Edge-to-Edge QuiltingFinish off your quilts and more with machine embroidery motifs designed to create an overall repeated quilting effect. Project instructions below will show you how to place and repeat this type of design on your projects. Project Needs & Notes: |
Steps To Complete
Edge-to-edge quilting designs are designed to create an overall repeated quilting effect when the designs are sewn side-by-side. They are single run designs that have a start and stop point on opposite sides of the design. |
Batting comes in a variety of materials (like cotton or polyester) and lofts (a term used to refer to the thickness of a material). Thin, low loft batting will make a quilt easier to hoop properly. |
Before making your quilt or other project, think about what size embroidery hoop you will be using, and how close to the edge or how far over the edge the designs will embroider. Make sure you have enough extra fabric around your quilt or project to hoop it all securely. To find out how much extra fabric you will need, compare the finished project size with the size of the design to see how many designs you will be sewing across. Alternatively, you can print and lay out templates as explained below. For best results when making a quilt, make your quilt top a bit larger than the final desired size. The batting can be the same size as the quilt top or slightly larger to compensate for shifting. The backing should be even larger than the batting to create the extra room needed for hooping. You do not need any stabilizer for this process. |
After you have calculated your desired fabric size, prepare your quilt or project for the embroidery process. Adhere all the layers together with temporary adhesive. Do not use straight pins or safety pins as they will interfere with hooping and embroidering. |
To prevent the embroidery machine foot from catching on the edge of the quilt layers while embroidering, tape the edge of each layer down with masking or quilting tape. This is recommended but not necessary, so long as you watch your project closely while embroidering near an edge. |
A template (also called a print out) of a design is an excellent tool to help with placement. |
Take the printed template and plan out how many designs you will need to cover your entire project. This will show where each design will roughly embroider. Make sure to match up the start and stop points (or tails) of each design as needed. |
Quilts and other large projects work best when embroidered from the center out (rather than top to bottom). Starting in the center most horizontal row will help prevent buckling and other problems from occurring as you stitch many designs side by side. It is also important to embroider each row from left to right as it is easiest to line up the designs that way. |
Extend the axis lines using a ruler and fabric marking tool. This will complete the placement guide and extend the lines past the size of the hoop, making it easier to line things up when hooping. |
Hoop all the layers of your quilt (or project) together, making sure the drawn axis lines match up with the markings on your embroidery hoop. Your layers should be hooped drum tight with no wrinkles, but be careful that you do not pull too tight, as this may stretch or misalign your design. |
Any embroidery or quilting thread can be used for Edge-to-Edge designs. Using a thread color that matches or contrasts with the fabric can create different effects and looks. |
Load the embroidery design file onto your machine, and secure the hoop in place. Using the controls on the embroidery machine, move the needle directly over the drawn center point on your fabric. This will help ensure that the design is embroidering where you marked. |
Embroider the first design of the center row. Notice how the design starts sewing at the start point, which is the end (or tail) on the left side of the design. Also notice how it stops sewing at the stop point, which is the end (or tail) on the right side of the design. All Edge-to-Edge quilting designs are digitized to sew left to right like this. |
After the first design has finished embroidering, carefully remove the hoop. If there is another design in the same horizontal row as the first design, lay the template to the right of the first design. |
Locate the stop point of the previously embroidered design and the start point on the template. Adjust the template on your project as needed until those stop and start points are aligned. They should just barely overlap. |
Once the template is lined up, mark the center point and the horizontal and vertical axis lines using a fabric marking tool, then use a ruler to extend them. |
Load your design and hoop onto the machine. Position the needle over the center point once again. |
Once the needle is hovering over the first stitch, use the machine wheel (or lower needle button) to lower the needle into the fabric. Make sure the needle is directly above the embroidered stop point (or end/tail) of the previously embroidered design. |
Once the stop point of the previous design and the first stitch are lined up, embroider the design. |
Now that the first horizontal row is completed, it is time to embroider the next horizontal row from left to right. Because of the way machines are shaped, it is usually easiest to embroider all of the rows below the center row first (as there is more room in front of the machine for bulky fabric). Start with the row directly under the center row that has been embroidered. |
Extend the axis lines using a ruler and fabric marking tool. Then hoop the fabric together, matching up the drawn lines with the marks on the hoop. |
After the first design of that row has embroidered, repeat the previous steps to embroider the remaining designs in that horizontal row from left to right. For each one, line up the template to the right of the previously embroidered design. Mark the axis lines and center point, and then hoop it tightly. Make sure the start point (the first stitch), and the stop point match up before embroidering. Then embroider the design. |
Now that all of the rows below the center row are completed, it is time to embroider the rows above the center row from left to right. For each one, always start with the left most design. Line up the template, mark the axis lines and center point, and then hoop it tightly. Center the needle over the drawn center point. Make sure the start point (the first stitch), and the stop point match up (if needed) before embroidering. Then embroider the design. |
Then trim off any excess fabric, and finish your project as desired. Follow the manufacture's instructions to remove any remaining marking tool marks. For water-erase markers (like the ones used in this tutorial), simply wash your project in a washing machine after it is completely finished. |