Locking Stitch Help!
 

I am machine quilting a rail fence quilt in a diagonal fashion. However, I want each square to be quilted a different color to correspond with the quilt. How do I lock my stitches so that it works out? The quilt in question is attached below. Thanks.

Welcome to this board.

I can't answer your question. There is no way I would quilt like that. Someone may be along later that can help you.

lovely quilt! Are you using a FMQ foot or walking foot or Long arm? With FMQ or Long arm you can just take 3-4 tiny stitches to lock the stitching. If using a walking foot, remember you can not reverse. One option is to maybe lead longer tail, do a hand-tied knot and then bury the knots.

Pretty quilt top! Love the color/arrangement.

Am I understanding correctly that you want it quilt each square individually? If so, I wouldn’t recommend it. That’s a ton of extra knots (and time) spent. I’ve had a few quilts that were bright/bold colors like that and I was just so stressed about picking the “right” thread color. I’m always worried thread will ruin a quilt like that, but I’ve been pleased with how all of them have turned out, usually using a light gray thread for all the quilting. Good luck!

Have you thought about using invisible thread? Superior makes a good one. I think that would be the way to go rather than locking a zillion starts & stops, not to mention thread changes. Also, if your machine doesn't do a perfectly balanced stitch, you will need to use matching thread in the bobbin. So you would need to wind a bunch of different bobbins.

Welcome to the board!
I have to agree with the poster who said you will end up with a lot of knots if you do each one separately.
Love your quilt!

You could start in the center and quilt the yellow blocks. Then move on the next color and quilt all the green squares in that section. Move on to the next color.

You could probably quilt the 4 corners in a diagonal method using coordinating thread.

Change thread colors with each color set of blocks (yellow, green, blue, etc.) and not the individual blocks.

Think about how you are going to move from square to square. Plan it out first and even draw on paper if you like.

Depending on what you are using for backing, I'd be more inclined to leave long tails, knot them and bury them. I've started doing that more as the backstitching sometimes becomes very noticeable on the back side. Often it's hidden in a seam or the color blends well on the front, but this does not happen on the back.

I do mine on a LA. I pull and knot as I am going, so I don't have a lot of loose strings getting in my way, and a boat load of threads to knot and bury after the quilt is off the frame. I keep a needle with a larger eye stuck to the LA so I can easily do that. It does get a bit tedious when you have an 18" block with a lot of small sections that don't interconnect and you are switching between three thread colors - I only did one color at a time, but I had 5-10 sections of each color with knots at the start and end of each. The plus side, it looks as nice on the back as it does on the front. this quilt is now displayed at my LQS, so I knew I wanted to be very particular.

If I am making a quilt were I'm not near as concerned about how it looks on the back, or if the backing will easily hide the stitching, I'll backstitch and trim threads instead of going to the work of knotting and burying.

Just wanted to say Welcome to the board and your quilt is beautiful. Good luck with whatever method you decide to go with.

Sorry, I don't know about the sewing part but wanted to say how wonderful your quilt is! Lovely use of colors!

I use Robbi's (second method listed) method. I prefer to use dental floss instead of thread and I also use a big needle. So much easier for me.

http://artwithaneedle.blogspot.com/2...read-ends.html

I would never do all that starting and stopping. It would take forever and lots of extra work. Have you considered using a variagated thread with those colors? There are lots to choose from.

Since your beautiful quilt is a rainbow of colors, why not use variegated thread and do the whole quilt rather than square by square?

I like your idea of using dental floss!

Lovely quilt. I say go for it. Pull your threads to the top, tie a knot and bury your threads, it will be a lot of work, but I am sure that you will be happy you took the extra time, where it is what you want. Good luck

Variegated thread in a color way that blends with your values would be nice.

I don't lock my stitches. I stop stitching and leave long tails which I then tie off by hand and useing a large eye needle run the thread ends through the batting and out and clip off. I feel it is more secure that way and there are no little stubs of thread anywhere. Is it a lot of work? Yes, but I like the results so it is worth it.
I usually quilt with a neutral thread so less changing is required. That's a lot of threading your machine and changing you bobbin. You might also want to consider a varigated thread to compliment those colors.