I've done couching on home dec projects and a couple of vests. It's fun and if you have a couching foot and decorative stitches on your machine, it's a pretty easy way to add some pizazz. I love using metallic yarn or cord and invisible thread. Get some scraps and practice. I think you'll like it. I don't see why you couldn't use it on a quilt, might be a great little pop.

I have done couching and loved it. I have done it both with a zigzag stitch and a couching foot. Which way is determined by how much I want to do and the threads used.

ali

One of the members here, debcaven, did an awesome tutorial on this technique. It's on my very very long to do list :D
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...s-t110571.html

I did it to ad vines and stems to an applique quilt it was much easier and neater for me then the stem stitch. I hand stitched it.

Do you have to have a special foot for your machine to do couching???

I have only done couching by hand. I used invisible thread and it came out looking pretty good.

I have never done this, but if I were you I'd definitely try it out on a scrap piece before I did it on my actual quilt. Good luck learning!

Try this on some scraps, use different kinds of yarns, multiple strands of threads, braidings, etc. I have seen beautiful effects using narrow ribbon too.

Use a zig zag or the more open type of decorative stitches on your machine. You may find that on a single layer of fabric that you will need a stabilizer to eliminate puckering. Heavily starching the fabric first, may eliminate the need for a stabilizer.

A couching foot makes the process easier, but a zig zag foot with a grooze in the bottom of it will work too. There is also a couching foot made to use while FMQ :)

You can couch on yardage and make beautiful fabric for a unique backing, or cut it up into quilt blocks.
Couched bias strips, with a decorative stitch makes beautiful vines and stems. Experiment, have fun, and please show us your results :) :) :)

Couching is really easy. My old old old sewing maching has an attachment that allows you to not have to worry about lining up the cord, ribbon, etc. because it feeds it right to the needle so this makes it easy to turn corners or stitch around an applique. The new machines probably have the same type attachment but newer and improved compared to mine.