New to board
 

I’ve quilted for years, but still find myself with this question. Do I stitch in the ditch or free motion? Should the quilt design dictate? Input appreciated!

Welcome to the boards! Really good questions and no one answer, at least from me.

I am a piecer, not a quilter -- some people can do marvelous things with a boring top and improve it by quilting. I can take a good top and downgrade to "functional but adequate" by my quilting choices and abilities... Although I strive to do my best and get better, I am more concerned with will it survive the wash rather than will it win an award for quilting.

Every top has a multitude of right/perfect choices. I'm starting to learn that a strong pattern can take less intricate quilting and sometimes a simple serpentine stitch grid is the perfect choice. Likewise, intricate quilting can get lost in a busy print but be perfect in a solid. My last top though, it needs some quilting design in the white/empty spaces of the quilt and wants some sort of all over treatment.

When I stitch in the ditch, I stitch in the ditch and not next to it. Other people feel differently.

Iceblossom
 

Thanks for your input! I have two really small quilts, pallets really, I’m making for a neighbor’s twin grandsons that should be born next week. They are just HST pieced to accent one big square in the middle and one outer square, if that makes sense. I prefer to FMQ but sometimes I wonder if that will distract from the design. After reading your reply, I think I’ll do a combination. I’ve appliquéd their first initial in the center square. Think I’ll SID of the main design squares and FMQ the “background “. Thanks again!

Welcome from Southern California, and thank you for your questions. I am often in a quandary about how to quilt a top. I usually make art quilts and use quilting to help bring out features in the quilt, not all over quilting that would confuse the picture. I want to explore and learn ideas in quilting books I have to expand my too limited repertoire. I have a quilt (about 20 X 50) above my bed that irritated me because of the quilting. It's of leaves blowing in the wind, some with beads, all with a "feathered" outline in paint. I like the design a lot, but seriously think of taking out the quilting so I can do a better job.

On more traditional quilts I tend to do the same flower and leaf pattern, free motion, but I'm very tired of that and need to learn something new. I'm looking forward to other posts in answer to your questions, so thanks again!

Welcome to the QB from SE Michigan. I always let the quilt dictate what I am doing. My head is constantly in motion exploring the next quilt I may be doing. I have a couple quilts that I have to get moving on. One is FMQ and the other is a stitch in the ditch. It is a matter of just getting them done. Again a warm welcome to the QB. Jump right in and enjoy the fun.

Welcome to the QB OleMama. Sometimes FMQ is faster for me than SITD. We look forward to seeing your quilt projects along the way.

A big welcome from the small state of Delaware!

Welcome from Michigan!:)

Welcome from the Michigan Mitten. Your questions are often the questions we all have. I generally do either straight line stitching, up and down and across, or I do diagonal cross hatching. Both are easy can be either close together creating channeling or about 2 inches apart. Depending on the quilt, I also do wavy stitching. Mine are freehand. I don't use the expanded wave stitch on my machine, I prefer to to make my own waves and then I follow them at about 2 inches apart. I like the look of he freehand waves. In the end, it is what pleases you and is fitting for the quilt at hand.