I Want to Make a Quilt With Embroidered Squares
 

I have a combo sewing/embroidery machine and very seldom use the embroidery. I would like to make some squares to put into a quilt and I'm not sure how to go about doing it.

I have done one that was very simple. Putting embroidery blocks together with focus fabric blocks. When you do your embroidery make sure your backing blocks are oversized and then you can cut them down to size once embroidered. Embroidering tends to pull your backing, even if it is very tightly hooped. Here is the link to mine;
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...h-t209838.html

My favorite is a triple irish chain, with the squares finishing at 1-1/2". On the alternate block, the center square finishes at 7-1/2", which is the perfect size to do embroidery (my embroidery hoop is 5x7"). I cut the center block at 8-1/2 inches; after the embroidery is done, I trim it to 8", so it finishes at 7-1/2".

I love to put embroidered flowers in the blocks (from Embroidery Library), and I'm currently working on one using their flowers of the Bible blocks.

I recently made a baby quilt with nursing rhymes (from DesignsbySick); the center blocks were white, with colorful sashing and a colorful backing. I love combining embroidery with my quilting!

Stabilizer For Quilt Blocks
 

I'm going to attempt to make a quilt block with machine embroidery. What type of stabilizer should I use? Do I add fabric behind the stabilizer?

I use Floriani Stitch N Wash Fusible water souluble tear away. You can also float some under your piece if needed.

don't know exactly what you want to do but I made several baby quilts from this site I love the open vintage hand look designs and she is having a sale right now and her designs stitch out this is one of my favorites make sure your machine accepts the size hope this helps here is a link http://www.wattsemb.com/22_bedtime_prayer.htm

Pick embroidery designs that complements the focus fabrics or theme of the quilt (don't be afraid to change colors to match your quilt fabrics) and embroider on some plain or solid color squares. Then trim down to the size of your blocks and use in place of other blocks in the quilt.

A friend recently had me embroider a set of corner blocks (8" finished) for a 25th anniversary quilt she was commissioned to make. One block was the recipient's name and her husband's with their wedding date. Another was their two kids' names and birthdates. Then, there was one with their two high schools (I looked up the mascots for each and did the initials and the mascot), and finally the logo for the university they both went to with a football. These were done on the small print that was a background fabric in the quilt. I used a heavyweight tear-away stabilizer stuck to the quilt fabric with temporary spray adhesive and hooped together to reduce puckering. My friend removed the stabilizer and used them as regular blocks.

I have one in the planning stages to use some Laurel Burch fabric I've been hoarding. It is some of the prints that have dogs. I have a set of embroidery design of her dogs that I am going to embroider on black and use as blocks with the fabrics. I am going to use a free quilt pattern that came out with one of her jungle fabrics line and adapt it to use the embroidered dog blocks.

Have fun with it.

Hi Ellie, am I correct in feeling youre not sure where to start? You might like to check out jennyhaskins .com. She sells books on quilt projects using machine embroidery, and includes a cd with designs and full instructions. Just be sure the designs cater for your size hoop. Everything is explained about what products to use and how to position designs on the block. If you're in USA, I believe RNK [Distributers or Publishing] sells her products. There were also downloadable videos - free - if still available, grab them. This is a whole new world of sewing to explore. Enjoy

For starters you could try stitching designs onto 9 or 10" squares of fabric, then sew together alternating with a pieced or floral block the same size. You do need to hoop a stabiliser behind your fabric, to stop puckering, and can also use batting instead. I've even used A4 copy paper. Must use a fine thread in the bobbin. I find the polyester used on pre-wound bobbins is great. You are welcome to PM me if you like.

If you go to Quilterscache.com - look in A's - look for Album Star. She gives the pattern and also peoples quilts. Look for mine under Judi's This was raggedy ann"s for a friends niece's baby. It turned out so cute. Designs from Hatched in Africa.

I downloaded alot of simple red work designs for kids quilts and some for square designs and some leaf designs.
So far made one baby quilt and used 9 patch alternate blocks and teddy bears for the embroidery blocks.
My machine is a cheap Brother with a 4 in design limit and it worked beautifuly. Made an adorable quilt with 6 in blocks.
Just put togather a table topper with the leaf embroidery and alternate 4 patches. Love it.

