Explain or describe to me just what you consider Stitch in the Ditch.
 

As a mostly hand quilter I don't really understand what other quilters mean when they say Stitch in the Ditch. For simple hand quilting I usually stitch about 1/4 inch on either side of the piecing seam. The former term makes me think that you are stitching in the space between the seams, possibly over your piecing stitches. If that is the case how does that hold the piecing together? The method I use makes the designs pop as I may not stitch around each piece but the completed designs made by the piecing. If I were to do what I interpret stitch in the ditch to be it would be with machine quilting and I would use at least a small zigzag stitch to be sure that I caught both edges of the piecing.

When I SID, it is right next to the seam. If you stitch right on the seam you might break the piecing seam, not sure because we do cross over them. The SID is not supposed to stand out, it is kind of a hidden quilting, it makes the block standout.

SITD by machine for me usually means, almost in the ditch or sometimes in the ditch. :D If all your seams are pressed to the side, then when you machine stitch on the side without the seam allowances, you are not stitching over the seam line but right next to it. If you are pressing your seams open, then I stitch right beside the seam stitching line.

I aim to stitch directly IN the ditch...that way you do not see the stitching, if I do it right that is! <grin> What this does is stabilizes the blocks. Especially important if you are machine quilting.

If you stitch on the side away from the pressed seam allowances right up to the edge, your stitching kind of falls in the shadow of the seam allowances and can't be seen. Theoretically. I, personal, Meander Around the Ditch now matter how hard I try to SID.

I press to the side. It seems to me that SITD would make a stronger quilt as long as you're stitching either in the seam or on the side with the seam allowances by locking those seams in place.
Rodney

The ditch is the side of the piecing without the seam allowances. I was always taught that stitch in the ditch is a line of stitching just a few threads to that side of the seam, with color matched thread, and virtually invisible. The idea is that by stitching in the ditch, you avoid having to go through the additional 2 layers of fabric that are from the seam allowances.

I'm not fond of stitch in the ditch, and I will do almost anything to avoid that type of quilting. It's actually one of the most demanding methods-- if you're even a few threads off, it can look bad, and any wobble or deviation calls attention to itself. A more free form, doodling style of FMQ is far more forgiving -- who's to say what a swirl or a petal or leave should do? Ditch stitching is not really up for creative interpretations.

I stitch in the ditch all the time, and my stitch is right on top of the seam stitch. Since I press my seams to one side, it makes a strong stitch. I don't really like my quilting stitches to show. Just me....and I am pretty happy with it. It's not everyone's cup of tea, I know. :)

Dina

A little history, stitching in the ditch was designed by the first machine quilters to disguise the fact their quilts weren't hand quilted. It's stitching in the low side of the seam.

For hand quilting, historically it has always been done 1/4" to the side of the seam. There is no point doing hand quilting in the seam, as it wouldn't show up!

Machine quilters do it in several different ways, including 1/4" to the side of the seam and right in the seam. Machine piecing is not as fragile as hand piecing, so machine sewing in the seam typically isn't a problem (because the quilt has also been machine pieced). I would never machine quilt over the seam of a hand-pieced quilt, as it could break the piecing thread.

When I stitch in the ditch, I stitch right on top of the seam. The quilting cannot be seen unless I make a mistake.

I "stitched in the ditch" long before I ever quilted. It is a tried and true method of securing things--often facings on clothing, etc. Not sure why it would "cut" the stitches. It makes everything nice and stable.

And the reason we all don't like it, Dina, is 'cuz it's HARD to do accurately! :)

Too funny! I find myself doing that too!

It doesn't need to hold the piecing together. The machine stitching holds the top together without a problem. Think clothes--you don't need to quilt them down in order to keep them from falling apart in the washing machine. (Or at least you shouldn't!)

Any quilting, including SITD, is not meant to hold your piecing together - your piecing stitches should do that. The purpose of quilting is to hold the 3 layers of the quilt sandwich together, in such a way that nothing shifts. (I have, however, used quilting stitches to hold together a vintage quilt that was coming apart at the seams. That's not how it's supposed to work, but in that case it wasn't worth the time to try to fix the real problems - seams that were too narrow, fraying fabric, etc.) Sometimes SITD is done before more intricate stitching, as a means of stabilizing the quilt. It only works when there's a ditch, meaning the seams are pressed to one side, and is especially hard to do if the seams aren't consistently pressed. It's just another technique for the machine quilter to use, and not the easiest, especially on the longarm, but it can be very effective. I found scissor queen's comment about the origins of SITD very interesting, something I hadn't known before, and it totally makes sense.

