Thanks for the tip..using water soluble thread for the grid lines. :)

Ditto here...I love this idea. Thanks!

~ C

I only use SITD on custom work. If you are doing an all over, it is not necessary.

If you've securely basted, I say skip it.

I've actually had that bite me in the rear before - did wide SITD mostly around the edges and then started a rather dense FMQ pattern in the center - by the time I reached my first SITD lines I was getting some baggy/puckered areas when I ran up against the SITD seams!

Some great ideas here. I especially like the idea of basting with the water soluble thread. I haven't tried it. Do you use regular thread on the bobbin?

I use water soluble thread for grid stabilising I use it in the needle and bobbin with no problem, (it winds on easily) and then it just washes out when I wash the completed quilt.

I use regular thread in the bobbin. It is cheaper than the water soluble and I am "frugal". Just be prepared to handle the long threads that result after removing the water soluble type.

I find I have to handle a quilt much more to SITD than to just quilt it, so I never SITD if I can avoid it. So, my response is no, not necessary. I do have to SITD around a panel in the quilt currently on the machine. I added an extra layer of batting under the panel so I need to secure it where the panel meets the blocks. Yick! I don't want to.

Your pining should hold it while you FMQ. Then if your fabric does shift you can remove the pins. No need to STID.