Go to Embroidery Library

http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/default.aspx

Click on PROJECTS, in the SEARCH PROJECTS box type in QUILT and you will get a whole bunch of tutorials on how to make a quilt, or a quilt project, using embroidery. That should help you get started.

I have done quite a few with embroidered squares. The giraffe quilt was for 9yr old DGD in Texas in March, put them on point with lots of piano keys,
I am just finishing the Cheetah quilt for other DGD, will be 7, also in Texas. I used a panel for the focus with 3 large very stitch intensive designs with Cheetahs.

I have made lap quilts with Elvis, Golf, and Piano and music motifs...I love the way it makes them unique. I don't really follow a pattern, just fly by the seat of my pants!

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I love making embroidery quilts. They are so fun. Here are a couple I have done. There are others here on the board in my posts.

When I bought my 830 the dealer was offering a class where we made a machine applique quilt - there are patterns for sale which contain the embroidery designs and the directions for making the quilt. This was a really good way to force myself to jump right in and use the machine. I have since bought another one - these are just so fun to make and make a stunning quilt.

I think my camera finally downloaded my pictures so will try to post one.
This is done with only a 4 in embroidery size so the blocks are 6 in.

My avitar is my quilt that has 8 embroidered blocks - what I did is used the embroidery within the block, I used a 6 1/2 embrodiery then finished the outter part of the block in my fabrics. I also have a Christmas lap quilt in process that has embroidery incorporated into it. As for stabilizer - are you doing a QAYG or trying to embroider with the backing fabric included in the hooping? You could just use the regular stablizer, fusible tear away and a floater if you are not including the backing, if you are, a mesh or washway. You do know that most stabilziers only support 8,000 stitches, anything more and you need to add floaters for every additional 8,000? That really makes the difference in the embroidery pulling your fabric. Have fun.

I love your teddy bear quilt! So sweet! Can you tell me what kind of stabilzer you used and where you got your designs? They are adorable! I have a niece who is having a baby girl and thought I could try making one with pinks.

Martmorga... I know this probably a stupid question... But what is a floater?

I think the designs came from Designs By JuJu. They were not expensive. The stabilizer was in squares and heavy. I dont remember where I got it but it works very well but has to be picked off.
Also got some nice leaf designs in redwork, and some designs that are 4 in squares in redwork.

If you do the QAYG blocks you don't need stabilizer because you have the batting and the backing. Other than that you'd want either a WS or a tear away. One that isn' stiff.

thanks for the help on stabilizers! Has anyone ever used battilizer on embroidered blocks?

Hi,

My dealer recently was telling us that we should use a very light featherweight fusible interfacing (not stabilizer) on the back of our cotton fabrics when we are making quilt blocks. Then you hoop your stabilizer and fabric (that has the interfacing fused to it) and embroider. I am into using the stabilizer that is a tear away, but you wet it with a sponge and stick your fabric to it, embroider, and you can tear it away. Wet N Stick or Hydro Stick are a couple brands. It eliminates a lot of puckers!
If you google it or check out embroidering quilt blocks it seems to be the way to do it now. Anita Good Design is teaching doing it this way now also. Cuts way down on the puckers....which I hate!
I've done quite a few embroidered wall hanging quilts and runners.....love em!

A stabilizer that you just slip under your hoop, isn't hooped with the fabric in the hoop.

There are a lot of techniques out there -- hooping only the stabilizer then spraying the stabilizer with a spray baste and attaching the fabric to the stabilizer keeps the fabric from stretching too much. I have done this with a water soluble and lightly sprayed the fabric. A further anchor with a couple of pins.

The idea is to keep the embroidery from bunching up the fabric. I have also done a lightweight fusible with a water soluble in the hoop (I tend to stretch my fabric too tight if I put it in a hoop).

My advice is to play. Get small amounts of various stabilizers and play -- don't be afraid to use more than one stabilizer layered. Figure out what works best for you and your machine.