I`ve handquilted all my quilts so far and SID and as you say i just follow the seams but not exactly on it...i don`t even do it 1/4" away i do it just a hairline away so i can see my stitch yet it looks in the ditch,,,i know i`m a bit different...but thy have all turned out beautiful, and i love the look and feel of handquilting...it does take time though...but i find it so relaxing...i also try and do it on the side with no seam allowance
Originally Posted by saf
Originally Posted by Borntohandquilt
Originally Posted by knitpick
thanks do you ever sid by hand?
May I throw in my two cents worth here...
I have already done SID by hand several times. I stitch very close along the seam line on the side where there are no seam allowances. The quilting stitches are almost unnoticeable that way.
SID gives structure but I like it much more when the quilting is more visible. As far as I know SID is recommended for beginners - but I must say it is easier to practice hand quilting on a surface without seams nearby and you can control and improve your skills better when you see your stitches clearly on the fabric.
Thanks for this advice andrea. I am about to make my first attempt at hand quilting on my very first quilt. The teacher at class has suggested doing SID as being the easiest. I have been practising on a sample but found that it was much easier to stitch in a place away from a seam, as you suggested. So I think that I will stitch about 1/4" away from the seams. What do you think? :?