leatheflea

I posted these a while back saying I was gonna make a quilt. Well I've finished making the surrounding blocks but I'm not sure what to do now. These embroidered blocks need to be back and enlarged a little, and I'm just not sure how to go about it. Should I sew the backing on, fuse it? Should I enlarge the blocks before or after backing the blocks. Thanks for your help

BKrenning

What do you mean by "back the blocks"? Put a framing fabric around them? Put interfacing behind them? Is the muslin super thin or are you just needing to make the embroidered blocks the same size as your surrounding blocks? What are the surrounding blocks? I need to see more of what you have planned.

smitty

I also am a little confused by your wording. on the market is a very lightweight interfacing that you iron to the back of thing blocks. you hardly know it is there. square your blocks, carefully ! then add borders, etc to make to the size you want. if blocks are different sizes, you can add wider strips & then square all to the same size. you could also use two different colored fabrics in thinner widths. Sharyn Criag
has books out that are just great for fixing blocks.

leatheflea

The print fabric has nothing to do with what I'm wanting to do, maybe thats what confusing. I just want to back these in order to make them not see through, and then enlarge them.

Lady Crafter

What do you mean by enlarge them? Are you adding borders?

leatheflea

I guess you could say add a border I'm wanting to add fabic that is the same color of the muslin in order to make the embroidered blocks larger.

Lady Crafter

OK .... why the same color as the muslin? It may end up NOT being the same color if it is washed, unless taken from the same piece of muslin.. Why not add fabric to compliment the other blocks?

IMHO, I would "enlarge" the embroidered blocks by a technique of choice, and then add the thin interfacing as suggested by smitty. Only then would I proceed with piecing the blocks into a quilt.

Jan in VA

1. Back the embroidered blocks (easier done before embroidery next time) with a VERY lightweight one-sided-fusible interfacing. Trim to your required size.

2. Use a similar or even slightly different fabric for enlarging. Cut strips to length to match 2 sides (the width you need), and add them to opposite sides. Re-measure and cut strips for the remaining two opposite sides, and add them. Square up the enlarged blocks yet again.
Now you are ready to set with your alternate blocks. If you feel the seams are too thick upon joining these blocks, you might try pressing the seams open.
Be sure to let us see the finished top!

Jan in VA

leatheflea

Thanks for your help ladies! I finally just jumped in there and did it. I was so worried about making a mistake with these. My mom made them 23 years ago and shes didnt do a real good job, shes a seamstress but not a quilter.
Anyway she gave them to me to finish for my grandbaby and I never got to it. So I'm finally getting it done, but not for me, they will be given back to her in a quilt for her to display with her doll collection. Hopefully dad will buy her the quilt rack. Knowing my mom she'll pack in away in the closet thinking that treasures need to be hidden instead of enjoyed. Again thanks, when I'm finished with the quilt this week I will post.