Quilting and embroidery method

The present invention provides an improved method and computer program product for quilting and embroidering fabric. The method comprises securing a quilt sandwich of top layer fabric, batting and backing fabric in an embroidery hoop and attaching said embroidery hoop to an embroidery machine. The user retrieves a digitized embroidery file that is fed into the embroidery machine. The digitized file instructs the embroidery machine to stitch the quilt layers together according to a predetermined stippling pattern and to stitch an outline for an appliqué. After an appliqué fabric is placed over the outline, the digitized file sews a tackdown stitch, after which appliqué enhancements or additional layers of appliqué may also be stitched. The quilt is then removed from the embroidery hoop and the appliqué and quilt are trimmed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to quilting and embroidering and more specifically to a method for reducing the number of steps required in quilting and speeding up production time.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Quilting is a sewing method done either by hand, by sewing machine, or by a longarm quilting system. The process uses a needle and thread to join two or more layers of material together to make a quilt. Typical quilting is done with three layers: the top fabric or quilt top, batting (filler sandwiched between two layers of fabric to give the quilt loft) and backing material. The quilter's hand or sewing machine passes the needle and thread through all layers and then brings the needle back up. The process is repeated across the entire piece where quilting is desired. A straight or running stitch is commonly used, and these stitches can be purely functional or decorative and elaborate.

Quilting is done on bed spreads, art quilt wail hangings, clothing, and a variety of textile products. Quilting can make a project thick or use dense quilting to raise one area so that another stands out.

Traditional, quilting is a six-step process that includes: 1) selecting a pattern, fabrics and batting; 2) measuring and cutting fabrics to the correct, size to make blocks from the pattern; 3) piecing blocks together (sewing cut pieces of fabric together using a sewing machine or by hand to make blocks) to make a finished “top”; 4) layering the quilt top with batting and backing to make a “quilt sandwich”; 5) quilting by hand or machine through all layers of the quilt sandwich; and 6) squaring up and trimming excess batting from the edges, machine sewing the binding to the front edges of the quilt and then hand-stitching the binding to the quilt backing. It should be noted, that if the quilt will, be hung on the wall, there is an additional step: making and attaching the hanging sleeve. For high volume operations, this multitude of steps is very labor and time intensive.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method of quilting that reduces the number of steps involved and speeds up production time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved method and computer program product for quilting and embroidering fabric. The method comprises securing a quilt sandwich of top layer fabric, batting and backing fabric in an embroidery hoop and attaching said embroidery hoop to an embroidery machine. The user retrieves a digitized embroidery file that is fed into the embroidery machine. The digitized file instructs the embroidery machine to first stitch the quilt layers together according to a predetermined stippling pattern. The digitized file then instructs the embroidery machine to stitch an outline for an appliqué. Alternatively, the appliqué outline may be stitched before the stippling. After an appliqué fabric is placed over the outline, the digitized file sews a tackdown stitch, after which appliqué enhancements or additional layers of appliqué may also be stitched. The quilt is then removed from the embroidery hoop and the appliqué and quilt are trimmed. The invention allows all stitching and quilting to be completed before removing the quilt from the embroidery hoop and trimming the appliqué.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now toFIG. 1, a flowchart illustrates a method of quilting using embroidered blocks in accordance with the prior art. The process begins by cutting the quilt block larger than the required finished size (step101). Next, the block is secured in an embroidery hoop with a stabilizer (step102).

The user then retrieves a digital embroidery file on a computerized embroidery machine (step103). The digitized file instructs the embroidery machine to embroider the decorative elements (e.g., embroidery designs, appliqué designs or foundation-piecing) (step104).

After the block is embroidered, it is removed from the hoop (step105) and trimmed to the finished size plus seam allowance (step106). The blocks are then pieced together to create the quilt top (step107).

The pieced quilt top, batting and backing are layered (step108) and the layers are quilted together with running stitches (stippling) using a standard sewing machine or by hand (step109).

FIG. 2is a flowchart showing a method for quilting using foundation piecing in accordance with the prior art. This method begins by cutting the quilt block foundation larger than the finished block size (step201) and securing the foundation in an embroidery hoop with stabilizer (step202).

The user then retrieves a digital embroidery file, which is an outline designating where fabric pieces are to be placed on by one (step203). The digitized file instructs the embroidery machine to stitch the first color (outline) (step204). The user places the first fabric piece right side down on the designated sewn line (step205) and stitches the next color according to the digitized file (step206). The fabric is then flipped down over the sewn line, and the seam is finger pressed (step207).

