Quilting over embroidered blocks??

[GrandmaLKB]

I will have a quilt coming to be quilted in a couple of weeks that has several 12" blocks filled with embroidered bible verses. Other blocks are pictures of their church over the years. They definitely do not want any quilting over the pics - just outline the blocks............I hoped they would let me do something in those picture blocks, but it's their quilt. Other blocks are plain and won't be a problem to fill. Will it distort the embroidered lettering if I quilt through it? I'd need to use a fine thread for sure. The letters are about 1/2 " high. Since the versus pretty much fill the blocks, there is too much space to leave unquilted. Suggestions, please ????

[quiltmonkey]

There have been a few occasions (e.g. baby quilts) where I have purposfully quilted "through" and "over" embroidered blocks and it's not a big deal. It doesn't distort the design or take away from anything. I always quilt from the front of the machine to control where my thread is stitching. I try my best to avoid eyes, faces, and things like that. The thread is practically invisible to the eye; you can't really see it, except as an afterthought. Use a fine thread that sinks in and blends with the background fabric.

As a professional quilter, it's your job to provide professional advice and suggestions to customers. You can tell them about their options, and the risks if they choose to leave wide spaces (anything over 5") unquilted it will poof up, wear over time and lose strength and integrity.

Another option (that I have done with lettering) is to quilt around it, and in between the letters. That works too.

[Zora]

I cross-hatched over embroidered blocks with Bottom Line. You can barely see it, even up close. It was white thread on a white background, over black embroidery. It didn't alter the appearance of the embroidery at all.

[LadyLake]

Linda,

They may not realize that you can quilt over embroidery with thin thread matching the background and not really notice that it is there. Maybe if you showed them an example. There have been several photos on this Forum, if you do a search for embroidered quilt, they will probably pop up.

[Anniquilter]

Linda

I'm quilting a quilt with embroidered blocks. I've used Superior Thread's silk thread in white and have only stitched thru the birds where the area was too big to be left unquilted. All of the blocks are stippled in the backgrounds and where necessary, I also quilted along a wing or other appropriate line within the embroidery.

Actually, this quilt has been a 'PITA' . The customer was recommended to me by a fellow quilter. She was given the embroidered blocks and asked me to make the quilt. Three times since I got it onto the frame for quilting she has asked for it back to work with her Interior Designer. This has meant that it keeps slipping on my quilting schedule since I can't wait a week or whatever for her to bring it back. The last time she brought it back, a few weeks before I left for England, she told me she loves the quilting but hates the final border fabric and wants to change it. Would I help her find a suitable fabric and then replace the borders! We found the fabric before I left and as soon as I have finished my current quilt I'll get hers done. I don't know how I will charge her for taking off and putting on the borders. I'm just glad that I hadn't yet quilted that final border! I will be very happy to see this one finished and out the door with the $$$ in the bank. I'm glad I had her pay in stages too. I'm only waiting for the final quilting & binding payment and now, whatever I charge her for this border replacement.

[Corey]

It helps when you have samples of quilts to show them various results & effects of their decisions, visuals are very effective in my clients cases & they could touch them.

In my case, I am very fortunate to have such a collection & are also teaching tools for educating these clients.

Corey

[Berylj]

I have quilted over many types of Machine Embroidery. I find quilting over it gives a better outcome than quilting around it. I have used freehand designs and I have used computer driven pantographs What I do depends on the density of the design. One good thing to remember is the human eye works in a way that naturally focuses on the dominant design, unless the embroidery is very subtle, the eyes will focus on the embroidery. As a result the quilting will be virtually invisible on the embroidery regardless of the thickness of the thread if the colour of the thread matches the background or is a neutral colour. When the embroidery is very dense it will often distort the fabric so the quilting helps to settle this down and prevent subsequent wear and tear. When the embroidery is dense it helps if:

1. The embroiderer has used “cutaway” as the stabiliser - this is a much softer backing than the popular “tearaway”;

2. The quilter identifies all the really dense parts of the design and stitch slowly through those sections;

3. When using a computer driven E2E design you slow the machine down;

4. You change the needle more regularly

[Georgene]

In case this might help.

[GrandmaLKB]

Thanks for the input everyone. The quilt actually came in today and we talked about what they wanted done. The embroidered lettering is RED on white blocks. So, I am going to use white So Fine and probably do a crosshatch over the block. I showed them pictures I found here on the forum and they agreed with my suggestion. So, I have the quilt loaded and will start working on it tomorrow. They did a wonderful job with it. It's big....96 x 120....