Dumb question
 

When I was young my mom and I sat at her sewing machine and she showed me how to sew. She taught me that when I start and end to do the little forward and backward to lock the stitches. I just bought a new machine and it does call out a "lock stitch" My confusion comes from when I watch those quilting/sewing shows and videos. I have never seen them do reverse to lock the stitches. Many times they actually sew big strips and cut them..... so my question is: Do I need be concerned about forward and backward to lock the ends?

I don't "lock" my stitches, but after I'm done with my top I do a 1/4" stay stitch around the top.

I do use the backstitch on the outside end seams of some blocks or the last border of the quilt. On the seams inside of the quilt, I don't since they will all have another row of stitching going over them in the opposite direction. On some patterns like an 8 point star, you can even remove the stitches in the center to swirl the seam allowances to reduce bulk when the eight points meet in the center. No back stitches also saves time when you have to reverse sew. :)

I never "lock" or back stitch. It has done me well over the years:)

I dont do the locking stitches when I'm making quilt tops. After I am done with the whole top, I do sew all the way around my quilt top about 1/4 inch around the edge. I've never had an issue with seams coming undone. :) Hope that helps.

The backstitch or lockstitch is mostly for garment construction. As others have posted, most peicing except your very last borders will have another line of stitching crossing a previously constructed seam which basically "locks" your stitching in place. If you find your stitches are easily unraveling beyond your 1/4" seam allowance in your block units just shorten your stitch length a bit and you will be just fine.

BTW there are no "dumb" questions. It is always wise and smart to question, how else will you learn or discover other options?

Thank you so much for all of your responses. It does make sense that the lockstitch would apply more to garments than quilting... I am sure that is what my mom was working on when she showed me.

That is exactly what I do :)

no quilting do not require a lock stitch.

No question is dumb!

i only do the lockstitch on the quilting of the quilt, not the piecing