Opinions on backstitching please?
#21
I don't back stitch as I'm a chain piecer. I use a shorter stitch length (2.0) and that works for me. Now that I am doing more machine quilting, I'm going to start back stitching any seam that will touch the edge of the quilt. A lot of my Project Linus quilts don't have borders and I've had to fix a few of the seams between blocks before sandwiching. I'd hate for one to come apart after donating it!
#23
I am in company with most of the others. I don't backstitch ... almost never on a pieced block. Not even on the outside edge of a block that I plan to store.
I backstitch when making garments, and I backstitch when adding my binding and on the corners of my binding.
that's pretty much it.
I backstitch when making garments, and I backstitch when adding my binding and on the corners of my binding.
that's pretty much it.
#24
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 258
Thanks so much everyone, it seams like its a 50-50 on who back stitches and who doesn't ok, now I will have to decide which one to do since both ways seem to work Thanks again everyone it makes me feel better either way I do it will be ok so long as I watch to make sure each seam line is crossed so there will no be any unraveling
#25
I back stitch a lot, anything that is going to be handled......because they always seems to start to unravel as soon as I touch them. I especially do the seams in my borders, sashing and bindings, yes I know they will be intersected by other stitching.....but I am so old school....and would rather be safe than sorry....and with todays machines it only takes a second to push the button and go back a couple stitches...
#26
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
ditto what Candace said. I never backstitch except maybe the very outer border and that is only to reinforce it for putting it on the rack. Sometimes I remember to do it, more often I don't. I don't have a problem with seams unraveling ever.
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Killeen, Texas
Posts: 329
When chain piecing, I don't backstitch. For other instances, especially if the intersection involves lots of pieces (as in the center of a design with more than 4 pieces intersecting), I don't necessarily backstitch the traditional way on the seam but I take a few stitches backwards into the seam allowance to help secure the thread. It seems to help cut down on the bulk that way on the seam lines.
#29
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.
Posts: 8,562
But because many of my quilts are handled, used in workshops, stored and refolded, while they are still just tops, I usually run a line of smaller stitches all the way around the perimeter of the completed top about 1/8" in.
Jan in VA
#30
It depends on the thread. Cotton will not unravel, poly will. I use poly 99% of the time and I leave about 1/4" at the end of a seam. I dont think it matters if it unravels once the quilt is finished but I dont want it unraveling while Im still working on the quilt. Leaving the 1/4" insures that it wont unravel beyond at least until Im finished piecing. Also when Im finished piecing I sew all the way around the edge with about 1/8". This keeps outside edges from popping during the quilting process.
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