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Back stich?

Back stich?

Old 05-27-2011, 07:52 PM
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I want to know why on the viedos of chain stitching they don't back stich to lock the stitch in. Why?
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Old 05-27-2011, 07:58 PM
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Are you asking in regards to piecing a quilt? I don't backstitch any seam that will be crossed over by another seam. Does this make sense?
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Old 05-27-2011, 08:05 PM
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My understanding of why we don't backstitch when we are piecing quilts is because the end on the stitched pieces will be in the seam allowance of the next piece and so on and so on, so they are protected from coming apart. Someone will probably explain that better than I just did. At least we can hope :)
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Old 05-27-2011, 08:14 PM
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Oh! I get it I thought it was something like that I did it today with a 9 patch did got faster but I was afraid it would come apart. Thanks so much and ya r fast responders good for us newbies. Thank u
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Old 05-27-2011, 08:28 PM
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I agree with others who have said that the seams will be crossed again. ALSO, backstitching causes UNneeded bulk in the seam. If you are back stitching and your making half square triangles for a pinwheel all that thread builds up and only adds to the builk in the center points! I sometimes finish a top and it lays around for awhile before I get around to quilting it, in this case I will shorten my stitch length REAL short so the stitches dont have a chance to come apart! I shorten the stich length for about 1/4 inch and then I go back to the regular length to sew the rest of the row and then at the very end the last 1/4 inch I will shorten the stitch again. This is easy for me to do because my sewing machine has a dial stitch length instead of digital. You could also leave your begining and ending tails a little longer as your putting your rows together. and then once your done quilting and your trimming up your quilt you will cut those threads off. The extra long tail doesn't allow the stiches to come out! :) HTH
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Old 05-27-2011, 08:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Monie
Oh! I get it I thought it was something like that I did it today with a 9 patch did got faster but I was afraid it would come apart. Thanks so much and ya r fast responders good for us newbies. Thank u
Your stitches shouldn't come apart if you use a short stitch. I use 1.8 on my
machine. It's small enough that it won't come apart but big enough that I
can use my seam ripper without damaging the fabric.
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Old 05-28-2011, 01:16 AM
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if you are chain stitching the stitches are locked.
any seam that will be crossed by another seam is locked
if any seam will be enclosed it is locked

if you have stitches that end- without being secured making a few tiny stitches at the beginning and end of the stitching line will hold them...or you can backstitch a few stitches.
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Old 05-28-2011, 04:54 AM
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i always thought that it was to keep the bulk out of the seams. but the crossing/locking makes perfect sense. i chain stitch whenever i can to make the project go faster.
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Old 05-28-2011, 11:32 AM
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I usually use a shorter stitch length for piecing than when I am sewing clothes. If you are strip piecing (sewing strips together and then cutting into smaller segments) you would only be able to back stitch at the ends.
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Old 05-28-2011, 06:05 PM
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Thanks everyone I learned a lot I have been back stitching on every piece. Appreciate all your expert knowledge. I know if I ask a question I will get the information I need. You all are Grrrrrrrrrreat!!!!!! Monie
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