Embroidery as quilting
 

I have read many times on here that several of you are using embroidery for your quilting. I want to try that, but figured I would start small first. I am making a purse/tote for myself. It will be two batiks with warm and natural batting. I will quilt it before I cut it out but want to add an embroidery design.

Do I quilt, then embroider, or embroider, then quilt around it?

Do I quilt just the one layer with stabilizer then quilt them together, or do I embroider through all three layers?

If I embroider through all three layers, then do I hoop the best I can (without stabilizer of course)?

I always embroider through all layers. Hooping is not that hard. I would probably emb. first but I really think it depends on what you are doing, and how you want to do it.

Do I quilt, then embroider, or embroider, then quilt around it?

I do embroidery work first then quilt around it.

Do I quilt just the one layer with stabilizer then quilt them together, or do I embroider through all three layers?

I do all 3 layers and with no stabilizer when I am doing single pass design that I want seen on both sides. If you are doing a bunch of different applique designs on the blocks then I would do those as one layer with stabilizer but this way you will not see design on backside. Does this make sense?

If I embroider through all three layers, then do I hoop the best I can (without stabilizer of course)? Yep, no stabilizer needed, or at least I haven't used it when doing all 3 layers.

I hope this made some sense
Happy Stitching

I think you're confusing the terms. People use their embroidery machines to do the quilting. You would never want to do dense embroidery designs through all three layers as it would look terrible from the back. You only 'quilt' using your embroidery machine after the top is done and layered. Then you do a simple outline/quilt design through all three layers. I've never used any stablilizer as it's not needed.

The very first thing you need to do is decide on your embroidery pattern. Design your bag around your design. If your bag will have pockets, then you have to embroider the outside fabric by itself with the appropriate stabilizer. After that quilt the fabric. Make your liner with the pockets and assemble. I seldom select a design that has less than 35-40,000 stitches unless it is on a baby bib. You can see how this couldn't possible be used to quilt with.
Candace gave you very good advice above. It's mostly a matter of common sense.