Quilters/embroiderers, which is best? do I embroider my design first then cut my square or cut the square then do the embroidery.

I cut first once! Then I made smaller quilt squares and a whole lot of trouble figuring it all out to the new size. That happened only once!!! Definitely cut larger squares, embroider then cut to size needed.

I cut my squares 10-12 inches, embroider, then square them up. That way if I have larger designs I want to use, I can square it up nicely for 6"to 8" square. Carol

I see majority rules. I embroidered mine first then squared them off. Great Q&A. Terre

I also embroidery first and then cut. I like to use the plastic Easy Square rulers to do my trimming. They come in various sizes. They make it easy to center the design.

Thank You so much for all your help

This is very interesting answers, I did a quilt my first and so far the only one and I did embroidery first then cut, My mom used to sewing machine embroidery I saw her always do embroidery then cut.

Your cut pieces must be big enough to allow to be hooped, the blocks also 'shrink' after heavy embroidery.
I have cut my fabric in slightly wider than my 4x4 hoop, then I mark a 6" interval across that strip.
this allows me to embroider the 4x4 designs closer together because the hoop will extend/overlap into the design that's embroidered first. Then I cut them to the correct size. This worked fine because I only needed to make 5 embroided blocks that time.
To save on fabric,I think a half inch extra on the final block size should be marked on the fabric.Keep the fabric in a whole piece that is comfortable to work with. Us quilters like to work it out so as to not waste fabric.
From Bev

You embroider first, then cut. Embroidery will shrink the block just enough that it ruins your perfect square. I print my design with the center marked on the paper then lay it perfectly on my embroidered square and use my ruler to cut it to size and it is always perfectly centered and squared.;)

Embroider first on a somewhat oversized block, then press, then cut.

I also embroider than cut seems most do, I just hoop a large piece of fabric near the edge then I cut around the design to the size I need.

Thanks for asking! I've often wondered the same thing....and as usual, the cuties come to the rescue! Happy Quilting! :-)

I also agree with the majority on this list...to embroidery, then cut. mnladyus does what I have done, put on bigger pieces of fabric, then as you get enough to make a quilt, you can cut some on point, or whatever. Especially for a kid's quilt, it can be cut wonky also, so the extra fabric can come in handy. What is cut off can then be put in a box to be sewn into strips to create pieced strips that can be cut into shapes and used in applique or into strips and used in borders for a quilt. Never through away your cut-off strips. Have fun with them.

I embroidery first. H&*

DEFINETELY EMBROIDERY FIRST THEN CUT...

2 comments

by stidiford58 20 Aug 2010

When you say embroider first, how much material because I only have a small area in which to work. Also when pieces are used for quilting do I add the wadding before embroidering & add the backing later?

by bevgrift 21 Aug 2010

To put the wadding and then emboider, depends on the Project and what effect you will achieve. Sometimes you don't want to sew a dense embroidery design through thick layers.
If you only have small pieces pin this on the top of your hooped tearaway, keep pins off the embroidery area.
It is also possible to add embroidery after the quilt has been completed, but then it can be very large and awkward at the embroidery machine.
There are some quilt designs that are specially made to do after. You must also know what is going to be visible on the back of your quilt.
Have Fun because quilts are fab.No matter how they come together.
From Bev

Embroider first then cut :)

i also always embroider first and than cut

I embroider the design first then cut the square, reason is sometimes you won't get it lined up perfectly. It takes a bit more fabric but worth it. Sometimes instead of a square I decide to cut it on point. Hope this helps you out.

2 comments

by psssst 20 Aug 2010

<<<<< agrees ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

by mnladyus 20 Aug 2010

I have all my block cut to about 9-10 inches. Than I embroider on them. When I get ready to use them, than I square them up and cut to the size I need. Many times I have done just the embroidery with no quilt in mind. I store my blocks in pizza boxes I buy from a local pizza place. When I'm ready to make the quilt, the little box is labeled, I take it off the shelf and trim them to the size I need. Embroidery is already done, and I'm ready to make the quilt.