How do you stitch in the ditch on a log cabin quilt?
 

I'm trying to decide how to quilt my queen sized log cabin quilt. (on my regular sewing machine). I would kind of like to do SITD, but I'm wondering how others have done it. Do you break thread at the end of every block? That seems like a lot of stops and broken thread. But unless I do this, I cannot figure out how to SITD from block to block.

I hope my question makes sense. Thanks.

When you SID on the last seam of the block then you get one solid line from block to block.
If you want to SID in the block then you can pull up the bottom thread, set your stitch length to 2 or 4mm (the smallest your machine allows) and take about 5 stitches (to set the thread). Change the stitch to regular length and SID JUST to before the end of the seam (where the logs cross). Here you can change the stitch length back to tiny and set the seam with about 5 stitches. Pull up the thread and move the quilt to where you can repeat the process on the next block. You don't need to trim the threads until the entire line is quilted.

Thank you Martina, that makes sense.

I did SID on log cabins like Martina described. On some machines you can semi-automate the procedure of changing stitch length. On my Bernina 440, for instance, I can use stitch #1 for my regular stitch length with zero width (straight stitch), then go to #2 and set it for zero width and the tiny stitches. All I have to do after that is press 1 to get back to the regular stitch, or 2 to go to the tiny stitch. This feature may work differently on other machines, or may not be present at all, but it's very handy if you can use it.

Why not do something more traditional -- like the (now known as) Baptist fan?
Or quilt in straight lines using the diagonals of the design?

STID is not the only be-all-to-end-all in quilting on your domestic machine, nor is it always the easiest!

Jan in VA

If your machine has a reverse, you can just "back up" the stitching by 3-4 stitches on each end and lock the stitching that way. My Janome has a "stitch in place" which will lock a row of stitches, but before I had that, I just used the reverse stitch.

Yes, my Janome Memory Craft has the stitch in place (locking stitch) and the reverse. I didn't know if that would show too much on the back side of the quilt though.

Thanks for the help! :)