Patchwork-in-the-Hoop technique on the Husqvarna VIKING DESIGNER EPIC 3

It’s the final day of the week, and there’s still so much to share! I’ve had a blast playing with new stitch techniques such as Floating Stitches on the Husqvarna VIKING DESIGNER EPIC 3, trying out designs from the mySewnet Library, and quilting a quilt with designs from the mySewnet Embroidery Software.

Today, I’ll play with patchwork in the hoop, a technique for piecing or quilting in the hoop.

The first step is to gather the supplies. I’m making a hot mat, so I first need to get some UNIQUE therm fleece with a heat-resistant layer to protect table surfaces.

Therm fleece

I went to my scrap box to find some orange scraps. The hot mat is a leaf shape; these colors remind me of fall. I need some 50wt thread for piecing and 40wt embroidery thread for the final stitching.

Fabric and thread

I’ll need an appropriate-sized embroidery hoop (260mm by 200mm) and some Whisper Web Mesh stabilizer. I’m using a legacy hoop on the Husqvarna VIKING DESIGNER EPIC 3, so I’ll also need the hoop adaptor.

Hoop and stabilizer

If you have no idea how to do patchwork in the hoop, guess what? Start by going to the JoyOS Advisor and go into the Embroidery techniques. Have you noticed a recurring theme this week? If you don’t know how to do a specific technique or even if you only need a list of supplies for that technique, the JoyOS Advisor is full of information.

The JoyOS Advisor

Here’s part of the tutorial for Patchwork in the Hoop. It’s so easy to access this information!

Tutorial for Patchwork in the Hoop

Instead of using a design in the Husqvarna VIKING DESIGNER EPIC 3, I’ll search the mySewnet Library. I can search the library directly from the Embroidery Edit screen. Log into your mySewnet account, where accessing any of the over 9000 files is a breeze, using the search functions.

The search menu for the mySewnet Library

Here’s a tip when you get into Embroidery Stitch Out. There are many stitching lines in this design, and looking at the screen with all those lines is intimidating because you have no idea what line is going to stitch out next.

The design for the patchwork-in-the-hoop leaf

Open up the Color Block Options and select Ghost Mode. All the stitching lines remain on the screen, but only the one in the current Color Block shows up in color on the screen. The remainder of the lines are ‘ghosted’. This feature is invaluable for Patchwork in the Hoop, and I use it all the time for any of my embroideries.

Select Ghost Mode in the Color Block Options

Let’s get our stabilizer hooped, so we’re ready to go. The Whisper Web Mesh (cut-a- way stabilizer) makes the perfect base for building the project sections in the hoop. It’ll remain in the project. I’ve also attached the hoop adapter to the hoop.

The stabilizer and the embroidery hoop

The first color block will stitch the placement line so we know where to position the therm fleece. Once the fleece is secure, the next Color Block stitches the placement lines for the remainder of the fabric pieces.

The placement lines for the fabric

It’s now time to add fabric. I’ll place the first piece as indicated on the Embroidery Stichout screen. I’ve used a strip of fabric, which I’ll cut off in a minute. Ensure the piece is large enough to provide seam allowances.

Placing the first fabric

The next color block will stitch the fabric in place. I’ll use my Husqvarna VIKING Applique Scissors to trim the excess fabric. Again, be sure to leave excess for seam allowances.

Trimming the fabric for the first piece

Place the next piece of fabric face down. This step would be impossible without using the Ghost Mode to show me where to position it. The following Color Block will stitch it in place.

The next piece of fabric in position

Flip the fabric so the right side shows, and the next color block will secure it.

Piece two pieces if fabric in place and ready to be secured.

The next color block will secure it in place. Trim the excess away, leaving seam allowances.

The second fabric is secure and trimmed.

Continue those steps until the fabric covers the entire leaf. That was so easy! It didn’t take long, and all I had to do was add fabric, hold it, and trim!

All the fabric to create the leaf shape

This particular design is a project-in-the-hoop. The next color block will secure a backing fabric, and the final step will be quilting. I use painter’s tape to secure the backing to the back side of the hoop. Ensure the tape is well secured, or it’ll roll up on the embroidery unit.

Secure the backing to the wrong side of the hoop with tape

I switched from piecing thread to embroidery thread. Since this is a two-sided design where the stitches will show on the back, I wound a bobbin with a matching 40-weight thread.

Switching the bobbin thread

Some steps will differ depending on how the design is digitized, so this is one example of the patchwork-in-the-hoop technique. After stitching the tack down stitch, I checked the back to ensure there were no tucks or other misadventures.

Check the back for tucks.

Then I let the final color block run, and here’s the finished embroidery. It’s fabulous, and I love it. Plus, it was super easy. I need to trim it and add the binding. I’ll try using bias tape, but I don’t have time today to make that happen.

The patchwork-in-the-hoop design

The technique was so easy that I also created a green leaf. I’ll make my bias binding for this leaf to try a different method. You’ll need bias binding because of the curves. You can refer to this tutorial for bias binding. Because there are a lot of curves, I’m going to cut those strips at 2¼”.

A green patchwork-in-the-hoop leaf

I was having fun with this embroidery technique, so I tried one of the blocks in the Content section of the JoyOS Advisor. The log cabin block has a different style; the ‘sewing’ stitch is a top stitch. I found the crazy patch in the mySewnet library, which uses decorative stitches on the seams. There are many ways to make patchwork-in- the-hoop projects, and now I want to try more.

Two styles of patchwork in the hoop

I also found a block with templates, so you can pre-cut the shapes to make this technique much faster. Hmmm – this gives me an idea. Why can’t I take those templates and use my digital cutter to cut them? OH! My mind is reeling with the possibilities!

Templates for a patchwork-in-the-hoop design

The possibilities are endless!! Wow – there’s so much I want to create and so many new techniques to try. I need many more hours in my day to try them all!

Husqvarna VIKING DESIGNER EPIC 3

It’s been so much fun this week trying different ideas with quilting and the Husqvarna VIKING DESIGNER EPIC 3. The more I discover about the Husqvarna VIKING DESIGNER EPIC 3, the more I want to use all the fantastic functions and tools! I hope you enjoyed the projects this week, and perhaps you even learned a thing or two. I know I certainly did!

Thanks for following, and have a great day!

Ciao!!!

This is part 5 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 4: Piecing a quilt with Floating Stitches | Decorative and Constructive

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