When to add embroidery or embellishments?
 

I'm doing the piecing for a wall hanging. I want to add "straw" and "hay" stalks, hands and feet, on and around the scarecrow but don't know when/how I should do this. I'll be using a 30 or 40 weight variegated thread. Is it done BEFORE making the sandwich? Should I use a stabilizer then? Or do I sandwich, quilt and then add the straw stitching? Do I quilt it before or after the embellishment stitching? I'm thinking I don't want the embellished stitches to show thru to the backing so it seems like I should do it before adding the backing. Is it ok to do it thru the top layer and batting only (the batting would be the stabilizer?) or would that gum up the feed dogs by stitching with the batting on the bottom??? I'm thinking this kind of stitching would be done in free motion with the feed-dogs down? Should I use a hoop under the needle? You bet I'm confused! And really need help! Thanks for any ideas that will help me get this done right!
KT. in MI

Just use a stablizer -- like a tear away -- and add the straw/hay to the scarecrow before making sandwich. Quilting is done other it later. At least that's the way I did it.

I did mine after and used the batting as a stabilizer so it can be done after the quilting you just don't go through all the layers.

It would depend on if you wanted it to show onto the back. Doing it before with stablizier will keep it hidden from the back and doing it after sandwiching will make it show up with the quilting. It's your quilt so you need to decide what you want the finished product to be.

Thank you for the tips. I think I'm going to use a stabilizer and stitch it before sandwiching. A great group here!