I took a class from Craftsy where the instructor wanted us to start every project by stitching in "every stinking ditch", her words, not mine, using bottom line tread. Then we would go on to feathers, or other designs that would show. The jury is still out on that one. I'm not convinced it's necessary.

I always aim for the ditch, but never seem to be able to stay in there. My machine sits in front of a window and I guess I'm easily distracted. Like that cartoon dog in the movie Up...Squirrel!!

Necessary or not it's not going to happen here! That is way too much work for this lazy girl.

Well, I didn't mean ALL my stitches are right on top of the seam stitching...:) But most are. I have a nifty SID foot that really really helps.

Dina

It is stitching AWAY from the seam. If it were truly supposed to be IN the seam the SID feet wouldn't have the flange and a set off needle position. It is supposed to emphasize your quilt pattern.

Thank you all for your explanations. As a hand quilter whose favorite work is a whole cloth white quilt I really don't mind my quilting showing.

Stitch in the ditch, visit to the dentist, same thing:D

I'm a hand quilter and open-seam presser. I don't bother (anymore) doing SITD as my quilting doesn't show. If I'm doing that much work I want it to show! I now stich 1/4" away from the seams for 'utility' quilting. Will save the more intricate quilting designs for larger areas where it's going to show up!

I generally stitch right in the ditch, on top of the seam. But, sometimes I want to add a little more dimension, so I'll stitch about 1/16" to the side of the stitching.

And if you want to make it even more of a challenge, you can free motion stitch in the ditch! I just finished a quilt doing just that in an attempt to improve my free motion skills after watching a Leah Day video describing the technique.

I failed miserably... but did get a lot of experience doing it! All SITD from here on will be done with my walking foot!!!

Me,too! New quilting acronym: MAD--Meander Around the Ditch! My quilting contains a smidge of MADness anyway. :)

Hard as I try, I can only manage a "stitch sorta kinda close to the ditch." Occasionally I actually SITD for a few inches, but, regrettably, it is only accidental. The finished quilts manage to stay together after being washed and dried, and they serve their purpose of keeping us warm and cozy. I seem to get a little bit better with each one, though. SIGH!

An important aspect of stitching in the ditch is stabilizing each square (or other recognizable unit) so that you can concentrate on each square as you do the free motion design quilting. You can work on each square independently if you have stitched in the ditch. It also prevents tucks on the back because of the control you have created on the front. I like to use my walking foot to STID. Lots of practice helps. Creating small projects helps with the control issues. Then, make larger ones as your skill increases.

[QUOTE=Lisa_wanna_b_quilter;6494524Theoretically. I, personal, Meander Around the Ditch now matter how hard I try to SID.[/QUOTE]

Lisa, I love, love, love your new technique - Meander Around the Ditch! That's hysterical. And a mighty fine way to stitch.

I also took that class and found it very interesting. She does some unbelievably beautiful quilts that she really studies what quilting should be in shadow or hilight etc. On her website she shows an example of a quilt with and without ditching every line, and the one she does is much flatter. I'm about to quilt a BOM top that some blocks have 23 pieces in...I, too am just not sure if that's the way to go. Maybe if I were on her level and entering a contest. BTW, her name is Cindy Needham. Her class was the best on I have ever taken!!!!

My SID is right next to the stitch but sometimes I wander over a tad too far...

The most important place I have found to use STD, is on the binding. I sew my binding on the right side of the quilt (the top), and carefully press that seam open. Stretch it a little so you can really see the seam. Turn the binding to the back to cover the stitching line by about 1/16 in. and pin, baste or glue. School glue ironed down works the best. Then go back to the front and STD. None of the stitching will show after the quilt is washed. It's beautiful. (Mine aren't always perfect either. LOL)

I differentiate between SITD (right in the ditch) which has been discussed as nearly impossible to do perfectly, and "echo quilting" close to the ditch. I prefer to use my SITD foot (one without a small needle hole) and move the needle over several notches to echo quilt.

I stitch along seam lines to secure the top, batting and backing before I do quilting that will show from the front. I don't do every seam, just the ones around major blocks usually. It depends on what I have decided on how my final quilting design will look both from the front and back as to where and how much stitch in the ditch I'll do.

This is exactly why I Stitch in the Ditch.
I took the same Craftsy class mentioned, and I LIKE the look and will continue to stitch in 'every stinkin' stitch.'
I just saw a website about an hour ago that the longarm quilter stitched a few threads from the exact seam. Though the work is beautiful, I do not like the look of her stitching in the ditch.
Just personal preference. (Isn't her work beautiful though?)

http://www.suzanneearley.net/2014/01...tion-quilting/