Irish Chain with embroidery
 

I'm starting an Irish Chain for my GS and would like to hand embroider on the solid squares. Should I embroider, then cut to size or cut the size I need, then embroider on them. I am not too sure how much embroidering on the square would shrink or distort the block. I don't plan on a very dense design, mostly just outline of simple items.
Thanks in advance,
Deb

Just for ease of working, I would do the embroidery on squares. As you mention, cut them a bit bigger to start.

I would embroider a larger piece, then cut to size... just like squaring up any quilt block before attaching it to others.

I would suggest that you embroidery on each blank square first and you should cut your embroidery square a little bigger and cut to size you need when you are done with embroidery. Sometimes doing embroidery takes up some space and makes your fabric square smaller. Hope this idea helps.

Embroider on a larger piece, then cut to size. That way you can make sure that it is properly centred, and don't have to worry about shrinking from the stitching.

Seems like a bigger size would also give you space for a hoop if you use one...

I would definitely embroider the squares first, then cut down to the size you need. Even with simple outline stitches, the fabric will shrink a bit and you don't want to ruin all your hard work.

I have actually done it both ways. Once I made an ocean wave and decided to stitch sea shells in the open spaces and another time I made squares and put them in a quilt. The only difference I found was that the quilt top that was made was a do at home only. At least if you do the squares first, it's portable. I also was able to back the embroidery in the squares. But I did make them larger than needed so I could hoop them.

Embroidery and then cut

I agree with all of the above comments.
I too have done it both ways but cutting squares larger is the better option to have better results and is easier to work with.

Thank you all for your comments. I believe I will embroider, then cut.

Embroidery, then cut. I made the mistake to cut first.

Looking forward to seeing your project. Don't just wait to show us the finished project, show your progress if you are comfortable with that. Nice to see hand embroidery discussed here!

This is what someone suggested to me and it worked well. Take a half yd. of fabric or whatever size you need. Draw a block 1 inch bigger than it will need to be for the quilt before sewing. draw as many as you can on the 1/2 yd. Do your hand embroidery, then iron and cut to the before sewing size needed. It gives you room to maneuver the hoop and plenty of trim room. I don't remember my finished size of the block I made, but I remember I had about 9 on the 1/2 yd. Good luck and I sure would like to see it when it's finished.

If you are machine embroidering, I would use bigger squares because they are easier to hoop and the bigger squares give you wiggle room if you don't get your design perfectly centered.

I concur with all of the above. I have done it both ways. You always lose a bit of dimension with the fabric take up with the embroidery. Also, it is just easier to work with a larger piece of fabric.

ALWAYS do your embroidery first...............and then trim down to the in-finished size you need............One thing to consider, if you will be quilting this yourself, is how you will quilt around the embroidery design..........If you are going to send to a long arm quilter, this then requires custom quilting, and will be more expensive.

If you are going to be using an outline type of embroidery to actually quilt the block, batting and backing, you would need to have the entire top pieced,, and then do your outline (redwork type) quilting/embroidery with that block hooped..............Hope this helps you some..

Embroidering on a finished top would be cumbersome. Make it easy on yourself... embroider on oversize squares and then cut to size.

I own an embroidery machine and have made two twin size double Irish chain quilts. After making the quilt sandwiched and quilted on the diagonal through the chain squares using my walking foot. Then hooped (using a magnetic hoop) the plain squares using a quilting embroidery design and sew through all layers. It came out great.

I have done a hand appliqué on a Double Irish Chain and done machine embroidery in the block next to a 9 patch. With the appliqué it was after the block was put together, because it was just a hearth in the center. It was not a problem but the machine embroidery I used a larger piece of fabric and cut it down. Mainly because I am not great at centering the embroidery and 2, I was concerned about the embroidery shrinking the fabric.

always cut the block bigger embroider applique etc. cut whatever suit you or what you need for your quilt, mostly easy to handle on your hand, or your wrist. Good luck!

Start off with one bigger square to see approx. how much bigger you'll need. Different ones may pull more than the next. You can square the bigger blocks when you are done. If you start off with doing just one then you'll have an idea of how much it could bunch up and not find out after you've done to many of them that it pulled more than you planned.