8) Could anyone advise me as to what style of quilting to do on a rail fence quilt please.

Joy.

My Mom did one and she just quilted in the ditch.

I personally would do an all over design, such as a meander. Attempting to quilt in the ditch would drive me crazy. Too many directions! In any linear design, I usually quilt in some sort of all over pattern. I like the softening effect it leaves.

Thank you for your reply..... I can't see my lines being that straight so I had better veer clear of that..... nice of you to reply....

Your idea is what I had in mind... thank you for that... I just thought there may have been something better... worth asking... but that is good.

Joy, your comment about stitching in a straight line reminded me of an old trick I use a lot--plain old masking tape! It comes in several widths, you can tear off as long a length as you need. It sticks well to most cotton fabric and comes off easily w/o leaving any "gummy" stuff. (Technical term... :D ) You stitch right alongside the tape. I buy so much of it, I once caught my boyfriend glancing around the sewing room. I asked what was wrong. He said, "What in here needs fixing? You seem to need an awful lot of tape!" :D

Leslee - thank you for replying... I will show my ignorance re the tape.. obviously the tape gets put on to the material.... but how does that make a person sew a straighter seam? Is it put on from the outside edge in - can't quite get my head around it so some more information would be appreciated please... many thanks.....

Joy, the tape is used as guide and you sew along side of it. It keeps your lines straight if you are doing a grid pattern. This method is not used to stitch in the ditch, as the seam line is you sewing guide. Does this make more sense?

Oh, of course! Let's say you'd like to fill a space with a grid of sewn lines an inch apart from each other. Stick down your first length of 1" masking tape either along a seam edge or through the center of the open space. I'm not too precise about these things, no quilt police hang around me. (But some folk measure for exactness, I hear :lol: ! And many prefer to stitch from the center out to the edge to ensure flatness.) Begin by quilting right up along the edge of that tape, both sides if need be. Remove the tape. Now restick it along the line you just quilted, using it as a guide and off you sew again! When your space is filled with 1" sewn parallel lines, start placing the tape the opposite way. I hear there are quilters out there who make neat little intersections where the sewing lines meet, but that's not me either!!! It's easier to show this than it is to describe it, but give it a try and let me know what happens, OK?

I understand that it would not be needed for stitch in the ditch - what a waste of tape.... and I can understand how it could be used for grids...

Thanks for that.... I was just thinking of quarter inch seams... I sometimes slightly wander off and have to go back over where I wandered.... which is a bit of a nuisance...

What part of the world do you come from? I am from New Zealand.

Joy.