teddysmom

My DD has just completed a machine pieced quilt for her MIL. She asked me to hand quilt using SID method. Has anyone done this? Any suggestions? I've always hand quilted "in the shadow".

ptquilts

I have done it, but it is harder than 1/4" away from the seams. Plus your nice hand quilting does not show up as well.

teddysmom

She only wants the stitches to show up on the back. Why is it harder?

toolazy

Harder because of the seam allowances -- lots of fabric to get through.

How could it be that the stitches would show up only on the back? You'd have to quilt from the back and not go through the top layer at all. Unless she wants you to quilt exactly along the seamlines? In which case I'd do it by machine ......

Aaaaaaaand that was probably not a helpful response. Hope you can figure out just what she wants and help her with it. A gift to others is most always an honorable endeavor.

dunster

It would seem to me (and I'm not a hand quilter) that quilting in the ditch would only go through 2 layers of fabric, plus batting, since the seam allowance should be pressed to one side and you won't be quilting through that side. But it might be harder keeping an even stitch, since you won't see it from the front?

patchsamkim

You can do it, but the stitches won't show much...maybe ask her if you can stitch a bit farther out than in the ditch so the stitches will show more, or do some other quilting design that would show more than sitd...if you are going to hand quilt, it is nice if the stitches really show, otherwise as someone else said, may as well do it by machine.

thimblebug6000

I googled how to hand quilt in the ditch and it doesn't seem like a very popular thing to do. There's a conversation about it on this link that might help you. http://www.thequiltshow.com/bb3/view...hp?f=14&t=4947

Tartan

I find that I can sort of SITD on the side without the seam allowances but it gets tricky when you come to the next block. If the seam allowances are nested then you have to switch stitching sides. It is also a little harder to load even stitches on your needle because the seam is not quite as pliable as regular fabric.

isewman

I'd say NO to SID. It is harder to do, and when you do a 1/4", with hand quilting. It will be easier, and you'll be able to do the rocking motion, with hand quilting.

Traditional Quilter

If the maker has pressed the seams to one side, quilting in the ditch should be easy. There will be seam allowances to go through even if you don't quilt in the ditch. However, it seems like a lot of time and effort to put into a quilt where the stitches won't show. I would agree with too lazy -- machine quilt it and save your hand quilting time and effort for a quilt where your stitches will be appreciated.