I no longer do most needle work, but agree with you. Using good tools & learning as you go...before long it's done & time to find another project.Quilting has taken over, so it's mostly something quilty.

I know EXACTLY how you feel. I just worked on hand quilting a baby quilt last week and when I took it off the frame all I could think was "How am I ever going to give this as a gift, it looks so lame." But, you know what? The recipients of the quilt thought it was marvelous. So now, I'm going to concentrate more on how much love I sew into the quilts and less on how "good" they are. We're bound to get better with practice.

I want some of that ice cream too!!!! LOL Do not quit!! It just takes some practice - it will get better - as the others have said, we all have been there!!!
Try making some small quilted projects to do your practicing on. Maybe some hot pads, or baby quilts, or even just some quilted fabric to make something out of (purse, parts of a jacket or clothing) for later use.
Chin up -- it will get better, and you will laugh about it later!!

One thing I did for quilting a diamond grid was to use wide blue painter's tape. Tape a piece diagonally across quilt, then stitch down the edge. Keep moving the tape, and lining it up evenly. Since it is painter's tape, it does not leave any residue on your quilt top. You will have to change the tape piece once in awhile. Quilting a long straight line like that helps you get the 'feel' of handling the quilt top and adjusting your machine speed.

I have used the blue painters tape and it helps a lot like Laurie said. It has been a life saver when I hand quilt and machine quilt. Straight lines a go go.

My Janome has a special SID attachment that is full proof - even I can do it w/o waivering! Maybe your machine has something like it.
It is the process not the project that makes the journey meaningful - easy for me to say, I know!
NaincieFromWyoming

You'e being to hard on yourself. Try the wobbly stitch (least amount of zig you can get in your machine's zigzag stitch. It hops around on the "ditch" and gives a puffy look Looks even better after washed and dried.

I learned to quilt from a wonderful lady in our town, who has passed...but she always told us.."only God can creat something perfect" , so she told us to always make some kind of mistake somewhere on our quilts. And believe me I don't have to make them...they come with the quilt. Enjoy....

I think there are many of us have felt the same way !!! Practice, practice, practice !!! I did several sets of Christmas place mats to practice on and gave them as gifts. Everyone loved them !!! They didn't notice the mistakes just that they were made with love !! It they were perfect they could have bought them in a store !!!

I think everyone has said it already. I also had a disaster or two at the start and nearly gave up. I took a class at a local guild for a three hour afternoon which gave me some courage really and a few tips. One of them was to pin the quilt adequately at the start. Anyhow I ended up practising more after that class and venture into free motion quilting which I honestly found so much easier than stitch in the ditch and I still find this. Break free and go wild. Try smaller samples first as they are easeir to turn etc. I'm no master with free motion but I have way less rules for myself and that makes it easier. Good luck.

Its like anything else it all takes pratice pratice pratice. Make a small sandwich and pratice

Forget trying to use a pattern right now. Just do some meandering, then you can't do something wrong. You can do it close together(stippling) or further apart for meandering. You can do loops and swirls or puzzle pieces. It'd all fun and it holds a quilt together. After you are comfortable with this technique, you can start developing some simple patterns like echoing and go from there. Just relax and it will come.

If you are quilting on a machine, I think SITD is one of the harder things to do, especially if you are using a mid arm or long arm. The speed of the machine is so fast, that you have less control.
Virginia

I read a tip of practicing on an erasable board (the kind you leave messages on) and just doodle to get the hang of it before you start free motion quilting on your quilt. I think that would be a good idea instead of making a mess and having to pick out stitches. I have only SID and simple "X's" in a block so haven't tried anything harder. I think it is time to move on to something more challenging so amd going to try this.

How true...I believe the Amish also create a "mistake" in all of their creations for that very reason.

I hear ya, I too love the construction of the piecing but when it comes to machine quilting, I have along ways to go. They tell me it just takes a lot of practice.

ok I look at every ones stuff and I feel very inept. Then I think I will get there I will get there...

Don't know how many do this but I read that if you leave your feed dogs UP,while FMQ, you have 60% more control!! Try it! I am not the greatest & don't always SID perfectly but this really helped!!! :-D I also draw my pattern on the fabric with an air erasable pen at times. That works, too!

I know what you mean, I don't quilt well worth beans. But I keep trying. Make some practice pieces--cut muslin fabric in 12 to 15 or so inch squares and sandwich with some batting (good to do with scrap batting) and just keep practicing. Start slow and just keep it moving. One thing I know for sure a person needs to be relaxed. Put on some good music or story you like and go to it. When you feel yourself getting tense stop and pick it up later.

What does SID mean?

