A few posts ago, I introduced you to a Memory Quilt that I recently made for a family member who was celebrating a landmark birthday. Just as it is important to identify the photos that you take, I felt it was important to machine embroider family names the quilt blocks. People change over time, and it is helpful to identify who these beloved family members are now.
Those who are familiar with Machine Embroidery, you know that Stabilizer is a required element to embroider anything. There are many types to choose from, but I find that I am using this type more often with many of my projects : World Weidner Self-Adhesive Sticky Peel N Stick Tear Away Embroidery Stabilizer Backing 8"x10 Yard Roll. What I like about this project is that you can readjust your fabric without taking the hoop apart. this is a very important convenience that saves me time and I feel helps me to quickly get my projects ready to start.
You may be wondering why I am being so specific about the type (not the brand) stabilizer. Well, it is because I tried to use it efficiently when embroidering on my blocks. Stabilizer can be costly, so being efficient with its use is just smart. I tried to embroider on the photos before I made the blocks and it was just too difficult for this quilt. I found that it was easier to embroider on the finished blocks. They were easier to position and center using self-adhesive stabilizer.
I started positioning the first block near the top of the hoop. After your embroidery is finished, I folded the bottom of the block upward.
Slide you next block just under the first block.
Your machine most likely came with a grid tool to help you center your project. I used this tool to center and place my next block on the hoop. Then I used the settings on my machine to show me the size of the name I wanted to embroider. Sometimes I had to adjust the name up or down using the settings on my machine.
Firmly press your blocks on to the self-adhesive stabilizer. Embroider your names until you have used the full length of your stabilizer contained within your hoop.
After you remove your hoop from you machine, start removing the bottom block from your stabilizer.
When you have finished removing all the blocks, your stabilizer should look like this.
Soooo, what is the finished project like? Here it a section of the quilt in all of it's glory! My family member states that she has shown this to many friends and neighbors. Reportedly they enjoy it as much as my beloved family member does.
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