Open seams and stitch in the ditch?
03-13-2014, 08:13 AM
#21
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Location: Prescott Valley, AZ
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IMHO pressing 1/4" seams open is pain. I only do it where I absolutely have to reduce bulk. To answer your question: yes you can SITD over an open seam, but why not take this opportunity to try a serpentine or other decorative stitch with some wiggle in it?
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 12-01-2014 at 04:27 AM. Reason: language
03-13-2014, 09:01 AM
#22
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Location: North-Central Indiana
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I caved to the 'seams open' pressure once and felt very funky about it the whole time. I decided to never do that again (unless it's where there's a ton of seams coming together or something). I used to be a garment sewer so I was used to pressing open but now I am used to pressing to the side.
03-13-2014, 10:04 AM
#24
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Location: Texas
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Originally Posted by gale
but that's not "in the ditch".
Maybe we should designate a new stitch: SNTD -- for Stitch Near the Ditch. I don't stitch IN the ditch either but near it.....because I don't care if the stitching shows, and sometimes want it to.
03-13-2014, 11:29 AM
#25
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Posts: 974
I do quite a few modern quilts, and the directions often say to press seams open. I've never had my LAQer complain, and the quilts have always turned out beautifully. I've never done SITD on them. The one I quilted myself called for stitching 1/4" from the seams. I loved the results.
03-13-2014, 02:44 PM
#26
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Location: Somewhere North
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Yes, you can press the seams open and stitch in the ditch. Leah Day says use smaller stitch length and go for it. It does work. I have also read that pressing them to the side was done because of hand piecing.
03-13-2014, 03:49 PM
#27
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,312
Originally Posted by jmckenzie
I don't understand why people are opening the seams? In some situations it may be necessary but it's weaker and looks bad because the thread shows. You should see them on the long arm...what a mess! Some use white thread throughout the quilt. Yes...then you have fun coloring all your thread so it doesn't show which may also further weaken the thread.<object id="SILOBFWOBJECTID" type="cosymantecnisbfw" style="width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block;" cotype="cs"></object>
Having the seam thread show is typically the result of tension problems , and not setting the seam.
03-13-2014, 04:16 PM
#28
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Location: North-Central Indiana
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Originally Posted by mme3924
Maybe we should designate a new stitch: SNTD -- for Stitch Near the Ditch. I don't stitch IN the ditch either but near it.....because I don't care if the stitching shows, and sometimes want it to.
03-13-2014, 05:11 PM
#29
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Originally Posted by Annie Pearl
I don't FMQ yet I SITD. I am making a throw for my couch and plan to try pressing the seams open to see how I like it. Can you still SITD with pressed open seams because you'll just be stitching over the stitches?
03-13-2014, 05:24 PM
#30
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Location: Mission Viejo, CA
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I don't know if this is "correct", but I press the seams to one side, then when I SITD stitch next to the seam on the opposite side, the thread is almost hidden that way. I wouldn't mind being informed about whether my "way" is a good one.
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