into the top of the "back" (about 3" letters) as part of the design, I guess. I will do a label at the bottom. I'm just tossing this around right now and liked the idea of having each of their names embroidered into the quilt.
Thank you.

If you have any businesses in your area that do embroidery work on shirts, hats, etc. they probably have a machine that will do embroidery through thicker material, meaning a sandwiched quilt if you're thinking about going through all the layers. A home machine could do it but it would be a strain because they're not made for that kind of workout. I would take the quilt to them and see what they suggest after you tell them what you're wanting.

If you still need some embroiery I can do it for you If you snail mail the fabric and the information I can get it done ans back to you.
My daughter lives up the highway from you there in Tellico Plains

I would embroider the name on the backing fabric only, before the quilt is assembled and quilted. Otherwise, the name is going to be backward on the front of the quilt if it is done through all 3 layers. Sounds like a very nice touch for the girls.

Thank you everyone for your help and your kind offers. I really appreciate it. My neighbor has a embroidery machine and I can pay him to do it. (assuming he has the time)

If I do the embroidery with the batting in, I was thinking of doing it before I "quilt" and just use another small piece of fabric in place of my quilt top to do the embroidery on the back, then put the top on and quilt everything. Sounds like it might be better to just quilt the back fabric only though. 8-)

I live in Jasper and if your neighbor doesn't have time, I do embroidery for people all the time. I agree that you definitely don't want to do the embroidery on the back through all three layers and have it show on the front. The back of embroidery is never very pretty! What about using (assuming there are at least four colors) four different rectangles or squares of the fabric from the front to have their name embroidered and piecing them into the back? Just a thought. PM me if you need the embroidery done.

If you want to put the label on after its been quilted you can use a blind stitch so the stitches want show on the front.
I have time and plenty of pretty colors of thread I can sew it out and get it back in 4 day. It takes a little bit to set it up after that it run its self. And by doing it on a differnt piece of the fabric if there happens to be a problem it doesn't mess up the
quilt top. Bobbie

The way I like to do the label is put the names and the information. I then take a pieces of fabric that matches the back and sew strips all around the label It blends into the back.