Stop it right now! Okay got that out of my system. Yes more practice is the answer. If you are giving these to charity or non quilty people don't worry. All giftees are so overwhelmed by the process, they think its all amazing.
Agree with others who say don't SID, first of all, you are only sewing over stitches??!!: two try a zig-zag or wavy stitch. As it goes over the seam allowances, you are really holding the fabrics together.
Had a wonderful teacher who NEVER allowed us to put ourselves down. We were told okay that technique is one we will not do anymore, let's try this. Poof better everything. Have a nice cup o' tea and just get on with it. Love in stitches to all.

Ok I still want to know what is SID???

We all have those kind of days. Get away from the machine and quilt for a day. You'll come back and refreshed and ready to sew without any problem.

SID, or SITD = stitch in the ditch. This means to do your quilting stitches along the seam lines of your piecing, either next to it or right over it.

I have good news for you. I use to want everything perfect. Like Fat Chance....I have learned that if something is tooooo perfect it shows the imperfections quick. So I will share my secret. When you decide on a design to quilt, choose one that has a variation in it. That way it will look natural. Remember it is normal for everyone to start measuring with their eye if it is all the same size. I just learned that if your design is square you do a rounded quilting design -- likewise if it is round you do a sqare or straight line design to pop it out. I think it goes back to the normal eye measuring and if you break that by the opposite you give yourself and everyone else a place to play and enjoy with your eye. Give yourself a break and enjoy. The next one is the masterpiece. The last one is the masterpiece to everyone else.

I know what you mean. I love to sew and quilt....but I never seem to get any better and am always frustrated with my self. I think stitching in the ditch is hard.

My SID never seemed to be where it belonged so one day I tried a simple zig zag directly over the 2 pieces where they connected. Whoopee - it came out very neat and has a nice distinct pattern too. I did not lengthen or tighten the stitch up and it was just right.

I do that a lot so do not be embarrassed. I am getting better so now I try to stipple where ever I can.

we or most of us have been there. Perhaps you should start with a small quilt and practice on it. Practice makes perfect, don't be so hard on yourself.

Well I am quilting one for my sister right now and it is far from perfect, but she won't care. I have always said I can't draw a straight line with a ruler and I can't sew a straight line most of the time now. But it still works! Quilts are not supposed to be perfect. Most are just made with love and most people won't notice if it is not exactly right.

We are our own worst critic. I have not heard one person say they hated a quilt that someone else spent hours on. Quilts are stuffed with love and that's what makes them special, not whether the stitches or points are straight. I find loads of mistakes on mine, but no one else sees them. So, don't be too hard on yourself. You are a very special person for even trying!

Remember, EXPERIENCE is RECOGNIZING your mistake, the SECOND time you make it! We all have lots of EXPERIENCE!! :-D

Oh my gosh! I never thought about doing a wavy stitch or zig-zag stitch while stitching-in-the-ditch. Wouldn't that look good!

Vanessa

I use Tiger Tape when hand quilting, it keeps my stitches straight. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, I have had my moments, believe me and will have many more.

Hugs!!!!

You should have seen the hearts I put on my 15 year old son's quilt. I was so embarrassed. I told him that I was sorry that the hearts were so wobbly and messed up....he told me that he loved the quilt because I had made it especially for him. Sometimes we just get too focused on our imperfections.
Stick with it...it doesn't matter if you improve or not. It is your quilt and just enjoy the process.
:thumbup:

I practice on smaller 'samples'. I use my samples for potholder gifts at holidays. You get lots of practice, and your friends get hand made potholders. Win-Win!

I am with you all the way, I am so afraid of messing up the quilt I have worked on for so lone, I keep hearing to practice, but to just get to that point is terrifying to me. I guess we just need to listen and go for it..who would know right? I'm there for the ride if you will just hitch me on to your wagon.

SID means Stitch in the Ditch.

I too have been there and still there somtimes. It does get better. Just keep at it. Practice does make better.
However, I do not do FMQ. I hand quilt. I tried doing this on my machine with just stitch in the ditch. What a mess. Everytime my needle went over the seams(where the blocks intersect) the stitches got really small without even changing the stitch length. So I guess my machine does not like quilting.

i don't sew straight - never could - sooo instead of SID - i just use a gently curved seam - works for me. i also never try to hang pictures at the same level - just stagger 'em on the wall in groups - why shoot yourself in the foot if you don't have to? different strokes for different folks.

I'm sure we've all had our pity-party days. Don't give up! It really does take practice to do anything well. I remember my first attempts at hand quilting. I couln't quilt a straight line with uniform stitches for anything. I almost gave up but finally my stubborness kicked in & I told myself I will learn to do this. And now I my hand quilting may not be as good as some quilters but I'm satisfied with the results & get good feedback. Just starting to learn freemotion & haven't progressed enough to try a full size quilt but I'm getting there. I'm sure you will get there too. Have patience with yourself. As my grandmother used to tell me "Rome wasn't built in a day."