Hi, hope everyone is having a great holiday season. This is another begining quilter question. I have been reading about leaving a 1/4" between the seam and hand quiltling stitches, why a 1/4" ? I recently started a hand quilted piece leaving the 1/4" space between the seam and the stitches, but I didn't like the way the seam seemed to "tent" up. The seam didn't lie flat. I then quilted it about an1/8" from the seam and liked the way it looked. Is there a practical reason for leaving a 1/4" space?

I would quilt whatever way that you like the look of best. I am not sure about that ever being a rule, but as you know, we quilter's have been known to break rules on a regular basis :D:D:D

Your seam allowance is 1/4 in, there fore , if you hand quilt outside of this, then you have less layers to quilt through.
You can buy a 1/4 in tape, that looks like masking tape, and use that to mark, then it is easy to get straight rows of quilting.

I agree with Ninnie. It is a lot easier to hand quilt 1/4 away from the seam because there is less layers of material.

Good to know, I really like the overall look. I'm working on Pillow shams before I start the main quilt. I wanted to see how I liked the look I was getting. I was worried it was a "rule" because of wear or maybe making a weak point it the quilt. Although, for the life of me, I couldn't see why it would matter. I thought I better check with people who have more experience and knowledge than me.

I like the suggestion of using tape as a marker. I've been making chalk line, but tape would be a lot faster and easier, Thanks

No, it is a regular quilt. I'm doing it as a "quilt as you go" quilt. Basically, it is blocks quilted, then I sew them together. I don't have room for a big frame, and in CA it's too hot for hoops and a quilt draped over me.

Rules!?!?! There are RULES in quilting?? Guidlines maybe but there are not rules that I know of!!! Someone please splain these rules to me.

I want to sell my quilts, because I don't have the room to store and hardly any famiy to make quilts for. It would be my luck to have someone look at my quilt to buy and I hadn't followed some "rule". I remeber reading years ago (early 70's) at in colonial times 10 stitches per inch was a good example for quilting. I hope when "they" counted those stitches they counted both sides of the fabric!!

Stitches are counted using top and bottom! Rules are only for convenience as far as I am concerned. It think it has to do with regular sewing thats usually 5/8s of an inch, but that is not needed for quilts, so someone did 1/4 and it worked. 1/8 for a seam is not strong enough for a regular quilt, but might work for miniatures. I am a pragmatist-whatever works is good!