I'm learning how to machine quilt and wondering: how do you handle it when you make a mistake? If you are trying to quilt with few starts, to reduce the number of knots that must be hidden; does that mean you rip out half your quilting if you make a mistake? If not, how do you tie off prior to the mistake? Resewing a few seams is disheartening, but the thought of requilting half a quilt is enough to make me cry!

I have had that problem myself so I'd be interested in what others do. I normally sew over that last couple of inches(before the thread broke or the bobbin ran out) with a really small stitch and then continue with a normal quilting stitch length. The problem is, I don't know if that's working or not cause I mostly make charity quilts. Hopefully they are not all falling apart in the wash.

I do this, but I only sew over less than an inch.

I only rip out if the mistake is glaringly obvious or bugs me so much I can't stand it. I also sew over previous stitching with tiny stitches slowly increasing stitch length as best I can with FMQ.

I will put a dab of "fray chek" over the spot to make sure it holds. the smaller stitches work as well.

I love fray check! I do a little machine sewing but would rather hand quilt my top out. I have more control with it, so it seems to me. LOL

Same here.

I do like Sadiemae if it's not a glaring mistake, but I also leave very long "tails" of thread at the end of my mistake and the beginning of the sew over and then just bury them by hand when I'm done quilting. Actually, you're the only one that's going to know you made a mistake unless you point it out to them or it's really a "biggie" right smack dab in the middle of the quilt and you can't help but see it but there's usually always a way to cover it up. Don't agonize over it too much or it will take the fun out of quilting :)

I use a very thin thread that matches in bobbin and top. The mistakes aren't that noticeable. When I start or stop I stitch in place for a few stitches to lock the thread and leave a tail. I use the smallest crochet hook, size 14, to pull the thread into the guilt. It's faster and easier then using a needle to buy the thread. Clover has a new hook tool that is made for this.

I do as others have mentioned - go over the last inch or so of the previous line, perhaps with a couple of backstitches, too. The backstitches sometimes show, though. I figure better that than that the quilting comes undone in the wash.

Also, for purely cosmetic boo-boos, if you are using cotton batting for that wrinkled look, when you wash it, the shrinking and wrinkling will cover a multitude of sins.