Originally Posted by Joan Gaddis
i am trying to stitch in the ditch oround the borders on a king quilt. when i get to the last one my top is about 2-3 in. longer than the bottom. i have pinned very close and if i have to rip it again i may get holes (third time) please can anyone help? thank in advance. joan
The top fabric is stretching as you sew.
Since you have already pinned the layers together, I would recommend applying several layers of spray starch on both sides of the quilt before trying to quilt again. Lay out a large flat sheet, smooth your quilt on top of it (making sure it is squared and all layers are flat), mist with spray starch (spray from the outside towards the center as you go around the quilt), let dry, spray again, let dry, etc. After you have one side of the quilt done, turn it over and do the other side the same way. The starch will stabilize the fabric so it will be less likely to stretch.
Also, ***use a walking foot*** for this quilting job! The walking foot also will help to move the top layer the same amount as the bottom layer.
If your machine has a way to reduce pressure on the presser foot, use it to reduce pressure. This will also help the top layer move simultaneously with the bottom layer.
Make sure your stitch length is not too short; using a slightly longer stitch (not basting stitch size, though!) can help too.