mpspeedy2

Thank you all for your explanations. As a hand quilter whose favorite work is a whole cloth white quilt I really don't mind my quilting showing.

sandy l

Stitch in the ditch, visit to the dentist, same thing

NJ Quilter

I'm a hand quilter and open-seam presser. I don't bother (anymore) doing SITD as my quilting doesn't show. If I'm doing that much work I want it to show! I now stich 1/4" away from the seams for 'utility' quilting. Will save the more intricate quilting designs for larger areas where it's going to show up!

MeLuvQuilts

I generally stitch right in the ditch, on top of the seam. But, sometimes I want to add a little more dimension, so I'll stitch about 1/16" to the side of the stitching.

QuiltingVagabond

And if you want to make it even more of a challenge, you can free motion stitch in the ditch! I just finished a quilt doing just that in an attempt to improve my free motion skills after watching a Leah Day video describing the technique.

I failed miserably... but did get a lot of experience doing it! All SITD from here on will be done with my walking foot!!!

AngeliaNR

Me,too! New quilting acronym: MAD--Meander Around the Ditch! My quilting contains a smidge of MADness anyway.

youngduncan

Hard as I try, I can only manage a "stitch sorta kinda close to the ditch." Occasionally I actually SITD for a few inches, but, regrettably, it is only accidental. The finished quilts manage to stay together after being washed and dried, and they serve their purpose of keeping us warm and cozy. I seem to get a little bit better with each one, though. SIGH!

quilterpurpledog

An important aspect of stitching in the ditch is stabilizing each square (or other recognizable unit) so that you can concentrate on each square as you do the free motion design quilting. You can work on each square independently if you have stitched in the ditch. It also prevents tucks on the back because of the control you have created on the front. I like to use my walking foot to STID. Lots of practice helps. Creating small projects helps with the control issues. Then, make larger ones as your skill increases.

Krystyna

[QUOTE=Lisa_wanna_b_quilter;6494524Theoretically. I, personal, Meander Around the Ditch now matter how hard I try to SID.[/QUOTE]

Lisa, I love, love, love your new technique - Meander Around the Ditch! That's hysterical. And a mighty fine way to stitch.

petpainter

I also took that class and found it very interesting. She does some unbelievably beautiful quilts that she really studies what quilting should be in shadow or hilight etc. On her website she shows an example of a quilt with and without ditching every line, and the one she does is much flatter. I'm about to quilt a BOM top that some blocks have 23 pieces in...I, too am just not sure if that's the way to go. Maybe if I were on her level and entering a contest. BTW, her name is Cindy Needham. Her class was the best on I have ever taken!!!!