conblond2005

I sent an e-mail to Keepsake Quilting and they said it should work on Janome but if not to send it back. I just may buy one this month.

Rose Marie

The ditch foot is not a walking foot so dosnt work well for quilting.
It works very well for sewing the back binding on when you stitch in the ditch from the front. It stays in the ditch and dosnt wander, I love it.

patricej

The Ditch Foot Connie bought WILL work for quilting the ditch. i use one all the time.

it's like any other gadget ... it's a helper. you can't avoid "the human factor". the center guide will help you see more easily whether or not the sandwich is feeding straight, but you still have to make sure you keep it lined up correctly as you feed it.

1. it works best when the seams have been pressed to one side; especially when you feed it through with the press to the left. (**a blind hemming foot works better if the press is to the right.**)
2. feed it through so that the center guide is tight against the fold.
3. if you want the stitching to disappear completely, position the needle so that it lines up one a teeeny bit to the left of the center guide. (the best needle position is going to depend on the weight of the fabrics and loft of the batting, so definitely do tests on scrap sandwiches for each project.)

normally, spray basting is sufficient. however, if the top fabric is a lighter weight than normal, or stretchier than normal, or if the batting is thick, i recommend you baste with a needle and thread ... using stitches between 1/4" and 1/2" long. baste between 1/4" and 1/2" away from the seam.

i've never tried using a ditch foot on curves, but i suspect it wouldn't be much help. the blind hemming foot might, but i don't remember having tried that yet, either.

practice on scrap sandwiches first. you'll develop an "eye" for the best place to start and stop; tension setting; needle position, ideal speed, etc.

PrettyKitty

Ah Patrice, you speak such wise words.

Connie and Izy, I have that foot, I bought it from my sewing machine shop. It is a Janome foot but fits my Pfaff Hobby machine (snap on feet).

I have only done one baby quilt with it so far, but I thought it was GREAT. I found that while stitching, you naturally have fabric on one side of the seam that is a little more prominent than the other side, if that makes sense? I found that if I made sure that the blade part of the foot was well in the ditch, and the side of the blade pushing against the more prominent side of fabric, the stitching was well and truly in the ditch, and never wandered (unless my mind did!).

conblond2005

Thanks ladies for all the info. Not sure when I'll buy one but imagine it will be soon. Trying to cut back on stuff before Christmas. Money gets tight this time of year.