Decorative stitches on quilts??
 

I'm not talking about as part of the design, but as part of the quilting. I usually SITD around the inch wide strip I use to contain the color in a quilt - the first border. I have a vintage Montgomery Wards machine that does a very large serpentine stitch. Any thoughts on going down the center of the strip with that in a matching thread - red on red? I have two vertical strips in the quilt that will require the same procedure. Will it look hoky? I have no burning desire to SITD on white with red thread, but it can be done. The quilt already has some machine appliqued flowers, so it has decorative stitching on it now so it wouldn't be a 'new' element.

I don't see why not if you like the idea. So far the quilt police have not arrested me for any of the unusual things I've done!

I couldn't help but laughing at your reply.....I know I've done so many off the wall things with quilts....mostly because I've done something wrong and can't figure out any other way to fix it....so I agree 100%, if you like it, go for....maybe try it on a scrap first.

I think it would just appear as a quilting stitch, much like if you used a long arm to do some quilting in a sashing area. I think it is a great idea! Be sure to show us.

I use the serpentine stitch regularly. Comes out great. I use other decorative stitches as well.

I was "taught" by wonderful person who was willing to teach me how to quilt. Me, having no sewing experience at all, I accepted all of her rules and most of the time I was sure it was "THE LAW". But this board took off the handcuffs and I have used many decorative stitches on my quilts. I would get bored with straight stich in the ditch. It give your quilts a twist that you are not going to find anywhere else.

I did it on the Jewel Box, but the black on black didn't show and the recipient doesn't sew. This one goes to my #1 daughter who does sew and can sew a much straighter seam than I can. She doesn't quilt much, but when she does, it's with little pieces and perfect. I'm jealous, but it's just a difference in us. When she was younger, she did all my topstitching on apparel.

The quilt itself is FMQed, not STID. Double flower in the snowball blocks and meander in the 9Ps.

I know a couple people who love their serpentine stitch for quilting. Go for it!

Before my MIL got too sick to sit with me sewing; she would pick the decorative stitches on my machine to put on one of her quilts not yet quilted. She loved the decorative stitches and she was a traditional quilter. So "go for it". Teresa

I made a wallhanging using decorative stitches in the sashing. It gave me a great opportunity to test out some of those fancy stitch designs on my machine. My only problem was that I couldn't use the walking foot IF the stitch had a backwards motion. (Walking feet don't like to go back)