STID question
 

Do you ever get good enough at STID that you don't stop at the end of every seam to check how close you got? I'm still getting out of the ditch in places. Very disappointing.

Use a fine thread that blends with the ditch. I don't think it's possible to stay in the ditch 100% of the time. Sometimes the problem is that the ditch is not consistently pressed within a seam, or the direction changes when you hit a cross seam. That makes it more difficult.

I have done quite a few SITD quilts. I too go out of the seam. Sometimes I am able to use Micron pens in the correct color and go over the missed stitches. Obviously, they are not meant to be judged. Just loved. I have tried several different ways. It takes constant concentration and I am not very diligent in that area. When possible I use a wavy pattern (stitch is on my Brothers' machine). It moves approx. 1/16 inch away from the seam in both directions (left side and right side) and is about 5/8" in length. I just finished quilting a quilt this way. I did straight SITD on the white fabric but used the wavy line on the dark fabrics. I used matching thread. Hopefully, you are able to see the stitching in the second photo and then the photo of the backing.

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Here's another thought... You could stitch 1/4" away from the seams.

I've done that and it works quite well and is fairly easy to do.

I quit doing SITD because it made me too tense. It takes constant concentration, not to mention being very slow. I agree that using a fine thread (such as Bottom Line) would makes straying less noticeable. What I opt for instead are just lines -- either straight or wavy -- and a walking foot. When the line doesn't have to be right in the ditch, it's easier to sew.

Here are some images of straight line quilting with a walking foot, without regard for SITD:
https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...demail_chr_win

And here are some images of wavy line quilting with a walking foot:
https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...F-8&n=60&x=wrt

Both are much easier than SITD and far more relaxing.

My machine has a walking foot plate with a little flange in it. The flange rides in the ditch and you get an almost perfect result. I have a Viking, but I know that this walking foot is available for other brands.

http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/en-US...r-s-Guide-Foot

You really want to use a walking foot, but you can also try an edge joining foot. Same type of deal, flange in the center of the foot. These should be available for any brand machine.

http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/en-US...e-Joining-Foot

be cautious about using a ditch/joining foot that is not part of a walking foot.
that little flange can dig into the quilt sandwich and push/stretch the top fabric so that everything is out of wack by the end of the seam.

an open-to walking foot will give you more visibility as the sandwich moves under the needle.
as you practice you will be better able to get the stitching closer to where you want it.

personally i only attempt stitch in the ditch if i am in the mood to challenge myself beyond reason. lol

otherwise, i either try to echo stitch near the ditch or go with the wavy stitch yolajean mentioned (or some other simple deco stitch that will work with my walking foot.)

I agree I don't know if stitch in the ditch could be 100% in the ditch. The feet I use on my Babylocks and Brother machines are the Stitch in the Ditch Foot, or the Blind Hem Foot. I also will use the Edging Foot. With the needle positioned close to the center guide, I can get pretty accurate most of the time. When I remember, I will use the Walking Foot, but I rarely make thicker quilts so do not use it often.

I use a st-in-ditch foot which helped me a lot, also the micron pen thing on places where I get out of the ditch. The foot has a guide in the middle to guide along the ditch.