When to quilt piece with embellishments?
 

What would I do without all of you? I have no quilting friends to bounce things off of.......thanks for being here and being so generous with your time and patience!
I am working on a Christmas tree skirt for one of my sons and his family. Just making it up as I go....
Today, I started working on the sleigh section, and as I was beading the gold edge of the sleigh, I started thinking maybe I shouldn't do any embellishing until after it is quilted? And now I am wondering if quilting it will make it all wonky? I am going to put a row of holly leaves or something around the outer edges to bring it all together...but I am second guessing my plan at this point! Please help! :)

Do you know how you are going to quilt it?? It is easier to avoid some of the beading to quilt it first but then if yo are able to bead it now, all those stitches will be buried in with the batting.

What you have done is really nice - -

I think one could get fairly close to the beading with a zipper foot -

Quilting around the designs does make it look nice on the back, too.

It may be that you will be able to put some things on "now" - but things - like a jingle bell, maybe - might work out better if added after the quilting.

Some of it might depend on how close you want to get to the design - and how close you can get with your machine's attachments.

I really haven't thought much about the quilting design yet....I imagine outline quilting, and the some loose swirls to represent snow? Will be doing the quilting on my DSM....good idea about waiting to attach the jingle bells!

No advice from me but gosh that's pretty.

:)

Love your tree skirt, and yes wait to do all your cute little extras until after you have quilted it. Keep going with your plan as it is unique and really cute. Rick rack might be an idea for the outside edge or some ribbon that is Xmas themed.

Really beautiful. I personally would wait until the quilting was done to apply beads, but that's me. My reason is that I would have to use glass beads to be able to iron the quilt top, but glass beads also break rather easily & I wouldn't want to have to worry about catching on on my needle, presser foot, knocking it against the side of the machine or table a bit too hard while maneuvering the quilt, etc. I've broken glass head pins before & they are a mess to clean up.

One notion you might consider are the hot-fix rhinestones. I've seen them on AQS award-winning quilts and they really look fantastic! I've already decided that I'm done with working with all those tiny beads after seeing the results that are possible with hot-fix rhinestones. So easy. So pretty. Yes, it's yet another tool that probably neither of us need (though some sites suggest you can just use a 350F iron, instead of the fancy $25 hot fix electric heat applicator tool), but thought I'd share the idea with you just in case.

Hmmmm... jumbo ricrac is a great idea for the edge! Thank you!
Hot fix "gems" are so pretty....I have lots of glass beads though, and I am trying so hard to be good and not purchase any more tools. This is being made from my stash....with the exception of the white background-it has a very subtle shine-it is very pretty in the sun, or, hopefully, under tree lights!

I've also done a beaded fringe before that might look really nice on your tree skirt (more beading ... just what you were looking for, right?!). If you have embroidery floss, you can make it yourself. You just run the floss back & forth across the edge & stitch down. Sewing the seam will finish securing it. Then clip the loops, trim to an even size & tie a bead or three onto the end (knot - beads - knot). Looks really nice & gives you a chance to use up some more of that bead collection. Wish I'd kept a picture. I'm trying to be better about that now. My current tree skirt has silver fringe to match the silver embroidery. Very elegant, but it has nothing on your beautiful skirt.

Lovely designs.