hand embroidery blocks in quilts
 

ive been hand embroidering filled basket blocks...i used some pellon pieces left from a quilt project as backing....now, putting the embroidered blocks with the pieced quilt blocks there is quite a difference in depth because of what is stabilized & what isnt...i think the pellon was a mistake...is there anyone out there that has done this type of quilt...if so, did you use some tearaway or maybe a thin stabilizer on what you hand embroidered?...i like the look, but im afraid now to combine the blocks with the difference in depths...help would be appreciated...monica in texas....

You could back the pieced blocks with pellon to even them up. Spray basting would work for this. I think you would want to do this after all the blocks are assembled into the top. Just cut pellon backing and spray baste them to the pieced blocks, then add batting and backing as usual.

Good advice....I am planning a baby quilt with Russian Punch needle embroidery...I believe to make it "work" on 100% cotton I need a stabilizer. I bought a very fine stabilizer today and from the look of it I don't think I'll need to worry about the depths. You could maybe (if appropriate to your design) use string pieced blocks in between...Your blocks sound pretty...may we see them?

I have made several quilts with hand embroidered blocks. I use quilters dream batting on the back as a stabilizer. I don't put anything on the back of the other blocks. I have never had a problem, and neither has the lady who does my LAQing.

An interesting discussion. A girl in our church choir gave me a bag containing embroidered blocks and told me to make a quilt. She is in her forties but has the intellect and manners of a 12 year, old if that. She didn't say where they came from etc. One of the male members of the choir lost his wife to cancer last year. At one point he brought in some needlework she had done that needed finishing. If those blocks were hers I am more than willing to do it. They where made from a kit and the fabric is almost sheer. I will have to back them with something. I will probably use an iron on stabilizer. It will make the embroidery more secure. I will attempt to use a fabric for the additional blocks that ends up the same weight as the stabilized embroidered blocks.

earthwalker, what is the name of ur fine stabilizer?...i have some machine embroidery stabilizer but its quite thick & stiff...i will post a pic of my wall hanging....if i can figure out how...!!!!...thx for all the good advice...there is always something to learn from all the experience in these posts....

I use warm and natural on the back of my hand embroidery work and combine them with pieced blocks all the time. My Winter Wonderland quilt was done that way and no problems. [ATTACH=CONFIG]467148[/ATTACH]

I see Crabapple Hill uses muslin, and I have done that too, depending on what I have at the moment http://www.crabapplehillstudio.com/o...questions.html

When we were on vacation last year I visited a quilt shop in Lyndon Washinton which had the most beautiful selection of hand embroidery on quilts. All kinds of wonderful quilts on display - so inspiring! The owner of the shop (who had made most of the quilts on display) said to use a piece of plain white cotton behind the fabric you are stitching on, in other words do embroidery through 2 pieces of fabric. This works great. I have made several projects this way and it keeps the embroidery piece nice and soft but has enough body to stitch on. Depending on the size of embroidery I am doing, I usually baste the 2 pieces of fabric together before stitching.