MarionsQuilts

Hello All ... me again!

I have been experimenting with the embroidery patterns more and more, and I think I finally figured out how to get these blocks to work.

I'm not thrilled with what I've done with this one, but while working on it, I figured out that every block should be done individually. I keep trying to make it all one piece of fabric, and I run into complications of some kind or other.

But, I'm going to continue this one, and once again, am hoping for some amazing guidance!

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The nine squares are all one piece. The rest of them are done individually and there's lot of fabric on all sides to join them so they all line up.

first question - should I have a narrow margin between the nine squares and the borders, or should I have a wider margin so I can do some FMQ (in dark purple) to bring the quilt together ? I have some nice feathered stencils that I can use.

second question - I just realized that the bottom two corners should be dark purple ... should I do two more in purple so it all "matches", or just leave them in white?

third question - should the corners go as is, or should I put them the other way - have wide margins and do some solid FMQ in between?

I'm quite content to let this thread go on for the rest of the weekend before I tackle it ... I have another project I want to work on!

Thanks again in advance ... I so love coming on here and getting tons of ideas, solutions and great creativity.

Have a great weekend.

Maggie_Sue

Marionquilts, I am unable to give you any suggestions as you are way past me. But I just wanted to say how beautiful this is!!

Rhonda K

Pretty designs!

It looks like you already sashing in between the 9 blocks. If you want it wider you have to cut the blocks apart, right?

I would turn those corners so they are on the bottom. Can you do the FMQ on the corners and then decide how to position them when you piece the blocks/borders.

How about this suggestion? Trim down the pieced border pieces (keep a seam allowance). Add a strip of purple fabric (width of blocks). The purple and the EMB side strip blocks would equal the corner stone so they can be pieced.

Square (Purple Border) Square
Corner (EMB Sashing/Border) Corner

Have Fun! Love your projects!

PS: I make individual quilt blocks when using EMB machine. Trim with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. If I mess up a block during the stitch out, there is only one block to re-stitch. I use no show mesh as the stabilizer. It stays right in the quilt. I trim it out of the seam allowance to decrease bulk.

Good luck!

QuiltE

Beautiful stitchery work!
Very much an old-fashioned lace effect.

I'm old school ... and do hand embroidery, so really can't contribute much to the machine work.

Overall, I think your answers are mostly a personal preference and design choice.
You have a good eye ... trust it!

MarionsQuilts

Other opinions please???

"cat"astrophy

Good morning Marionquilts, like Rhonda K., I would suggest trimming down the pieced border blocks and add a purple border all the way around your center. The outside border pieces distract my attention from your main 9 blocks, so I would like to see how it looks with your 12 border blocks turned to the outside and also your corner blocks. I think that would place the main focus on the 9 center blocks. Beautiful embroidery work.

TexasTillie

Hi
the corner blocks look almost too big ? Beautiful project. I would be interested to know how you got everything to line up on the body of the work. I tried a couple of times to do something like that without success.

Rhonda Lee

Oh how lovely! The creative process is amazing and you are very good with it. I think you are wise to take some time away from this beautiful project.

First question - I think a wider margin would be nice and dark purple quilting would look wonderful and definitely tie the borders with the main body.

Second question - If time allows I think you would be happier with the dark purple quilting rather than the light on the bottom two corners.


Third question - Personally I like the corners the direction you have them. It reminds me of old fashioned picture frames and I think when it is all put together it would frame your quilt beautifully.


Enjoy your progress, so far it is amazing.

MarionsQuilts

Thanks for all the suggestions. I had the best solution ever come up on the weekend! One of my friends fell in love with it and she is a quilter, so I gave it to her LOL ... She has big plans ... she can have them and then have a beautiful quilt. Maybe I'll even remember to get a picture from her.

TexasTillie ... the embroidered squares are 7x7 and the actual square is 8x8. I used chalk and a ruler to make the lines / blocks and then I put an x in the middle of the block. This way when I lined them up, all I had to do was make sure my fabric was straight in the hoop, and then find the x.

For my next quilt using embroidered blocks - I have discovered that doing them individually is MUCH easier. Trying to get everything lined up perfectly straight is totally frustrating. If you look really close, you will see that one of them is off. And yet it looked perfect when I had it all lined up.

Also, I won't put the backing on when I do the embroidered blocks ... that part worked out well. But then you have to keep in mind that you will need to do some quilting to hold the backing together. You don't have to worry about the batting because it's been all stitched in with the design.

So that's my learning process for this one, off to figure out another one! I ordered a bunch of stencils and got them in the mail on Friday, so will be happily preparing another whole cloth (small one) using all the tips and info I have received from people here!