sewbeadit

[ATTACH=CONFIG]315984[/ATTACH]I use a tiny whip stitch to sew hex's together for GMFG and also for little dresden plates and am wondering what kind of stitches others use. You can see mine even though they are tiny. I don't even know if it is supposed to be okay to see the stitches or not. So I need some help please, need suggestions, ideas. Thanks a bunch. [ATTACH=CONFIG]315982[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]315983[/ATTACH]

Patches1900

I also use small whipstitches (probably about 12 per inch) with cotton thread 50 wt. (which I use for both piecing and FMQ as well). I TRY to snag just 1 or 2 threads in each hex as I whipstitch them together - more than that and the stitches will show quite a bit. Matching thread to color that dominates each hex also helps ALOT. I've read where some folks use silk thread of a finer weight for handwork like this which virtually disappears but I am practical, using what I have lots of which is cotton.

stampinteresa

I have been hand sewing a GMFG together for awhile now. I do a tiny running stitch with about a 1/4 to 1/8 inch seam allowance. When my grandmother first started me sewing; it was sewing the dresden plate wedges together on the sewing machine (that only did a straight stitch). Just had to share. Hope it helps. Teresa

Tartan

I don't do much hand sewing but your patches look really good. So accurate and precise that no one is going to inspect the stitches. When your quilt is done all they will say is, "wow, great quilt!"

AZ Jane

Great job fussy cutting the peacocks!

Peckish

I use a ladder stitch for exactly that reason, and have been much happier than I was with the whip stitch.

Vanuatu Jill

I agree with Patches1900-I use matching thread, not white or neutral for all, and take tiny whip stitches, making sure it is pulled tight enough not to pucker. There is nothing wrong with cotton thread, silk may disappear a bit more, but it is also very expensive and harder to work with. I am also making a GFG, and my stitches hardly show, using matching threads and taking tiny whip stitches (only 2 or 3 threads).

Peckish

Here is part of a project I made using the ladder stitch. Can you see the threads?

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Peckish

Here is an illustration of how to do the ladder stitch:
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And here is a link to a video tutorial, it might help to watch someone actually do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CjOXMuTFXo

Hope this helps!

MdmSew'n'Sew

I love your work! The colors and fussy cutting of the peacocks are awesome. Also, the Dresdens are scrumptious!
When I do a whip stitch, I put right sides together so that what I catch is really the first thread on the backside of each piece, so they rarely if ever show on the front - the same way I sew together knit or crocheted items. Also, once your quilt is done and washed, the threads will nest into the fabric and really won't be visible at all.