Originally Posted by foxxigrani
I also am a SID person. I have tried FM, it looks like a 4 yr olds attempt at writing, PATHETIC let me tell you, so if I am doing it by machine, its SID or by hand, no machine for me lol..
This tickled me, LOL! I Zc tually found that if I *did* write names, messages in the quilting, it went much more smoothly for me. Guess my eye/hand was used to the motion and I could maintain the rhythm. I FM letters about 1" - 1.5" high when I do it.
But I prefer handquilting and use a "big stitch" technique that resembles Japanese Sashiko. The thread is slightly thicker, the needle a bit larger (which helps me to hang onto the needle) and I use thread colors other than just white/ecru to add another dimension to the design of the quilt. These stitches are NOT toe-catchers; they are about 1/8" long. The look is quite attractive and I've had commission requests for the work and been in shows, so somebody must be loving it!
Jan in VA