If there are additional fabric pieces to be added to the block (step208), steps205-207are repeated until the block is finished.

After the block is created, backing and batting can be added to the wrong side of the hoop and secured with temporary spray adhesive or a water soluble thread (step209). The final colors of the digital embroidery file stipple the three layers (step210). The finished block is removed from the machine (step211) and trimmed to the desired size (step212).

The blocks are then pieced together with a narrow seam allowance (step213). A ribbon or narrow strip of fabric is fused to the back of the quilt, covering the seams, and secured with a topstitch (step214).

FIG. 3is a flowchart showing yet another prior art method of quilting involving the use of machine embroidery appliqué. This method is a variation of the method shown inFIG. 2. The process begins by cutting the quilt block larger than the required finished size (step301) and securing it in an embroidery hoop with a stabilizer (step302).

The user retrieves a digital embroidery file that provides the outline of where to place the appliqué fabric (step303) and stitches the first color according to the digitized file (step304). The fabric is placed right side up, covering the sewn outline (step305), and the tackdown is stitched (step306).

At this point, the hoop is removed from the embroidery machine, while leaving the fabric in the hoop (step307), and the excess appliqué fabric is trimmed (step308). The user then reattaches the hoop to the embroidery machine (step309). The next color is then stitched, typically a satin stitch that covers the raw edge of the appliqué fabric (step310).

After the block is created, backing and batting can be added to the wrong side of the hoop and secured with temporary spray adhesive or a water soluble thread (step311). The final colors of the digital embroidery file stipple the three layers (step312). The user removes the finished block from the machine (step313) and trims it to the desired size (step314).

The blocks are pieced together with a narrow seam allowance (step315), and a ribbon or narrow strip of fabric is fused to the back of the quilt, covering the seams and secured with a topstitch (step316).

As is obvious from the above descriptions, the prior art methods of quilting can be rather labor and time intensive. In addition, the user has to remove the hoop from the machine to trim the appliqué fabric and then reattach the hoop to the machine and complete the design. Removing and reattaching the hoop in this manner can cause misalignment within the embroidery machine and is time consuming. The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by changing the sequencing of the steps during the embroidery process and reducing the number of steps and time involved in quilting as well as eliminating the potential misalignment issues noted above.

FIG. 4is a flowchart showing a quilting method in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The process begins by cutting the block, batting and backing larger than the desired finished size (step401) and seeming all of the layers of the quilt sandwich in an embroidery hoop (step402). The user then retrieves and executes a digital embroidery file (step403).

The digitized file first instructs the embroidery machine to embroider the stippling stitches to quilt the layers together (step404).FIGS. 5A and 5Bshow examples of stippling in straight lines or a meandering style, respectively.

The next stitch embroidered from the digitized file is the outline of the appliqué area sewn on the top layer of the quilt (step405).FIG. 6Ashows an example of an appliqué outline601within the stippling pattern. This is a placement guide to show where to place the appliqué fabric. It should be noted that this step is optional, as the user could place the fabric over the entire hoop without the outline.

Alternatively, steps405and404can be reversed. The appliqué outline can be sewn first and the stippling sewn after. The key element is that both the stippling and appliqué outline are sewn before the tackdown.

The user places the appliqué fabric over the designated area (step406). The digitized file then sews a tackdown stitch to secure the appliqué fabric to the base fabric (step407).FIG. 6Bshows a tackdown stitch602sewn into an appliqué layer610. Optionally, the digitized file may stitch other colors, which are aesthetic options such as, e.g., appliqué enhancements or additional layers of appliqué (step408).FIG. 6Cshows an example of appliqué enhancements.

The block is removed from the hoop (step409), and the block is trimmed to the desired finished size plus a seam allowance, and the appliqué fabric is trimmed as well (step410). The blocks are then sewn together using a reversible seaming method (step411).

The advantage of the present invention over the prior art is that quilt blocks can be created faster and quilted all in one step (50% faster or more). In the prior art, one would normally have to create the quilt block first (decorate with appliqué), piece the blocks together and then quilt (stipple) the entire quilt. With the present invention, the blocks are already appliquéd and quilted when they are taken out of the hoop. The only thing left to do is sew the blocks together.

In the present invention all steps (appliquéing and quilting) are performed in one hooping. The appliqué fabric is applied after the quilting and outline stitches are sewn. The sequence of stitches enables the trimming to be completed after the quilt is removed from the hoop, thereby eliminates the risk of misalignment since there is no need to remove the hoop from the machine during the embroidery and quilting process.

The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations will be possible to the disclosed embodiments without going outside the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims.