I am making a quilt and wanted to dress up the 3 inch sash that I am using with some simple embroidered designs, but my smallest hoop is a 4x4.

I went over to the sewing store speak to the “expert”. I told her how I was planning to do it and she promptly told me that would never work and proceeded to instruct me on a very intricate process. By the time she was done my eyes were crossed and I was almost ready to forget the whole thing. Another lady that happened to be standing there while we were speaking also had an idea for the process that she thought was a little easier. It wasn’t and now I am really confused.

However, I am a little bull headed and walked away and thought I would try my original plan to see if it would work, what’s to loose?

1. I purchased some Pellon 950F Fusible Backing.
2. Came home cut my 3 inch sash strips and marked the locations for the embroidery designs
3. Cut small pieces of the backing and ironed them onto the back of the sash strips in the location for the design.
4. Placed the 3 inch sash strips in the center of the 4x4 hoops, with the marks for the designs in the approximate center of the hoop. I did not stretch them very tight in the hoop, just firm and flat.
5. Placed the hoop in the embroidery machine and used the adjustment arrows of the machine to line up the start point right over the center of the mark.
6. The machine started and did a great job.
7. Repeated 4 and 5 until all my designs were on the strip.

Sorry if I bored some of you more experience quilters, but I am just a beginner and this just thrilled me.

I’ll have to go back to the store and show that “expert”.

Thanks for the idea. I am learning too!

Looks really good to me!! But, I'm no expert! :roll:

You know an Expert is just a Drip under Pressure! LOL
Listen, I'm with you just try it what have you got to lose. Maybe a piece of fabric? The only thing, your fabric is really not stable if it not completely in the hoop. But for the size design you are doing it really doesn't need to be.
And Hey it worked for you, and thats what matters.

looks great to me!!! and you have given me ideas, thanks!!!

That is exactly how I do mine!! Good job.

The only issue I would see is that by using fusible interfacing, your fabric is now thicker than other parts of the top and may not hang or quilt similarly. You'll have to see how it goes.

I have also done embroidery for narrow strips of fabric. I don't cut my fabric for these strips until after I have the embroidery done. Then I cut away both sides from the center strip and use them for strip piecing. I need simple ways to do things. If that were me, I think I would have gotten a little flustered trying to figure out what she was telling you to do. Guess I have little patience for stuff like that. Kudos to you for figuring it out and getting it done! It looks fantastic!

Nice job. I'm still learning too, so thank you for the tips.

the other thing u could of done with ur strip is used wash away stablizer, that way u would not of had any stablizeer on the back, but this is how i look at things. if i can make it work , than it has to be the right way for me. if u make it work for u than its the right way for u to.