handquilting in the ditch
 

how do you handquilt in an even line around the pattern your doing? Mine look so off centered sometimes. Ive tried the 1/4 tape but it was a hassel. Any suggestions?

I never stitch in the ditch. I only machine quilt now, I usually do FMQ in a large stipple. When I do straight stitching I go about 1/4" from the seam and did the same when I hand quilted, or I did a running stitch in an X pattern across the blocks.

kind of like driving, I always go beside the ditch when I hand quilt. the seam bump gives me a nice steady guide.

I am undertaking my first hand quilting project and I have done lots of trial and error to find what works. I also tried the tape and that was just a waste of my money and time. What I have found that works for me is to draw a line where I want to hand stitch using either a chalk pencil for dark colors and using colored (I'm currently using a green)slivers of soap for the white fabrics. The soap will wash out when I am finished. You could also draw your design on tissue paper and pin it to your fabric and sew on the lines. I gave this a half hearted attempt and then just went back to marking my stitching line.

I echo quilt most of the time. I too, use chalk...it wears off easily (sometimes too easily) I like the idea of using the seam as a guide!

I am a bit confused by your question. The title says handquilting in the ditch" but then you describe "even line around the pattern and trying 1/4" tape. which is it - in the ditch or 1/4" out from the ditch.

she's talking about a modification of "in the ditch", I think. I've heard others say it's supposed to be easier to stitch just outside of the ditch, but my first ever quilt (a log cabin) also had a lot of "in the ditch" quilting and I didn't think it was that much harder, if at all, than the rest of the quilting on it.

honeybee, have you tried actually stitching in the ditch? Solves your problem of it looking off center to you and you might be surprised at how easy it is. :-)

I'll say this forever ;) - if i'm going to spend my time hand-quilting, I want my work to show. Use a frixion pen to draw a line - use the fons and porter pencil to draw a line and quilt on the line. The frixion comes out w/ heat, the fons &porter will come out when washed. And the frixion pen will also totally disappear w/ wash. Even a lead pencil will draw a light line and i notice that by the time i finish dragging my hand across the quilt quilting, the pencil line wears off.

I also hand quilt. I quilt just slightly away from the seam. Mine aren't always even and not always exactly straight but when the quilt is completed, it looks good. Stressing over getting my stitches EXACTLY EVEN is stressful for me and I like to hand quilt because it's relaxing. When it becomes THAT stressful, then I'll just have to stop making quilts. No one who has one of my quilts has said anything about my quilting stitches being uneven. Stop stressing, enjoy the process and let others enjoy the fruits of your hands.

I totally agree. If and when I become so stressed about my stitches, then it is time to quit. Life is too short to try and quilt perfectly. Besides, I kind of like it when there is a slight mistake or two. That's just me of course.