handquilting in the ditch
 

how do you handquilt in an even line around the pattern your doing? Mine look so off centered sometimes. Ive tried the 1/4 tape but it was a hassel. Any suggestions?

I never stitch in the ditch. I only machine quilt now, I usually do FMQ in a large stipple. When I do straight stitching I go about 1/4" from the seam and did the same when I hand quilted, or I did a running stitch in an X pattern across the blocks.

kind of like driving, I always go beside the ditch when I hand quilt. the seam bump gives me a nice steady guide.

I am undertaking my first hand quilting project and I have done lots of trial and error to find what works. I also tried the tape and that was just a waste of my money and time. What I have found that works for me is to draw a line where I want to hand stitch using either a chalk pencil for dark colors and using colored (I'm currently using a green)slivers of soap for the white fabrics. The soap will wash out when I am finished. You could also draw your design on tissue paper and pin it to your fabric and sew on the lines. I gave this a half hearted attempt and then just went back to marking my stitching line.

I echo quilt most of the time. I too, use chalk...it wears off easily (sometimes too easily) I like the idea of using the seam as a guide!

I am a bit confused by your question. The title says handquilting in the ditch" but then you describe "even line around the pattern and trying 1/4" tape. which is it - in the ditch or 1/4" out from the ditch.

she's talking about a modification of "in the ditch", I think. I've heard others say it's supposed to be easier to stitch just outside of the ditch, but my first ever quilt (a log cabin) also had a lot of "in the ditch" quilting and I didn't think it was that much harder, if at all, than the rest of the quilting on it.

honeybee, have you tried actually stitching in the ditch? Solves your problem of it looking off center to you and you might be surprised at how easy it is. :-)

I'll say this forever ;) - if i'm going to spend my time hand-quilting, I want my work to show. Use a frixion pen to draw a line - use the fons and porter pencil to draw a line and quilt on the line. The frixion comes out w/ heat, the fons &porter will come out when washed. And the frixion pen will also totally disappear w/ wash. Even a lead pencil will draw a light line and i notice that by the time i finish dragging my hand across the quilt quilting, the pencil line wears off.

I also hand quilt. I quilt just slightly away from the seam. Mine aren't always even and not always exactly straight but when the quilt is completed, it looks good. Stressing over getting my stitches EXACTLY EVEN is stressful for me and I like to hand quilt because it's relaxing. When it becomes THAT stressful, then I'll just have to stop making quilts. No one who has one of my quilts has said anything about my quilting stitches being uneven. Stop stressing, enjoy the process and let others enjoy the fruits of your hands.

I totally agree. If and when I become so stressed about my stitches, then it is time to quit. Life is too short to try and quilt perfectly. Besides, I kind of like it when there is a slight mistake or two. That's just me of course.

I will sometimes hand quilt in the ditch for utility purposes. But then I will quilt other motifs other places on the quilt. I will also, frequently, quilt 1/4 inch outside the seam or 'echo quilt'. I use either a plain #2 mechanical pencil for drawing the lines on light fabrics or a bohin white mechanical pencil for darker fabrics. Never have an issue with either of these washing out. A friend of mine uses chunks or masking tape to mark straight lines. Just picks it up and moves it as necessary as she's working.

I use different markers - the markers that are washable, come in all colors, do a fantastic job on my quilt top. And they wash out after my project is completed. I always wash the quilt before it goes to it's home. I draw the pattern onto the material, and quilt! If the material is dark, I use a sliver of hand soap - smells great too! Great grandmother showed me the soap trick. Of course it doesn't show very well on white material.

Im trying to keep a straight even stitch around the blocks like along the seam but Im still "stitching" off center instead of straight line

I didnt know you could stitch in the actual sewing stitch. Im still learning quilting. Have been quilting for a little over a year.

You should try Irish Spring on light fabrics...it has a green tint to it...

Amen!!!!!!

I too am learning to handquilt. Several of the ladies that I'm learning from have handquilted for years. Each of them have told me to "enjoy the process". Even machine stitching isn't perfect.

To be real honest, I don't much care what others think of my handquilting... I'm having too much fun to worry about that.

I gave a quilt to a friend and I hand quilted it my second ever and Just the other day I was looking closely at it an it was in no way perfect but it had small stitches they may not have been perfectly straight but I sure could not see a problem with them! AND I am the one who did it! actually I was amazed at how well it looked! Do not be hard on yourself once it is done it will be beautiful!